Evening journal., 1906-11-23
FIGHTING FOR
SALARY INCREASE
Mercantile Association Di :
cusSes SubisCtand viii FiehlI
For the Teachers

Realizing that the teachers in the
public. schools OF this city are not be-
ing paid nearly as well as those In
similar positions IN other cities or thai
they are not getting nearly as much
money as their occupations entitle
them to the members OF the Whining
ton Board OF Trade through their adu-
cational committee have taken up the
matter.
The members Of the educational com
mittee are George w. Twitmyer. sup
erintendent of the Wilmington public
schools. William H. Kurtz. John X.
MacLean, George A. Elliott, Stanley
Baker. L. W. Brosius. They held
meeting last night, but their delibera-
tions or the decisions arrived at will
not be made public until at the next
meeting of the Board OF Trade, to
which body they win report their work
for approval and some final action.
The object Of the committee work is
to find some means whereby the teach
ing force OF the city can be put in a
condition to meet all its financial obli-
cations put on them by modern civili-
zation. Further tho members are try,
ing to find the means whereby they
can secure the necessary money To
establish. a medical examination, also
to inaugurate q system for the care Of
the backward children and several
other most important movements. the
object OF which will be to elevate the
present standard in the Wilmington
public schools.
T make the pay the teachers in
the primary department tho schools
to-day equal that OF the ordinary type
writer, clerk, or boolSl0eepr. It would
require an additional appropriation 70
the Board Of Education OF about s22.-
900 year. At present Il Is a marvel
to those who have looked into the sub
ject how the teachers live and do the
work entrusted to them on the meagre
salaries they now receive. Last sum-
mer teachers who were getting but
three hundred and fifty dollar year
paid for course Of studies at the
Columbia University. others went to
summer schools at various places, some
now go to the University OF Pennsyl-
vania on Saturday nights to receive
( the benefits Of lectures given there
especially for teachers and seventy
hev O eighty meet Professor Berlin
once a week to hear his instructions
on experimenting and managing. Al
; these things cost money and 1t is re-
markable how the teachers do II
Furthermore they attend these schools
at their own expense TO improve them
selves and with no hope Of obtaining
another dollar in pay from the Board
Of Education. However the schoo
board cannot pay higher salaries, and
II is at the present time facing a de-
felt Of about $4,000 from last year
which nancy will have 10 come out O
this years appropriation.
The committee now working on tn
subject will try to get the addtiona
al appropriation without Increasing tn
I tax rate. They have declared IN
work the teachers are doing require
. higher order OF intellect and Of life
4 II this city is to maintain IS position
4 in material prospects Il must produc
the means by which II can secure tn
Y highest abilities Of the children 10
z they are to be the future citizens Of
n whom the burdens Of the city will fal
superintendent Twitmyer appeare
y before the Mercantile Association las
:. night and COVE the members an in
Il formal talk on the work the committe
r OF the Board of Trade is doing an
i the members Of the association hearth
endorsed the work and hoped it woul
+ lead to a successful issue.