New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-30
PITTANCES PAID TEACHERS.
An ex-Edueator Tells Why She Adopted
Another Profession.
70 the Editor of The tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In reading your very interesting review
of the report on teachers salaries issued by the
National Education Association, and also your
interviews with women who have abandoned
teaching for professions which afforded greater
financial returns 1 feel inpelled TO write you
nv own experiences in that line. The work for
which left the schoolroom was trained nursing
a very modest profession. the emounents of
which are not startling. Still, they were great
enough to induce me to give up teaching.
/ was educated at exceedingly good prf-
yste school for women. and followed my course
with two years in a French school. to fit myself
for specialization in the French language
Among my various experiences was one as prin-
cipal of a graded school Of five departments in
a New-York State village of two thousand in
habitants. / taught the highest department,
which corresponded to an ungraded high school,
mixed with elementary classes. L taught his
tory civics, algebra, geometry and other adj
vsnced studies. had charge of fifty boys and
girls from twelve to eighteen years OF age, and
was the disciplinary head of the. whole school.
for $50 month. The man before me had
had see.
/ went to a village of four thousand inhabi-
tants, an old and cultured New-England town,
containing good deal of accumulated wealth,
and was preeeptress of the high school. 1 pre-
pared boys for Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth,
and girls for Smith 1 taught Latin, French.
sciences. For this L received $40 a month.
There was a principal man, who received
$1,000 year, against my s4oo- He taught
German and advanced Greek.
: i was at that time the only breadwinner for
2 widowed mother and three young children.
Determined that must find some means of
increasing my earning capacity, / went into
training school for nurses. | remained two
years, receiving my board, lodging training
md from S13 to SIS month. Out of this
cash / saved nearly as much as from my $40
q month in school, My first position leav-
Ing the training school that of head nurse
In the training school of a small hospital near
New York. L received $500 year besides
renses. the latter including a thoroughly COM
Portable, pretty room. The position of
authority and dignity. While in private
ing j never earned less than 81 900 a year,
and this for less time III actual work than the
teacher puts in in the course of the year. /
am treated with quite much consideration,
and my social position is quite good
when / was teaching and L kept three chill
dren in school until they properly edu-
old salary. There a few financial pluns
among the public schools, principally in New
York City But take the profession the coun-
try over and the salaries for women are mis-
cradle pittances. The schools have always
been stepping stones for men into professions
which give a livelihood Women of indepen-
dence and initiative beginning 10 regard
them in the same light. AS women gain more
power and experience in the business world,
they will more and more leave the schools to
the less ambitious and less enterprising among
their sex. TRAINED NURSE
Manhattan.