The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-10
THE WEEKLY JoURNAL. Issued Thursday, One Dollar a Year.
PAY OF TEACHERS.

Wholly aside from the advisability under all of the circumstances of the teachers in the public schools of New Haven accepting the proposed in- creases in their pay, 1t is impossible, in a broader view of the situation, to agree that the committee on schools has shown firm grasp upon the pur- pose of the public school system in making its recommendations, or fine realization of the far-reaching conse- quences of the compulsory attendance lew. Such platitudes as this, in it's reference to the salaries paid High school teachers, perplex the real seeker after the truth Length of service, while a factor, should not be deter mining influence"
 Owing to the failure of the board of education in the past to keep abreast of the needs of the times, as they af- feet individuals in the school service. and owing to the mistaken view of It's duty as involving duties especially as- signed the board of finance, it has overlooked certain essential principles which affect the administration of the public schools. This is the more pro- veking as they are elemental in their character and ought every moment to determine it's conduct. We'll conducted schools are necessity to the welfare of the community. Inefficiently con- ducted schools are a detriment to the communities in which they are locat- ei. At the bottom of such consideration as must be given the schools lies, then, the efficiency of the teaching force Eff ficient teachers must live as other peo- pie live, and are all of the time subject to the same laws of necessity. There is no law by which one wage-earner can live which is not felt in like force by wage-earners in the public schools. Granting that 1t is more dignified service than other kinds of service which we might mention, the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker have long ago eliminated that fact from their business dealings with their patrons. All patrons look alike to them and properly so.
 Viewed from the standpoint of the wise use of the public purse, it is the widest extravaganza for the city of New Haven to underpay the public school teachers. It is not only money thrown away but it is money so em. ployed as to spread demoralization among the very class of workers upon whose judgment, intelligence and pa- tience we rely to train the children of the great majority of citizens. Only those know what it means to make in. efficiency, which has come to be mat. ter of compensation in all walks oi life. the basis of school organization fol the sake of economy, who have had ol who have children in the public schools Only those, too, who have had this ex. perience, realize that the multiplication of private schools during tht past fifteen years in the state of Con. necticut Is to be attributed to th false economy on the part of the schoo districts. The tax question is, O. course, an important phase of thu problem, and cannot be and ought no to be ignored, but the scrimping o the school tax means lowering o the standard of good citizenship, tn deliberate dulling of tool fashioned to make citizenship constantly highe in tone and quality. There is but lit tie in the report of the committee o schools to warrant the belief that thes elemental considerations were in tn minds of its members when the studied the effective report of tn committee of the school teachers.
 The weakness of the report of tn committee on schools consists in it exaggerated view of the commerca principles of hire, and Its underestima ton of the art of teaching, on the on hand, and the view of the parent, O the other hand, It is impossible t