The Washington times., 1906-05-14
PAY OF TEACHERS
IN THE DISTRICT
UNDER DEBATE

The House of Representative. which
today has under consideration the bill
reerganizing the public school system
Of the District was engaged q long time
this afternoon with debate on how
much teachers Of manual training. cook
ing. music and physical culture should
be paid.
An amendment to the bill, offered by
Mr. Burleson. OF Texas. was adopted,
providing that the salaries OF the teach
ors shall range from $500 TO $3.50. Mr.
Burleson's amendment was adopted I'm
place of the amendment which was put
into the bill two weeks ago providing
that the pay Of these teachers should
range from 81 900 TO 81 500
In presenting his amendment. Mr.. Bur
leson explained that ne was anxious
for these teachers 10 have an increase
OF salary. but he thought them the least
important OF all the teachers of the
public school system He argued that
they now receive from $500 TO S725. and
that TO leave the bin so that they be
paid from $1,000 TO 81 $50 would be TO give
then an unjust and disproportionate in
crease.
His amendment was seconded by Mr.
Gardner OF Michigan. MIR. Gaines Of
tennessee here called the attention or
the House 10 the salaries OF Congress
=
own salaries We raise everybOdy's but
our own We are towards not 10 pass
q olll increasing our salaries am
not afraid TO vOte fer bill 20 increase
the salary of my successor even il /
was renominated the other day
Promotion of Teachers.
The next section or the bill taken
up was that governing the promotion
of teachers. Mr. Smith offered an
frrna
greater latitude in the promotion Of
teachers without examination. To this
Mr. Burleson Of Texas immedla tety
objected. saying that he thought the
purpose Of this bill was 10 improve the
standards Of the schools In every way
He had heard rUmors. he said. that
there had been many attempts 70 all
up The public system Of the District
with political appointments. He called
this "A species Of political graft" ard
said that u seemed 70 him that the
amendment proposed by Mr. Smith
would pcrpetudIc the system OF put
Ins political appolntees in as school
teachers.
Mr. Goulden OF New York said that
he had heard pretty severe structures
Of the local school system. but ne
would BE- iOathe 10 believe the rumOrs
mentioned by Mr- Eurlesou- Mr.. Bur
Lesson asked Mr. GOulGen II he was
prepared 10 deny such rumors SIT
GoGlden said that he would hate 10
believe them.
Well" said Mr BurlesOn II the
gentleman wants to know what I think
about 81 viii tell him that I believe
the rumors are founded on truth. This
IS the reason / object 10 adoption Of
this amendment"
Mr. McCreary said that he thought
Mr.. Smiths amendment was ali right.
as II would save the teachers from
the nervous terror that they naturally
feel when they are confronted with eX-
aminationS- He thought the board OF
education would know when teachers
deserved promotion without the for
mality OF academic examination.
Air. Sims OF Tennessee pointed out that
the orig nal wording CT the bill practi-
celly provided that teachers already in
the public school syS-em would Isot nave
10 take examinations for promotion. and
Le thought the Smith amendment was
Superruous. A vote. however. was