The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-02-27
PUTS The BURDEN
. :: :: ON LITTLE ONES

Editor Advertiser: "More and bet
ter teachers are constantly in demand, -
says Superintendent Babbitt The best
teachers obtainable should be employed
and then paid salaries commensurate
with the Importance of the grand up
lifting work they are engaged in carry
/ ing on for the welfare of the children.
1t is, however, certainly idle to expect
the best results under the present fnan-
cial straits in which the Board of
School Commissioners finds itself, for
again that honorable body is appealing
to the teachers to help out in ovcrcom-
ing deficit. The teachers, so to speak,
are again cup against it as they were
some few years since, when their then
existing salaries, though small, were cut
twenty per cent, amounting to between
five and six thousand dollars monthly
Much of this heavy burden is still car
ried by the teachers, save in the cases
of some of the highest salaried. such as
the principals of the High and Normal
J schools, etc, assistant teachers and n
| special music teacher, who have sue
ceeded in having their salaries restored
to their former pay before the cut or.
dered by Governor Carter.
This reduction to the rank and file of
the teachers still prevails and teachers
| are on IA "hand-to-mouth basis, try.
ing to make good that deficit which NJ
one time was so great as to bid fair to
put the Territorial government out of
commission financially, so it was re-
ported at the time. As the teachers
salaries were submitted to such rigid
pruning (twenty per cent? for spe-
cific purpose, to make good shortage in
| government funds; and that particular
period long since having passed, com
mon justice would now seem to demand
that the powers that be set in opera
ton business-like methods to effect the
restoration of the former schedule OF
salaries paid teachers.
As has been stated. the school author
tiles are once more in the throes of
financial difficulty and now confront
the teachers of certain schools with the
proposition to take over the janitorial
work heretofore performed by corps
of paid employees. In their wisdom,
however, they would exempt the larg-
est schools, such as the High and Nor
NAL from this drudgery, where the prin-
cipals and assistants are the best paid,
and throw the burden of ianitor's work
upon teachers of schools having only
small children and less pay.
Pupils of the larger schools are Just
AS able, and in fact more able, to sweep
the floors of the rooms and yards daily,
run lawn mowers, use pick axes and do
the necessary hoeing and pulling of
weeds, trimming lawns, irrigating trees,
plants and lawns, washing windows,
floors and porches, gathering up leaves,
papers and other rubbish, as the little
tots comprising the pupils of the schools
not included in the list of those to be
allowed jantors. Schools having only
primary classes, where the pupils are all
entirely too small to perform such
heavy mental labor, certainly need jan
itors, while those schools which are
scheduled to be allowed to retain their
janitors have young ladies and gentle
men far more able physically to per
form such drudgery than the little ones
upon whom it is suggested to impose
such heavy work. II has been given out
that in the country schools pupils do
the janitorial work When it is under
stood that the attendance of such
schools often includes all grades and
pupils of all ages, from six to sixteen
years in each shool, then it il readily
seen how these larger pupils are always
available to perform their pro rata of
work required, providing their parents
do not forbid their participation in
such labor, as Is seldom the ease.
The children Of our city schools need
the same kindly consideration as do
those in the country. There the smaller
children, such as some of the schools
Of this city are wholly made up ~, are
never required, much less expected, TO
do janitorial service, Why then should
they bee requisitioned by tenehers Of
schools whore there are 10 pupils suili
ciently old 10 do the exRcting labor Ia
! many instances necessary 10 perform
the various kinds ~ tasks required an
all The many school promises " this
rityf
Would Il not be- better 10 place all
schools on tho same level aud thus
avoid oven the appearance NJ fny0nng
ono s,hool with or against anoiheri
OBSERVER,