The Republican journal., 1906-02-22
PAY OF MAINE TEACHERS.
Average Pay of Men and Women $91s
and $500.

and $500.
Payson Smith. C. T. Cook and W. Il.
Mallett, the committee OF the State
pedagogical association to inquire INTO
the matter of salaries for the school
teachers of Maine have made their re-
mort. The committee has received re-
turns from 437S teachers IN elementary
schools, and they find that the majority
of the women teachers are working for
Sc to 50 a week, and SIS, or about one
eighth, are paid more than $40. 1t is
found that half the women teachers IN
Maine are working for 5000 or less
year
"A perusal of these figures" says the
committee, may lead those persons
who are prone to criticise their schools
and to find fault with the quality of the
teaching to be found therein, to ques-
ton, whether, after all, any Justlhca,,
ton for higher demands can be found
in figures like these.
The committee also finds that 2031
elementary and high school teachers
board at home. This is somewhat less
than half, and indicates how 1t is pos
sible for many teachers TO sustain
themselves on the meager salaries palo.
There are 1876 teachers who have taken
DdllldI VI NOlI piSeN l1oAHie4
thus indicating the extent to which
Maine teachers have striven to tit
themselves for adequate service.
1T is fair to assume that TINS num-
Der represents the better paid IS per
cent. of the teaching force. or the
elementary teachers, $40 without pre-
yious experience entered the schools
during the year next preceding the date
of the returns. This is about one nlntl
of the entire number, and would lndl-
cate that the teaching force is tar more
permanent than might be expected
from the salaries paid. However, a
business that averages to change en-
tirely the personnel of its force OF en-
ployes once every nine years coula
hardly be said to have reached credit
able degree of permanence.
THE committee find that the $3.50
women working in the cotton mills OF
Maine get an average weekly wage OF
$3.50. while the women school teachers
get an average weekly wage OF 5000.
The men in the cotton mills of Maine
get an average weekly wage OF sS,ol,
while the men teachers get S9.le. LUIS
single comparison brings together the
figures for an occupation III when IS
employed large amount OF COMPARE
lively uDShlllSi ldUpl etliN' eiio ~
line of work which surely ought TO ue-
mand broad equipment.
THE only other occupation IN Maine
for which figures are available is that
included in the wooden industry. Here
the annual wages run from e32I 10 5000,
while the wages of school teachers, IN
Guiding principals and superintendent,
show an average OF @42l.
THE attendance last year at lle
normal schools was lower than TOT sew
eral wears. The reasons tor TINS are
not hard to find There is no escaping
the conclusion that other lines OF EN-
ployment are attracting classes OF
Young women who formerly engaged III
teaching. The dearth OF teachers Is
such that school committees even urge
schools upon persons of a partial tram
ing and offer inducements to normal
students even before the completion OF
their courses.
IF our schools are to be maintained
at high standard of efficiency, the
wages of teachers must certainly be
kept at point which will lead young
people to turn to this employment as
readily as to others. Moreover, II is
serious thing to have Wage-rate III
force that influences persons TO leaVe
this employment when their services
have become. Though experience, OF
great value to It.