The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-03-01
DESERVE HIGHER SALARIES.

An effort will he made this year to
bring into effect a higher scale of wages
for the school teachers of the state
which should be successful, and which
will be if the business side of the qncs-
ton receives the consideration of those
who through taxation supply the funds
for the maintenance of our schools and
the payment of the teachers salaries
From a plain business standpoint. not
to mention any higher consideration,
there is nothing of more Importance to
state than its system of public
school education. and mere brains, abil-
ity and experience count as much as
they do any place in the world. Econ
omy is "a much a business factor in
the schools as in the biggest mercantile
houses-more so from the fact that the
school is the fountain OF business as
well as all other knowledge. Compc-
tent, skilled and hardworking supern-
tendcnts, principals and teachers can
not bc secured for clerks wages. and a
matter that few understand is the fact
that Washington schools are in the
hands of as good and capable corps
of teachers as the schools of any state
in the union.
Then there is the question of moral
fitness in the teacher, As important as
any mr. all other qualifications. Who
can estimate the potential force To he
excrtcd in the future years by the busy
brains AMI ambitious hearts that the
teachers of today are training? How
shall il stand with those teachers in
The eternal record whether they nave
turned The tiny rivulct of a hearts as
phations to become II calm and hcauti-
ful stream of good water and refresh
ment and power, or into a sinister. tur-
bulent and destructive torrent of pa ssion
and evil intentions? 1t is n large oppor-
tunitv, and it il one that can not he
entrusted to class of men and women
TO whom the present average salary of
the Washington school teacher seems
big Inc educators of the state are
The poorest paid class of intellectual
workers within its borders; they should
he the beat paid. High wages will Sc
cure the most competent teachers. and
these will raise the standard of excell-
fence of our schools TO the highest point.
by all means let the request he granted.
and salaries paid in accordance with the
value and Importance of the teachers
labors.
The teachers committee on wages for
South Dakota have just published some
very interesting results in the County
Snperintcndcn,s Monthly hearing par
tirnlarly on the wages paid teachers.
dortorS. lawyers, preachers, clerks and
mechanics of South Dakota. The teach
ers had blanks printed calling for in
formation as to wages, training and ex.
1,erirncr. Six hundred were sent out
1mong the lawyers, doctors and preach
ers. and eight hundred to the teachers
sf that state. After good deal of hard
work 6lT replies were received and the
results tabulatcd show that at the end
of ten years experience the doctor ra-
eeives 10 times a. much as the teacher,
the preacher - times as much, the me
ehanr nearly , times as much, and the
clerk "a times as much Putting the
6p,,res in another way the man who
patches the roof, or the chimney, or the
sink. is paid nearly two times as much
az the school teacher. The man who
ties up sugar and beans is paid more
sssn twice as much as the teacher.
How can we expect to have good
teaching done at that price? If you