The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-26
TEACHERS APPEAL
FOR BETTER PAY
Finance Committee Meet
With Members of the
School Board.
NECESSITY FOR
INCREASE URGED
Miss Webb, OF Randolph School,
Innpresses Hearers by Strong
Argument - Mr.. Ebel,
Mrs. Dashiell, Mr..
Cary and Others
Speak.

The Finance Committee of the city
Council and the members of tho school
board last night sat Jointly to hear
representatives Of tho district teachers
present their appeal for increased sala-
ries. There was a Very good attendance
of representatives of the schools and of
the board The speakers were Mr. Il. C..
lSbel. school trustee Mrs. Landonia
Dashiel, of the Richmond Education AS
sociattOn; Mr.. H,msdon Cary. of the City
council: Miss Parker, who spoke on be-
half of the kindergarten work. in which
she Is engaged; Miss Webb, of the Ran
dolph Street School and Mr.. Jesse H. Bin
ford. principal Of Marshall School The
hearing lasted until II o'clock, and was
thoroughly interesting.
II any one questioned that the tcachers
arc in earnest in their demand for bot.
ter salaries. all doubt would have been
dtspelled by the appeal of Miss Webb
last night.
With an earnestncss that ut times APP
proNimated pathos; with lawyer-like mar
shalinS of facts in their proper sequence;
with keen satire and vigorous argument
she presented the cause of her fellow.
workers with telling effect That she inn
pressed those present was testified by tho
applause she ELECTED. Without dispar-
aSefneht OF tho Qther speakers her address
struck home more than any other
Mr.. Ebel made clear and strong pre-.
sentation of the appeal of the teachers,
speaking with his weil-known ,lignifea
and impressive force Mr.. Cary also elo-
quentIy presented tho cause of the teach
er and eulogized her. Mrs, Dashiell added
to the cumulative array of facts demand
ing recognition, and made n fine appeal
for the teachers. Miss Parker spoke es-
peciaiiy of the Kindergarten work and
ITS value and made q fine presentation
OF tile Importance of Its maintenance and
| extension.
What Miss Webb Said.
Miss Webb was unanimously Invited
TO address tho conference. This was her
first stump speech she said and she
would begin by reading two selections
rom an educational publications ono of
which. after recltlng the scarcity of
| competent teachers and the difficulty of
retaining them. suggested better salaries
as the remedy. The pitiful salaries paid
| teachers had given teaching a black eye;
in Richmond. Miss Webb declared
cmphatcaly that she taught because
she loved the work. and that no teacher
could do the best work who did not
love it. She cited the fact that both
her younger sisters. with no better
preparation but embarked in clerical
work, wero getting better salaries than
she. The teacher could live on her
! salary. it was true, but she desired to
do moro than merely exist. She served
notice that she, for one, even though
she loved her work, could aud would
| teach elsewhere unless the appeal OF
| the teachers was needed
| Without the slightest apparent en-
| barrassment she made n very striking
| argument for better remuneration, Cit
! ing the fact that this was the first time
that woman had appealed TO them.
| Arc You going to turn her down?' she
| asked, and her tones and manner indi-
Gated that she knew they would not,
| Her appeal was in behalf of the district
school teacher whose work was more
| difficult and trying than that Of the
! high school teachers, since 1t was dis
| trct teachers who had all tho work of
disciplinng the children. BY turns she
| shamed and lectured the city authorities
] on their long and persistent neglect of
| the teachers, and appealed to them to
| give the women teachers n living. III
| we had been men," said she. we would
| have walked out as a body. even though
| that would be undignihed." While tho
! laborer. the mechanic, the salesman and
| the clerk, and every other wage-worker
| had been given raise OF salary. the
| teacher WAS left on the pittatce to
| which her salary was cut thirty years
ago.
Going somewhat into detail. Miss Webb
! emphasized the fact that the district
| school teachers had to live twelve months
| on the mcagro salary paid her for nnn
| months in the year. Ii si1e became ILL.,
| she had to pay for substitute. which
| left little or nothing to pay for medical
| attendance, medicines, nursing and food.
| If she were i'll a month. $50 had to so to
| rho substitute and S5 was left to meet
| all other expenses, She pictured the
| situation of the nverage teacher as she
| advanced in years, With the prospect of
| becoming an object OF charity In her old
| age. Sonle teachers had ALREADY plir-
| chased a room in the Old Ladies Home,
she said. Besides having to live all the
| year, and having to take care of de-
| pendent mother or other relative, the
, average teachers had to attend summer
! normal at great expense.
Concluding, the speaker was very earn
est in her appeal for better salaries. She
declared that the teachers We're more
than worth every cent asked. and that
tho city would get full value and moro,
Tho teachers desired ana lntenueo 10
have u living.
Principal Speaks
Principal Blnford followed Hiss Webb,
beinp. the last speaker OF tho evening,
| lIe warmly endorsed all that the pfeced-
| Ing speaker had said, and whilc advo-
eating an increase for principals also,
| declared that ho IL necessary, would
prefer that the principals be left at their
| present salaries aad the sum available
given TO the eonsecrated women teachers
OF the district school, He declared that
| tho only explanation OF the failure OF
~, l>ntt r,,t ia reaChN