The Topeka state journal., 1906-03-06
|. FOR MORE PAY.
Board of Education May Equalize
the Salaries.
Grade Teachers Now Get Very
Small Salaries.
DEBATE AT MEETING.
Some Criticism of the Increase
Given Superintendent.
Mr. Whittemore FaYOrs the
Proposed Increases.
DEBATE AT MEETING.

Although they did rothing actual and
tangible. the board Of education at its
meeting on Monday night went on rec
ord as favoring an increase in the saI-
aries of grade teachers. An order Of a
rails of $5 per month for every teacher
Of five or more years service in the
Topeka ward schools would have been
passed, but in the minds of a number
Of members OF the board loOmed up q
phantom in the shape of q financial de-
felt in the funds, which would preclude
putting the order into effect at the be-
ginning of the new school year as con-
templated. So rather than pass a reso-
luton in favor Of the matter, qualified
and modified by ''if there is enough
money on hand to do So, a very diplo-
matically worded temporary arrange
ment was fixed I'D.
It read and passed like this: at is
the opinion Of this board that there
shall be a Encouragement IN the 5ched-
ule and that this board favors a sub
stanual raise. The assessments are
made on June L It with then be time
enough stiIl to decide the matter. It is
moved that the teachers committee of
the board take the matter under con-
siderati0n and investigat" and report at
the first meeting after June l.
Some disposition appeared on the part
of several members to not make IN
of services, but rather on merit. This
point was particularly advanced by
Superintendent Whittemore, who sug-
gested that committee examine the
applicant for raise" on school prob
lens which this teacher has found and
worked out. Judge T. F. Carver was
much of the same mind as was Mr..
Whittemore. It is very likely that some
sucn an arrangement win be made. and
not an arbitrary order based merely on
years of service.
The discussion Of the entire matter
arose subsequent to the report of the
teachers committee of the board, by
Chairman John D. Norton, who made
this motion: ''I move that the pay Of
all teachers in the Topeka grade schCt Is
who have been in the service 3 years or
more. be advanced $5 per month at the
beginning of the next school year, IN
case the finances permit"
Immediately a storm OF discussion
arose although not q dissenting voice
raised itself against the proposition per
Sc. although a number believed it very
unWise to pass a resolution OF this kind
with "string attached to il" so that
it can be pulled back in case not enough
money is on hand to make the raise
After the talk had waxed rather
warm, superintendent Whlttemore m
formed the chairman that a petition
signed by practically every grade
teacher in the city, with the possible
exception of half dozen or so, had
been presented to him, asking the
board of education to increase their
salaries.
The Petition Presented.
The preamble to the petition was as
follows:
I'VE. the grade teachers in the
schools Of this city, labor under a
schedule of wages that we believe to
be unjust We are confident that You
are not conscious of this inequality.
hence we present the following facts
for your consideration:
Il. The maximum wage paid US is
$50 per month The minimum wage
paid is $40 per month. The minimum