The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-06-28
Teachers Poorly Paid.
Economy that is Shame to the
State-We Should Quit Boosting
Of Our Progress in Education
Until We Get a Better Idea of the
Value of the Teachers Who are
Doing the Work Of Which We
are Proud to Boast DIR. McIver
on Better Paid Superintendents
and Teachers.
Wilmington Star

Wilmington Star
The annual meetings of the North
Carolina Teachers Assembly and
State Association ofCounty Superin-
tendents, in Raleigh the past week
were full OF interest and vital import
ance to the cause of education in
North Carolina. These gatherings
are bound to prove beneficial not
only to the teachers and those in
charge of our educational system
but will be fruitful in awakening
action in bettering the work and
raising the profession OF teaching to
a higher plane. The standard is
higher than the pay warrants and
the State ought to congratulate itself
that it gets a great deal for very lit
tie.
The Star has several times advO-
Gated better pay for the teachers of
North Carolina, and therefore heart
lily endorses the address of President
Charles D. McIver, of the State Nor
NAL and Industrial College, delivered
at the meeting of the county super
intendents. He advocated legislation
for the fixing OF a minimum salary
for county superintendent, and said
that the time had come when the sal
aries of county superintendent must
be increased. The average salary is
double what it was five years ago, he
said, but $500 year is not sufficient
salary for a person who has in his
charge the care of from $4,000 to
$4,000 worth OF property and the
inspiration of so to $50 school teach
ers. "North Carolina is not doing
its duty to it's county superintend-
ents," he declared. eff a county has
100000 invested in a mill it will not
employ a $500 man to supervise it. -
DR.. McIver is quite right. The coun-
ty would know better than to do
business like that and it is time to
get the educational interest on a
practical basis, too. While speaking
REsntSnts particularly ~ fsr ts the fSR5atyn III
IeauIlers. lie SAID he was sure there
was not a man teacher in the State
who could not receive twice his pres
ent compensation if he would enter
commercial or industrial avoca-
ton. Women go to the State Normal
and Industrial College ard take a
years business course, costing her
about $3.50, and from that invest
ment she obtains a position which
pays her $40 or $50 per month, for
II months a year. Other women in
vest 500 or $500 in their education
to become teachers, and receive only
$35 or $40 per month, for only eight
months in a year. The condition is
alarming, but can you wonder that
the tendency of the women is to enter
the business professions, leaving the
avocation of the school room?
We will have to quit boasting o.
our progress in education until we
get a better idea of the value of the
teachers who are doing the work
concerning which we are proud tc
boast. We must do the square thing
by the noble men and women who arr
giving enlightenment and learning
to the State. Teachers ought to bt
paid enough salary to induce then
to make teaching a profession in
stead of a makeshift till they can gel
better employment. Trained and ex
perienced teachers-professionals-
are what we need and the best way
to be assured ofthem is to make edu
cational work interesting to them b.
salaries that will entertain them {
while.
The Legislature could consider NJ
more important matter than tha
discussed so ably and pointedly b.
DR.. McIver. We have not given hi
argument, merely mentioning a fe'
points to concur in what he strOngl,
presented and lucidly set forth.
North Carolina must quit practic
ing economy or its teachers. 1t i
economy that is a shame