The Penn's Grove record., 1905-01-06
school Teachers vIctimized.

Not long ago the public school tea
ers of New York City were kept va.
Ing many months for the pay that
Justly due them from the city, a-o
were reduced to the most painful cae
notifying financial straits. The e.
ers of Oakland, Cal, are now
through a similar experience.
When the school board last year m
mitted its estimate Of the sum n
sary for the public schools, the
council deliberately cut the esti
down TO an inadequate amount.
months before the end of the 81
year, the money was all gone;
now the school superintendent az
committee of citizens are appe irs
for voluntary contributions from .rs
parents and the general public. l.
der that the schools may not be c
n that young men and women Dhs
were almost ready to enter the Univ
sity and the Normal school be obi,-ea
to wait a year. The San Francisco
Call Says:
"San Francisco and Oakland present
a view Of municipal administratica
that should teach and exnort.
For years in each city an annual &C.
6cit has appeared at the end of a4
year. 1t is sometimes partly prcgIde1
for by shutting on street lights, but vs.
ually it is made up, or partly mao I'D.
by compelling the school teache a.
work a month or two without pa We
are not aware that it is ever pre- I
that any other city employees shall
give their services to the public. Tie
pay earned by the teachers is the Teas.
or service rendered in any departus-t
of the city administration. 1t gcas
mostly to women, who have the S 7ht
est means of defence against il 1csI-
ton, and therefore are not form .-.la
in the eyes of the practical polit cans
who run city governments.
an San Francisco it has been tho
regular thing to meet deficits by max
ing teachers work for nothing. There
is a constantly accommodating ds5t 90
the teachers which will probably never
be paid. The situation is disgraesA-f
to both cities"
For the sake Of both pupil aud
! teachers, it is to be hoped tina -hs
sum needed will be raised. E .ba
lesson ought not to pass unp r-ce5
The money wrongfully withheld goes
mostly to women, who have the slight
est means Of defense against inpCsi-
ton, and therefore are not formidable
in the eyes of practical politicians 20
run the governments" Is the denial o.
the ballot a mere abstract g~rievauce
involving no practical hardships?
The Governor of P~ennsylvania lately
cut a million dollars out Of the scloof
appropriation, which was alre sdy In
adequate. A year or two ago the city
of Providence, r. l., was seized with g.
| spasm of economy and did the same
Such instances are common; the first
place where the average city govern
ment tries to economic is on -5e
schools. But where women hsva ire
ballot, the last thing on which
they are willing that t. city
should economic is the educa-
ton of the children. Motrars Of
all nationalities want their children
educated. A year or two age ir he
little town of Holland, Mich, where tae
settlers are largely Dutch, al ed-r-
was made to close the high school
through misplaced economy; but OF
election day one thousand Dutch moth
ers went to the polls. school bali5f ID
hand, and the high school was kept
open.
II half the voters of every City Ws1s
mothers, would the "practica polite
ians" care to offend them?
Alice Stone Blas ECla.