Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02
PUBLIC SCHOOL BILL
Considered by the Senate Dis
trict Committee.
THE TEACHERS SALARIES
Regulated by the Report of Subcom-
mittee.
SOME AMENDMENTS ADOPTED
Both in Regard to Increasing Paw In
Some Respects and Eliminating
Division Of Authority.

The Senate committee on tho District OF
Columbia today concluded consideration on
the Dill to regulate the salaries of teac hers
school officers and other employees of the
public schools OF this city, involving some
reorganization of the school system. Sena-
tor Burkett as chairman of the subcommit-
tee that has had charge OF this bill, has
been working diligently on this bill. In
his early life he was a school teacher and
later was interested in the management OF
schools. In that way he showed a great
deal of familiarity with the subject.
When Senator Gallnger, chairman of the
committee, called the meeting to order this
morning Mr.. Burkett proceeded TO explain
the work of the subcommittee, with the
result that his report. with certain changes.
was adopted
In his report he says:
The general policy of the bill as passed
by the House your committee believes 10
proper. and 1t has only amended IL in such
particulars of detail further investiga-
ton suggested was needful. The bill docs
not go very far into the realms of the pub
lie school system. 1t seems to your COM
mittee that the board of education and tho
superintendent OF instruction should by
proper rules attend to that in the main.
There has, however seemed to your COM
mittee some very glaring faults in the or
ganization, and the committee in certain
particulars has recommended amendments
to this bill.
Comparison Of Salaries.
THE necessity for this bill will be ap-
parent by comparison Of the salaries OF
the teachers of Washington with those Of
other towns of similar size. This COM
parison is very disadvantageous to the
teachers of the District. The comparison
of Washington with certain cities in the
United States In public school matters
shows that Washington is the fifteenth IN
population; that 1t is tenth In number of
public schools and that is is seventy-hrpt
In salaries of high schools and twenty-sec-
ond in the. salaries Of graded teachers.
Notwithstanding the rid.culousiy low
wages, the comparison shows that Wash
ington Is ninth IN the cost of schools.
This of course shows unusual condi-
tion and one THAI needs close attention IL
is fair to say that Washington is different
in this particular OF having to maintain
two school systems. one for the colored
children and one for the white, and that
has been held by some to answer the Ques-
tion of why our cost OF maintaining schools
is clearly higher in proportion than our
number of pupils and our rank OF popu-
iation. In a measure the double school
system does explain the unusual cost OF
cur schools, but 1t cannot explain the GER
tain discrepancies between the relative
appropriated for the teachers pay
and the rank that we occupy for average
we rank seventy-hrst in salaries to High
School teachers. In short, we are not be-
hind in the amount Of money we appro-
pirate, but we are very far below the aver
age salary that Is gives to each teacher"
Mr.. Burkett then goes on to compare
the schools OF this city with other cities
and says that the 107 special teachers are
believed to be more than are necessary,
they doing good work and
are deserving, but this Is a matter the conn
mittee considers that the board OF edu-
cation and the superintendent of schools
should handle.
The committee finds that there are very
small classes in the high schools and that
is regarded one reason for the largo
per capita cost of pupils. They also md
that there is a very large amount OF
supervision of the schools and too much
divided authority.
r For example," the report says. below
the superintendent there is an assistant
then principal OF the
high schools, and then the teachers In the
high schools. Under that organization
come the heads of the department, all as
Stunning authority In certain particulars. TO
the end that the head of the schools, the
principal, was eliminated from response
bility and authority. Practically the same
thing occurs in the grades.
Amendments Made.
Your committee has not been fully per-
suaded that these various heads are entire
ly without merit, but II is safe TO say that
much of their good will be lost without
clear and definite limitations OF authority.
and your committee has inserted into the
bill certain amendments, the object OF
which is TO eliminate far as possible any
conflict of authority"
The report then treats of the amendments
that have been made to the House bill by
the Senate committee. On page OF the
bill the word character has been stricken
from the BILL and the members were unan-
mous that when teachers character Is
under consideration by the board Of educa-
ton it should be open to the public
The bill Is amended, providing that the
white assistant superintendent, who has
heretofore had no prescribed duties. should
De specifically charged with the unification
1f the high schools. The committee has
.dded director of intermediate instruction,
ust as there has been director of primary
instruction and director of high schools.
This does not change the number Of en-
ployes, but merely gives the responsibility
1f the high schools to the assistant super
ntendent and gives the place that was held
by the director of high schools the name OF
he director of intermediate instruction. The
committee changes the bill to provide that
the supervisor of the manual training
schools shall have direction and controi
only of the manual training in the grades.
new Office. that of superintendent OK
buildings and supplies. is added
The committee has stricken out the ppo-
vision for assistant to the grade principas.
The committee states that upon investi-
cation they find that the teachers In the
high schools are drawing from 500 up, ana
that those at the lower salaries have been
In school work only short time. and are
such as could be had at the salary at the
time. The committee provides for limit
ng .he increase of teachers salaries TO
$3.50 per annum until the minimum salary
IN class six Is reached. The bill provides
for increases In salaries. with little change
over those provided In the House BILL The
increases are specified: Three
,eachers from 500. one teacher from $525.
3ne teacher from 500. seventeen teachers
from 5000, fourteen from $3.50. one from
1910, sixteen from 800, seventeen from
$50 and two from S775, all advanced to
Il 600 provided that they shall receive only
an increase OF $50, until the full amount o.
his advance is reached
The bill shows that thcre are seventy,