The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-05-17
Good 4 chers
In Great Demand
STRONG ARGUMENT FOR HIGHER
SALARIES AND PENSIONS
FOR PEDAeoeuEs-

in this vicinity" said NJ Roster, su-
perintendent of the city schools this
morning. He was sitting In his Office
chair. and showed signs OF deep
thought. we are having great eff
fculry IN securing men aaI women
whom We can rely upon to take Charge
OF schools
-How long has the demana for
teachers beea so urSentc was asked
after pause
Ever since the recent great devel-
opment of West Virginia When oil
and coal Offices were opened, they pro-
rided new fields of labor for educate I
men and women. These positions ray
larger wages and in other ways are
more attractive than schooLrocm
work Those who ten years ago would
have been teachers are to-day. takinS
up work in oil and coal Offices. SO
people OF education and executive abil-
ity choose that work in preference 70
tiiat OF the school There is la: one
thing for school authorities 10 dc. AMI
that is to out BID in wages the n'.us
trial enterprises for men and wc.nea
whom each wact-
Furthermore" continued the sa-
perintcndent leaning forward az l
speaking sympatheticallv and yet
firmly, work In business life is also,
:nore attractive in that 1t promises a
young man or woman that when age
comes the business or system. ne has
erected viii not be taken away from
him His business viii be his own and
when he dies, it viii pass to his fam
ily.- Not so with the business Of the
teacher. What he has built up belongs
TO the public He creates la-ee sys-
comes old end feeble. he is hurled
aside to make room for the younger
man. Thenceforth. this old wheel
horse Of education can live only by
the pittance he can exc out Jay by
day The business he built up is taken
away from him There never was CIV
en- to him enough money to leave him
anything to lay by for the ra.ny day
OF old age School teachers cant ac-
cummulate- It always has seemed
impossible for them to do that
Men and women fear the days Of gray
isai-s which always come to teac:1e-s-
For that reason. the profession of
teaching is being Shuned by those who
would make excellent instructors"
This all seemed very logical and a
true description of the days OF the
old teacher >twhat is propose. tnat
viii counteract this dark side of the
pedagoSue.s life2"
"a. system of pensions There is
no reason why teachers should not be
provided for in old age Old soldiers
are. And both of them spent their
life in the public service benefdns
the community and the country. Sol
diers exerted themselves physically
and teachers mentally The! both
gave to other people the best they
had. The preacher also is provided for
In old age. and we all say Rightly
So"
Are there any bright prospects Tor
the future os t;.c profession cf teach
ins?"
Yes. indeed" was the hearty reply
eachinS will be soon the moss ar-
uactive of all professions People are
earning that higher wages and pen-
s:ons will nave TO he given They are
the demands of the day Another sign
of advancement is that which may be
drawn from the recent great cam
paign for better school buildings which i
is sweeping this country Millions
have been spent in erecting supero
structures But they are practically |
useless. for there can't be gotten men
and women to fill them-men and VOL
men who are in keeping in ability with
the building in grandeur To-day, emil
ployers of teachers are receiving too
many men and women who are The
refuse of industries, men and women
who are not wanted by business men
and who consequently take up -teach-I
Ing as the mex step downward, tallel
up thatSwork asa last resort for q I