The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-12-21
young dentist as the beginning man
teacher"
LITTLE SAVING poSSihIp

CedcneF.
Little Saving Possible.
To support its contention that the
narrow margin between teachers sal
aries and the cost of living allows little
saving for sickness or old age, the com
mittee gives the following average fig
ures from the reports of several hundred
Minneapolis teachers, where the average
wage for teachers of all classes is
S70G.3l year and for grade teachers
S7OS.03. a.
"Board, $l72.G0; rent. 5000; laundry
S24.35; car fare, $685.; church contri-
buttons, charity and Christmas, $44.2l ;
clothing, $l35; life and fire insurance,
S25.95; physicians bill, $ll.G2; dentist
bills. $l0G3; expense in attending pro-
fessional and summer schools, $780, va
cation travemg, $3.50; annual contri-
button to tie support of others, $500;
total S6360S."
Contrasted with these figures are the
average annual earnings in some other
callings taken from the late report of
the Minnesota state commissioner of la
Dor: Painters end paperhangers, 5000;
carpenters, $500; machinists, 81 OBS;
plasterers, $500; stonemasons, $500. AL
so the following averaged from repre-
sentative towns throughout the state:
masters, 81 ,729; school superintendents,
81 PSI.
Not a Selfish Plea.
"In this discussion" the report says,
sit should be understood that our plea
for an understanding of the teachers
salary question by the public at large
is not primarily selfish one. We know
well enough that what increase may
come will have little effect on us as in
dividuals, nor are we influenced primar-
lily by professional spirit which would
secure better conditions for our success
sors. Our primary interest in this mat
ter arises from the fact that we are
citizens, who love our country, and who
fear than half century OF present
school salary conditions will see us
dropping behind the civilized peoples of
the world because the public elementary
make believe, where senseless isms and
shoddy work will predominant.
The education of the young is too
delicate and too important a work to
put into the hands of persons who can
not earn more than S3oS year. On
the other hand, if teachers are now
earning more than they get, the law
which causes workers to shift to fields
where better pay, is offered for, the same
ability will deplete the teaching ranks
until the teachers will earn no more
than they get. In either case the people
must increase the pay of teachers or
they will begin speedily to deteriorate
and the public school become byword
THE loss of men teachers. entering
other callings through desire for better
pay, becomes almost national calami-
ty, as year by year the number of men
decreases. This absence of men in our
schools was noted by Mosely Commits
sion of Englishmen as a distinct weak
ness. rF 4ei Ji.r5.E.s
~. Cause of Low Salaries SIS
'"Tabulation of, the answers of 1000
teachers to the question: To- what cause
do you attribute the low. salaries OF
teachers ?p,sr. oI ~ 81; Aa5ee
lack, of appreciation of Importance
of teachers work and expenses, 400;
standards too low, too many teachers,
24l; no professional spirit, rinderbid-
ding 50; teachers, not sufficiently organ
lied, 81; lack of funds, 20; too many
women teachers. 66; employment of
home teachers, 23; difficulty of Judging
relative, merits of teachers. %; wages
fixed by ancient custom, 81; no political
rights or influence, IL; teachers get all
they are worth, g. 10 JD.1sLa o. loU
Lack of funds isonot ,evene an excuse
for low salaries. The rural districts
where teachers wages are the lowest
are levying lower rates upon much high.
er valuation than in villages and cities.
A concrete case from Goodhue county,
which is typical, will illustrate: Dur.
ing the past year the city districts have
taxed themselves an average of II mills,
the tax varying from 10 mills to 1856
mills. During the same time the rural
districts taxed themselves an average
of 3 mills, the tax varying from 0 to
IL mills. This means that the man who
lives in the city pays on the average
four times as much special tax for the
support of the schools as the man who
has the same amount of property and
lives in the country"
The committee has sought to present
in all fairness facts and figures which
have bearing upon the matter and to
name certain social and economic argu-
ments which appear to Justify marked
increase in expenditures for education
and especially for better teachers.
Study Wage Conditions.
eve urge upon teachers an unpreju-
diced study of wage conditions and a
dignifed but forceful presentation of
these conditions to public school pa
irons, not from motive of personal
advancement but from an earnest de-
sire for the pupils good, laying special
emphasis upon the ominous decrease in
the number of strong men teachers.
"We call upon teachers to stand for
professional efficiency.
eve recommend as the next step in
Minnesota's movement toward the best
things in public school education, a
minimum salary law.
eve believe that this association
would do well to have standing salary
committee constantly at work to fur
nish fresh and effective campaign ma
tcrial and to report the progress made
elsewhere in this fundamental profile
to keep close watch upon the laws
of the state which affect the remunera
tion of teachers, and in general to initi-
ate and maintain a prudent, persistent
and consistent, Giving salary campaign.