New-York tribune., 1905-07-08
TEACHERS SALARIES.
Women Educators Who 14re Fight
ing for Increase of "Pittances."

One Of the results Of the report on teachers
salaries presented 10 the National Educational
Association at the convention Just concluded in
Asbury Park was petition to the board Of d.
TectoTs asking them 10 create a permanent de-
paTtment OF salaries, tenure and pensions The
subject vas not on the general programme, but
nothing else was more discussed privately The
Chicago Teachers Federation which now has
suit on to compel the payment Of back salaries
70 the teachers OF that city was particularly
interested, and IN speaking Of the matter 10
Tribune reporter, Miss Catherine Gogg1n, pres-
dent OF the federation. said:
What we are in danger Of in this country is
the factory system Of education. That is the sys-
TEN we have had In Chicago. BY that I mean
that our schools have been conducted by busi-
ness men. not educators. and the business men
have applied the same methods in the schools
that they would in their factories. Supposing
classroom has seats for sixty pupils and there
are only ffty in the class. The business man
says. Why these ten vacant seasts2 Put ten
more pupils in that room The educator knows
mat il VIII disorganize the whole work Of that
building 10 take ten pupils from the place where
they belong and put them in q room where they
90 not belong. But no attention is paid to the
educator.
Run ON FACTORY BASIS.
This IS no exaggeration Within the last
few years rooms have been closed in various
buildings in Chicago; IN some buildings one
room. in others TWO or more The children from
these rooms have been scattered through the
building in various rooms where they did not
belong and did not 1T IN, and the teachers for
the closed rooms discharged There are to-day
25Oo0 more children in Chicago than there were
three years ago. and 119 less teachers. It seems
that il is not only the apartment houses that do
not want children; the schools don't want them,
either. The salaries Of the teachers have been
reduced al the same time S25 year, while the
cost OF living has been Increasing yearly. The
superintendent who has accomplished all this
crowdiug Of children and reduction OF salaries,
according 10 the wishes Of the school board, has
had his own salary raised from $1,000 to $4,000,
s. 900 more than is paid 10 Superintendent Max
well.
You see the system Is just like that Of
factory or department store; where q child car
he crowded In. crowd him il. Where q room
can be closed close IL. Where IS can be chopped
Of a teachers salary, chop II of. And the man
who reduces expenses in this way is 70 be paid
& higher and higher salary. in regular depart
ment store style
The people have just walked Up 70 what is
being done to the schools. The result Of that
awakening is seen in the new members. ap-
pointed on the school board by Mayor Dunno.
Jane Adams, Dr. Cornela De Bey and Mrs.
Emmons Blaine. never before were there three
women on the Chicago School Board at one
time. and especially such women as they are
Jane Adams has an International reputation
as an educator and sociologist- Mrs. Enmons
Blaine gave s., 100000 TO found a model public
school, under Colonel Parker, and then sent
Colonel Parker and the entire corps OF teachers
on a years trip around the world TO examine
the schools of all civilized countries. DR.. De
Bey was q teacher in the Cook County Normal
School under Colonel Parker. and knows the
public school system, as II is and as it should
be- from the ground up The four men ap-
pointed are also Of q type that assures an edu-
oationaI-not a commercial-policy in the schools
of Chicago in the future"
TEACHERS WAXING Up.
There is a great awakening everywhere
among the teachers" said Miss Margaret A
Haley. business agent Of the Chicago Teachers
Federation. The crowded rooms Of the public
schools the uncertain tenure Of Office the absence
Of pensions and the poor pay, which renders II
impossible for the average teacher 10 save any
thing for old age, are arousing deep seated dis
content among the teachers all over the country
This country is big enough and rich enough
"a give every child IN il a good common school
education. with q full school term. and a salary
decent enough 10 attract an educated. intelli-
gent woman. II any rural community is not
able 10 co Il for itself the State is rich enough
70 help II any State is not able the federal
government is rich enough 70 help that State.
There are sections II southern LllnOlS WnSre
The women VINO are training the future cillzelS
are paid less than the foreigners that feed the
pigs on the farms. or the girls that fry the pork
Il the kitchens.
Miss Marion Brown vice principal Of High
School No. 3 OF New Orleans, and acting di-
rector OF the National Educational Association
for Louisiana also had tale 10 tel Of salaries.
Last year" said she, the teachers Of New
Orleans became desperate We made out care
tul estimate Of the cost OF living. as follows:
Board and laundry, SIS a month, carfaDe for
nine months 70 and from school; SIS: clothing
educational literature, IS, dues in educational
associations and pension league, S. incidentaIs.
.sYou can understand that IN New-Orleans
laundry bills are heavy. We wear cotton gowns
SIX months IN the year. This estimate
leaves nothing for summer schools nothlng ior
old age. nothing for any one who may be de-
pendent on Us. nothing for travel II the teacher
uses anything for any Of these she must simply
take II out OF her church dues and board and
clothes.
NEW ORLEANS EDUCATORS
'The salaries for elementary teachers run
from S3l5 FOR the first year up 70 $40 for the
tenth
For the first four years the teacher actually
runs behind the cost Of living. AS a result OF
this investigation the Public School Alliance Of
Aew-Orieans was formed, and public opinion
was further aroused by the high rate Of Hitter
acy o. the State and by the resignation OF sew
eral bright teachers 10 go into business of1ces-
This Is not common with US as IL Is II the
North. and II said that il was a pretty
state of affairs when woman had TO become a
Etenographer because she could not earn a Hv-
ing a 2 teacher. The best element Of the pop
UlsrcH and the largest daily paper backed
There were funds for an increase OF the
salaries and q recent heavy tax laid for
drainage system rendered IL impossible 10 ap
pea 10 the people again so soon for an increase
Il the tax So the City Council peti-
license %