The Red Cloud chief., 1904-07-01
SHOULD BE BETTER PAID
state superintendent Fowler Goes on
Record for More salary.

state superintendent Fowler Goes on
Record for More salary.
THE annual school district meetings
were held in all school districts OF
the state except the larger cities. on
Monday. June 81" said State Superin-
tendent Fowler. AT that time the
levy was made for school purposes.
In 1902 the average levy over the state
was fifteen mills. with 1909 OF the g.
G66 district levying the maximum al
lowed under the law, twenty-five
mills. The average levy In Douglas
county was seven mills. the lowest In
the state, caused largely from the fact
that Douglas county receives
than one-ninth Of the entire state APP
portiOnment, and in one-fourth of this
ninth, or one-thirty-sixth Of the entire
state apportionment. all the districts
OF Douglas county share equally. The
highest average levy in the state was
that OF Antelope county, twenty-five
mills. In 1909 the average levy in the
state was fifteen mills.
This year the levies will undoubted-
ly be reduced. but not quite In inverse
proportion to the increase In the as
sessed valuation; nor should they, as
a great majority of the 1900 districts
now levying the maximum amount
have needed thirty or more mills to
run their schools. Besides, many of
these districts have only six or less
months OF school, and many Of them
pay their teachers from $40 to $50 per
month.
"The higher assessed valuation re-
quired under the new revenue law will
enable hundreds of districts to get out
of debt. hundreds OF others to have a
month or two more OF school, and
other hundreds to pay S. a month
more for teaching. Some Of our very
industrious and energetic county
superintendent have run through the
'ouHtg usoNSSol . JUN uiihS IL
last day or two, footed the real and
personal valuation in each school dis
trict, and sent the totals to the school
directors: but many others have not
been able to do this.
school districts that are paying
their teachers less than $40 a month.
those that have only eight months OF
school or less. and those that are in
debt. should take advantage of this
opportunity to reduce their debts or to
secure more experienced, higher quail
fed teachers by Offering better salar-
les. The average salary In the state
Is now $40 a month. but as in figuring
out this average We include hundreds
of high school teachers and village.
ward and high school principals and
city superintendent who receive two
or three times this average. we must
have hundreds, yes. two or three thou
sand teachers who receive much less
than $40 a month. A few receive as
low as $50 a month. And many hun
dreds Of districts In the twenty-five
mill class have been able to pay in
the past only s25 or $50 a month. These
are the ones who should take full ad-
vantage of the opportunity afforded
by the new revenue law to increase
the salary OF their teacher twenty or
twenty-five per cent and at the same
time secure a teacher worth forty or
fifty per cent more to their children
school directors and voters that
are not apprised of the exact assessed
valuation Of their district prior to the
annual meeting should not make too
radical n reduction in the number of
mills for the year. The returns
from an extra mill or two may be well
expended As suggested. or in long need
ed repairs. in a modest school library,
a dictionary. a globe and wall maps, a
flag, some trees. or better text books
and supplies, with some supplementary
reading books"