Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-11
EXPERTS IN OTHER LINES
RECEIVE MORE PAY THAN
EXPERIENCED TEACHERS

salaries occupied the attention of the
National Educational association at the
fourth general meeting in Temple audi
forum last night. The entire program
1ect and despite the various remedies
proposed the general aim of the four
was the same
Rev. Hecht delivered the opening
prayer. The Los Angeles Apollo club |
well received.
tendent Of Chicago schools, delivered an
eloquent address on Shall Teachers
Salaries Be Graded on Merit or by the
Clock.
Following is a synopsis of Mr.
Cooley's speech:
"Since the welfare of the children is
the fundamental consideration in the
carrying on of the schools teachers
salaries must be fixed with reference to
the value of the services rendered. In
creases of salary based upon length of
service, and increases of salary based
scholarship must alike be tested by this
criterion of efficiency.
"A teacher In good school may in
crease in efficiency for four or five
years. even if she relies exclusively up
on her school room experience for in
formation and inspiration, but unless
the teacher is induced in some manner
to study, the chances are that before the
end of the first decade a decline in eff
fciency will set in, which will proceed
steadily as the years go by. A schedule
of salaries, then, should include
lower group. making provision for
At the end of this period if teacher
does not give evidence Of increase in |
efficiency. in professional zeal and in
student-lfke habits she should be stop |
ped. No teacher should be allowed to
advance in salary after she has ceased
to advance in efficiency.
TRAIN Taaobnre Il, co.,,;..
scholarship and habits of study are
factors that must be considered in esti-
mating efficiency. No teacher who is
not student can long remain really
efficient. If teacher wishes to impart
piece of knowledge she must not only
have appropriated it to herself, but she
must have gone beyond it and around
it.. She must see 1t in it's relation to
other facts and truths. Her study can
not cease with entering the work. but
must be lifelong. She can retain SYM
pathy with the learner only by continu-
ing to be learner herself. BY this
means. too she can avoid the depress-
ing effect of constant association with
immature minds and ideals
Teachers should not be encouraged
to get into the system and then let the
clock work. Advancement based on
length of service only does not do Jus
tice to the teacher who has the real
professional spirit. The suggestion
that we can keep people up to the mark
by merely rear or dismissal is made by
those who do not realize how extremely
difficult 1t is to get rid of an inefficient
teacher.
Our great cities have found it neces-
sary to establish normal schools for the
preparation of their teachers. 1t will
soon become as legitimate a part of the
work of the normal school to carry for
ward the training of teachers after they
from the high schools and make teach
ers of them"
Charles H Keyes, supervisor of
"Teac5er s Pensions and ND A SR1hitti 3"
Mr.. Keyes. in g powerful address gave
the following five potent reasons why
the pension system in some form should
"F'irst-No teacher can do the best work
for our children while at, the same time
service in the school room are over. No
teacher can fifty train, your children by
ton of raiment food and shelter for the
days that come, too soon.
"Second-Teachers of the largest ability
the school. service in which they have
proved their high capacity to enter upon
more remuneratye fields of a.
accept an old age of dependence or pri-
walton; To enter upon the new field of
to enable them to make provision for
their declining years. Unless we would
see the education of our children turned
rate men we must provide the rewards
that would permit our ablest teachers to
consecrate their lives to the service of
"Third-;The great army of teachers
brightest and ablest young men and wo-
leading educational Institutions The
current rewards of the teachers are so
grossly inadequate that the very ma
- nnEf In Cnnr NI6 fy
being diverted to other callings.
"Fourth-There are in many Of our
schools men and women with the largest
usually good salaries from which they
are laying by a, fund to take care. of
in old age dsnv To no this they
opportunity to travel. the time to study,
the ownership of books and the change
of scene. for bodily rest that are essen
spring teacher. How, a retirement pen
sion would change all this; and enable
men and women TO nd mr rafipS t tner own
ciates to the blessing of the boys and
girls; =, +,ousonds of tho o1der o,t,os
and towns of our Union there are teach
ers who have practically worn them
selves out in the service of our schools.
five Years they have spared no power of
heart and brain in loving and. conse-
Grated devotion of their lives to the lives
bows
heartsore and brain weary with a fire.
quency that is agonizing to Witness.
They have been able to save little or
nothing. They cannot see that it Is their
duty to retire to privation or to charity.
No official has the criminal courage and
hardness of heart to turn them out to
are spelling, the tempers and , abusing g; the
children in return for their confinement
by the community at hard labor in the
school room And this cruel and in
human punishment of faithful old teach
ers who ought long ago to. nave honor
ably retired on pay goes on In thousand
In a brief discussion of the subject
Alexander. Hogg, state superintendent Of
schools at Fort Worth, Kas., summed
up the. salient points of the question,
contrasting the salaries of teachers with
those of other professions. Mr.. Hogg
said in part:
IF. Cicero in his times, when only for
one law, and that for the benefit of one
man, should introduce his subject with,
HuJus autem orationis facilius est ex-
item guam prineipium inyenire;' to find
out how to end rather than to begin
not, what. to say, but what to leave un-
said, so rich in arguments was his cause,