Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-02

teachers personally, but OF their pupils.
The Importance Of the great law Of inn
itation, whether conscious or uncon-
scious, in the relation OF pupil and
teacher cannot be overestimated.
6-They tend to enable teachers to
live IN a manner to some extent be-
coming their extremely important and
useful profession.
Pensions afford a slight compensa-
ton for sacrificing all the emoluments
of other more financially profitable but
less useful professions.
Spy the substitution OF teachers
on minimum salaries FOR those retiring
on maximum salaries the cost Of PEN
sion is greatly reduced, while the gem
eral enicienc'' of the teaching force is
promoted.
'9--As the welfare Of the children Is
the supreme law of the school and as
the pension system promotes the etl-
cheney Of the teaching force. 1t IS evil
dent that the welfare of the children
largely dependent as 1t Is on the eff
cheney of the teaching force, demands
this system
This last sentence is the sum and
substance Of It all. The greatest good
OF every child. Talk as we will on
philanthropy. the missionary instinct
and all Unselnsh acts and motives inn
aginable, the fact still remains and II
viii always he fact that win remain
that altrulsm IN all It's phases is en-
COuraged and promoted only by receiv-
ing that by which we may be altruistic.
That one who gives up the best years
Of her life to this most arduous of tasks
school teaching-for an nbsurdly in
adequate compensation with the pro-
spect OF n future of penury and pri
walton may possibly be laying up treas
ure IN heaven. but II is very doubtful
IT, under these circumstances. she cin
do her best work here on earth.
AN INJUSTICE
1T is unjust on the part of the com
munity to expect. that, whereas IT has
TO pay for value received In the case OF
roads, bridges, police and fire depart
ments, salaries T officials, etc, 1t
should reward that class OF public SER
wants. which has to do with the mental,
moral and physical development of the
material out of which the future state
is to be built by a remuneration which
the ordinary mechanic would disdain.
IN most cities OF our land today the
ianltor of the school receives a salary
far I'm excess Of that Of the average
teacher Then compare the offices of
the two and YOU have n genuine re-
ductio al absurdum.'
I'm our work for the greatest good
of every child, then. we must strive
by every legitimate and honorable
means for the general uplifting of the
teaching profession. In this resume /
have not touched on any of those spe-
citic formulas OF pedagogy which have
their application to the direct work OF
the school room or to the sociology of
the school problem. but rather to the ma
terial or, II you will, the monetary
phase of the question.
MERIT SHOULD RULE
To summarize:
Teachers should receive adequate
compensation based on merit and not
on accidental tenure of position.
Il. Because the teaching profession
Is the greatest and most important pub
lie utility service IN existence.
%. Because, as being such, 1t should
enlist the very best mental, moral and
physical material in the way OF young
men and women.
%. Because II is q service that from
It's very nature is extremely deyitaliz-
ing.
AS part of adequate compensation
there should be provided a retirement
fund for superannuated teachers
Il. Because It is just from an ethical
point of view, as In the case of fire.
men, policemen, soldiers and other pub.
lie servants
-, Because It would act as an at
traction and an incentive to the best
young men and women To induce them
to take up the profession OF teaching.
3. Because II would take away that
element Of despair for the future, which
is necessarily present in the life of the
ordinary teacher and thus make her
more anxious to improve herself. more
optimistic, and more able to accomplish
what win then surely be her ideal pur-
pose:
The greatest good OF every child!
The next number on the program was
solo by Mrs. Bessie Dean Allison,
which was rendered IN the popular
singers characteristic pleasing style,
after which short addresses We're de-
livered By tho special gu SITS of the
convention, Prof. Il. G. Cooley, surerin-
lendont of schools OF Chicago, III, and
Miss Sarah Louise Arnold dean of Sim
mons college, Boston Mass. The re-
marks of both speakers were enthusl-
astically received by the assembly.
After the appointment of committees
and the rendition OF n selection by the
orchestra, the convention adjourned un-
I'll o'clock p. m.