Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-09
PROF. CLARK WAS
Misunderstood.
,-,,.,t That His Talk Before
', ,,die, Literary Club Was Not
Reported Correctly
WRITES 70 supT. CHRISTENSEN
-, "a, Charge Teachers With lncOm'
w ,,tepee, but Said That Salaries
We're Too Low.

,.r. o, the News" will doubtless
N'a ,Ner that Prof. S. H. Clark the
I so,S dramatic reader who appeared ''s'.,,,.
NV ,.yeral weeks ago, was severely
Sa .,.,,sa for remarks alleged TO have
el'1' made in a talk before the Ladies'
Nsl -" ch,b Of this city. That his re-
Lleia rare misunderstood, not 10 say
mals ,,rned is evident from the fol-
nlscU, letter. written by the professor
owns ns, christensen Of the city SCHOOLS
Proi. Clark says
r,,yorsity of Chicago, April A.
lpy 81 christensen, Salt Lake Guy,
Nv - Nv Dear Slr--I thank you FOR
ltSh nv attention TO the newspaper
ealluIs " left salt Lake In such
s sn,1y On Saturday that ] had time ohly
w., dance at the report OF my taik, anu
"a not retain a copy OF the paper III
which 1t appeared 49,. oor.otn sor-
w. "a ouite evident that certain sem
~ ,he report are likely to prove
ehyes s Il, IN those who did not hear
pIs' ssmarks and il therefore gives me
w Measure 20 let you know approx
m,tely what did say.
W,'N stated that when In a city OF the
80 Sail Lake il was necessary 10
',os. ,he public schools two months. OF
s svso one month before the regular liihe,
.,s citIzens should find out why l
WIS ,his as a general proposition ana
tN.D az, NJ my way to remark that l
va W., know the particular reason Tor
w. .iosIng down In Salt Lake, and sug-
we s,.S Kat II was time for the friends
~ :, SducatIon to investigate the tax
problem. 49,, ,.oa r,ost onnhati-
,,Ty that our salaries were 100 small
srS thar In consequence superlnleno-
sr,. AMI boards OF education were OF
,.n ~ compelled 10 engage teachers VINO
ws,s very far below the standard In ed
n,s,uon culture and experience Il didn
cav maj all IN teachers fell below the
.,,rdard) And that this was especial
IL ,rua in rural districts. ] added, too,
,hst me teachers were doing far better
'"s more work than they were paid for.
You observe then that the criticism was
made not so much on the teachers as on
ne community.
INV statement regarding the
lupnlon' OF teachers was Of course tocu-
Var The idea was this that the teach
IN, profession itself should unite In In
s,tnT On higher standard for teach
On IN order that only those who had
completed high school course should
10 permitted to teach. In this way we
should elevate the tone and standard OF
Ne profession and thus lead up to high
n salaries. 1t must certainly be con-
coded that no matter how good your
schools are they could be made much
better II you spent the money on them
they deserve; and no matter how good
your teachers are their efficiency could
n greatly increased II their salaries
were raised 10 where they ought to be
And lastly, since the salaries are no,
what they should be the superintendent
Is compelled to retain some teachers ht
would willing drop from the roll, while
N other cases he would often droI
teachers not because Of inefliciency, bu
simply because he could get better ones
FOR the larger salary.
1.-THE paragraph regarding the doub'
Ing Of salaries, etc, is pretty clear ex
cept for one thing, 1t omits the state
msnt which | made TO explain why 81
ler cent Of the teachers OF the cit.
would be compelled to retire If salaries
were doubled for double the salary w
could get the pick OF the best teachers
n the country. But the so per cen
would probably be dropped in any cit!
1.-THE board OF education should offer 4
Increase the pay Of teachers 100 pc
cent 1t Is clear therefore, that wa
making no particular criticism OF tn
teachers OF any city; IN fact my argu
melt was that our teachers receive 81
little pay that they have not the none,
spend on books, education, and trav
e. which are so absolutely necessary L
make the best teachers, In this con
lIectlon, should like to add that whej
slated that so per cent OF you
lacners' would be dropped I distinct
aided that most Of these, encourage
" The prospects Of higher salaries
would md the means OF getting tn
hgner education that would bring tn
greater financial return.
Ia one word, | was not blaming IN
saeher for lack OF preparation. but IN
SSem mat cut down. for any reason
,le salaries Of those to whom were en-
uus'ed the education Of the future citI
Hns Of our land.
AGAIN thank you for asking for th
asment OF my remarks, | presum
W" as lhey appeared they have give
SVu wrong Impression. Perhaps, TO,
We teachers misunderstood them. IFS,
vt ore az perfect liberty to copy thI
n'Wr ana send It out as a circular G
"Nad II to them as a body.
Yours truly.
$, II. CLARK,