The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-31
THE UNDERPAID PROFESSION.
Average Pay of Teachers Discourage
inRIy Low.
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
The women teachers I'm one OF the coun-
ties OF West Virginia are reported TO be- or
gani2ing a union. with n Wow 20 striking
for higher pay. The average salary OF "A
woman teacher I'm this county IL said 20 be
only so per month. The teachers declare
that this Is not "A living wage ut the present
time. They emphasize tho fact that the
cost OF living has increased greatly during
recent years, while their rate Of pay has re-
manned the same. Unless the school COM
mittees advance their salaries sufficiently
to meet the enlarged demands on their
purses they threaten TO strike when the
schools reopen next month.
The grievance OF the teachers in West
virginia IL not peculiar 10 that State. IL A
notorious that teachers In general are
shamefully underpaid. The only liberal
Gazing That can be compared TO teaching IN
this respect Is the ministry The average
pay or teachers Is, however. probably much
lower than that or minister's, and this for
the reason that the teaching profession Is
crowded with women. other causes OF the
shabpy remuneration OF teachers are easily
discoVernble In the conditions OF the call
ing. Wages are governed here az else
where by tho ineNorable law OF supply and
9emand; Now the supply OF teachers Is un-
doubleday excessive. Ii Is constantly in
creasing, furthermore, with every annua
output OF academic graduates. Teaching Is
y kind OF dumping-ground for the surplus
- NA' ANAAfkft MANY young Der
sons enter this profession simply because
they have no decided preference as TO their
IRE work, Others teach for a year or two
IN order TO earn money TO study law, medi-
cine or theology. IL Is a popularity OF
teaching, ms compared with these other pro-
LESSONS, that an ordinary school or college
training enables a person 70 enter II. Spe-
cial preparation by graduate study is not
Indispensable. Moreover. the social and
aesthetic attractions Of teaching help 10
swell the number of entrants into the call
ing.
While these and other influences COM
blne to affect the pay OF teachers un-
iaVorably by multiplying the supply over
rapidly, the factor OF demand is not cor
respondingly active. The race IL not vet
so far advanced in the scale of civilization
that men are willing to pay as highly for
services that minister TO intellectual and
spiritual culture as for those that relate
TO physical and economic well-being. There
Is an imperative urgency about the demand
Tor the latter which causes them TO be
literally rewarded. We value the services
or the physician and the lawyer more high
~ than those OF the teacher and the clergy
man. The expert chef is proverbially better
paid than the greatest college president.
tne successful jockey gets more than the
foremost preacher. In fact, the great law
OF supply and demand is q grotesdue fail
ure as a salary-regulator. The eachers and
preachers ought TO start a movement for
its repeal.
An effective remedy for the evil of low
pay in the teaching profession is not ready
at hand. Trade unionism for teachers hard
4 - NChho pplOpAAdlc NNOlllIS. mQeed, can
be expected to work a complete reform
here except the slow evolution i'm human
nature, which will create a proper appre-
| citation of the services rendered nv tbis
class. But something could be done by rails
ing the standard of requirements for teach
ing. If more thorough preparation were
demanded this would keep out the tran
sients, dilettantes and incompetents who are
now the bane of the calling. The over
supply of mediocre talent would be cut off
and the average pay would certainly be
increased.