New-York tribune., 1907-04-29
THE TEACHERS SALARY MIDDLE.

Tho women school teachers are now divided
into hostile camps over the sO-called Lqual "S
bill. The teachers of the primary graueS OP-
Yoso tho hill while the teachers OF the upper
grades favor it. The reason for this IS thaI lDe
bin applies the ''equal pay for equal wOrh 700
strictly There are no men teachers III tue
cIossee halow grade 4B therefore the women
teachers in those classes will not be particularly
benefited by the bill if it becomes law. With
ont in any WAY debating the contention OF the
,,onoen that they should receive the same sal
arias as the men or the still broader question
whether the women in the city schools are un-
derDaid there are reasons for opposing the pres
ont hill If the salaries of the women teachers
are to he raised this bill is the wrong way TO go
about 1t.
In the first place, the equal pay for equal
work" principle as embodied in the bill has re-
suited In an absurdity. The bill provides IN
effect, that in the grades where men are en-
pIoyed the women may receive the same salary
as the men. Men are employed only in the up
per classes-that is to say, from the eighth
grade down TO and including the fourth grade
From the fourth grade down to the first grade
only women are employed. The result is that
if the provisions of the bill are carried Into
effect the maximum salary of woman teaching
the fourth B grade will be about $1,000 more
than the maximum salary of a woman teaching
the grade below. The maximum salary of
woman teaching a child in the second half of
fits fourth year in school will be nearly twice as
great as that of a woman teaching a child in
the first half Of its fourth year. That disparity
is in itself absurd, and it will be productive of
wire pulling on the part Of the teachers to OBJ
tain promotions from the lower to the higher
grades. At present there is very little differ
ence between the maximum salaries of a pri-
mary teacher and the teacher of the graduating
class. This condition makes teachers Of eX-
perience who are peculiarly qualified for teach
ing little children content TO remain In the
lower grades. Politics is not invoked 10 secure
promotions. Different qualifications are neces-
sary for teaching the higher grades from those
necessary for teaching the lower but the diff
ference is more of kind than degree. and II
seems desirable under any changed schedule of
pay that the present condition of little advance
in salaries from the bottom TO the top Of the
schools should be maintained.
Again, the appeal by municipal employees from
the municipal authorities to the Legislature for
increased pay is liable to gross abuse and is a
practice to be discouraged The municipal
thOrities have full power to adjust the teachers
salaries, and they ought to be left free to ex-
erclse their discretion. If the disparity be-
tween the salaries of the men and the women is
unfair, or If the salaries Of the women, IRE
spective Of what the men receive, are made
quate, the proper place for such a campaign as
the women have carried on at Albany this win
ter is before the Board Of Education and the
Board Of Estimate How badly an appeal to a
body unfamiliar with local conditions works is
illustrated by the present measure for which
the primary teachers Joined in the campaign
only TO find that they would not profit by its
operation, and against which they are now in
an equally energetic campaign.