Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-01-05
Teachers Wages.

uc OiiONiuS Is the duuFeSS, IN part,
made by T. E. Ryan, of Waukesha,
before the Wisconsin Teachers associa-
ton. 1t is said to have been the best
speech made on the question of wages
for teachers. Mr.. Ryan said il. part
five hope to have good strong school
we must have able, strong teachers And
for the purpose of attracting to the pro-
fession of teaching in our public schools
the desirable, strong, able young men
and women, as business proposition
we should realize that investigation
shows beyond dispute that it. is neces-
sary for us to be more generous than we
are at present upon the question of sal
airy paid. We have indeed every rea-
son to congratulate ourselves that we
have been able to attract add retain in
the profession so many strong, able
men and wCa,sn as we have engaged in
the calling OF teaching at the present
time, in view of the fact that the pecun-
larry inducements offered by the public
have not compared with inducements
altered for men and women of the same
ability in other callings.
Without offering statistics to prove
the assertion, as deem it Unnecessary in
view OF the fact that statistics will be
easily at hand for the examination of
any person that desires to do so, bold
ly make the assertion that when we
take into consideration the time and
effort and experience required to pre-
| pare, by education, training, ETC., a
young man or woman to meet the stand
ard of qualification we now require of
teachers in our public schools, are paid
the poorest of any class of wage earners
of the same ability in this country. !
believe the public desires TO be just and
even generous as rule with the teach
ers of the public schools, and that if the
matter should be presented to them for
their determination by popular vote the
standard of teachers wages now prevail
ing throughout the state of Wisconsin,
would be literally increased.
81 dislike very muchto hear the ques-
ton of pension for teachers discussed.
1t smacks entirely too mucG of public
charity And it should be considered
disgrace and shame upon the Amer
| lean people that We are so niggardly
and miserly with the men and women
engaged in teaching our children and
laying the foundation of our citizenship
that they are not able to save anything
| for old age out of their earnings, and
are liable to become subjects of public
| charity when their usefulness as teach
ers is gone. The person that devotes
his or her life to the profession of teach
| ing and renders honest, efficient service
during the years that he or she is able to
work should not under any circum-
stances, be required to seek charity,
either publicly or privately, in later
life.
81 take the position that it would be
economical for the public to pay the
| teachers liberal salaries for the great
and important work of teaching in our
common schools. Schools will be bet
tered by higher salaries in giving teach
ers opportunity for self-improvement,
making it possible for them to do more
or less travelling, and come in contact
with educated and refined people The
better the teacher, the better the school.
And the better the school, the better
our citizenship will be.
The question as to how to right this
wrong and have justice done to the
school teachers is not easy of solution.
| am of the opinion that redress in this
direction should come through the leg
islature of the state. 1t is difficult for
any one city or school district to in
augurate reform at once in this direc-
ton.
'"The teacher in the public school is
an employe of the municipality, and
indirectly, of the state, as much as the
mayor or comptroller of the city, and
the legislature has the unquestioned
right to fix the salary of the mayor or
of the treasurer or other city officers,
and why not fix the salary of the teach
err? | cannot help but believe that it
would result in immense good if the
state should pass law establishing a
schedule of minimum salaries to be
paid teachers according to their differ
ent grades, in our public schools This
would make it uniform throughout the
entire state. Take the question away
from teachers associations and avoid
the 1ecessity of what might well follow
an organization along the lines of labor
unions on the part of teachers for the
purpose of forcing justice to be done
them on the question of salaries.
at would be unfortunate if the teach
ers of this state were compelled to or
ganize themselves into any such com
pact for the purpose of compelling rea-
sonable compensation to be paid for
their services. 1t can be well said, with
good deal of propriety, that the pub
lie has made serio0s mistakes upon
this question and that a great deal of
the so-called graft and Doodle of the
hour might be traced to the fact that
the public has refused to pay reasonable
salaries to public officials, and that pur-
pose of keeping up the pace that now
seems to have been set for man hold
ing public position the salary paid is
entirely inadequate"
1T has been finally determined that
the winter meeting of the State Press