The Washington times., 1905-12-21
Our Teachers Before Congress.

Half a dozen bills designed to
grant more pay for the teachers of
our public schools and reorganizing
more or less-the system of which
those teachers are the chief element
now pend before Congress. Several
of them seem to be personal solu-
tons of the local situation, offered
by members out of their active inter-
est in public education at the Ma
uonal Capital. One, recently sub
mitted. is drawn on the basis of a
fair adjustment OF salaries as the
Board of Education has gauged those
salaries after full inquiry. This is
the measure submitted by the Dis
trict authorities and marked off
cial." The enactment of any one of
them, or of any bill with the same
object, depends upon Congressional
realization of the need for such an
adjustment; and that realization de-
pends. in turn, very largely upon
the people of the community whose
schools are involved.
Much has been said of the injustice
OF the present scale-enough TO move
the House last year to override it's
leaders in the cause. Much must
yet be said--enough to persuade even
the House leaders and secure the
approval of the Senate. But just
now 1t will suffice to set forth the
scheme adopted by the Board OF
Education to provide an attractive
future in the public schools for the
teachers who must otherwise go to
other cities.
The gross defects of the present
scale are corrected. The high school
principals, who are now given but
$1,000 for $4,000 services are to be
advanced to $4,000. and given an an
nual increase of 500 for ten years
thus obtaining after long service the
pay TO which their services entltle
them as soon as they have proven
themselves equal TO their tasks. The
supervising principal of the high
schools is to be rated at $3.50 anC
advanced by an annual increase OF
500 until his salary reaches s3,250
In the graded schools efficient teach
ing is to be rewarded not only b,
promotion from one grade TO an
other, but by advances year afte
year of from s25 to 500. Finally, III,
minimum salary in each class O.
teachers-at which al. those now il
the corps are TO be rated If the bill
passes-is distinct. though alto.
gether reasonable, advance over tn
average salary paid now.
In some of it's details the bill viii
receiye-and merit-adverse criti
cism. This would be true of an,
measure devised to reapportion tn,
salaries of 800 trained employees O
the Government. and il was especial
ly likely to be true when the ] so
must be considered largely in tn
light of the personal equation Blu
the defects need not be embodie,
in the new law Indeed, il is highl,
desirable that the bill reported TO In,
two houses by their committee
should embody all the good feature
of all the drafts offered on this sub
ject-the official" bill. the Foste
bill, and the two bills introduce
Yesterday by Senator Cullom an
Representative Goulden.
The thing now TO do is TO proven
any one OF these measures from oil
scuring the general cause. The Dis
trict must impress upon Congress th
need for enacting some bill accom-
plishing the general result in view
in that work The Times will do a
IL can. II thinks other friends Of th
public schools-who are taiH11eeiir friend
in earnest-cannot do less. BY ths
calculation II ought net be difficu
10 reach every member of bot
houses-and once they are reaches
once they are brought to see III
wretehed mistake OF paying OF
teachers less than they are paid !
any other community of half the In
portance of the Capital, there will |
little doubt of the Outcome.
Are you ready, then, to do yot
part?