Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-23
TO MAKE ADVANCE
IN TEACHERS PAY
JOSEPH SCOTT STARTS BALL
ROLLING
Compromise Probably viii Be
Reached by Giving Pedaeogues
Salaries for Twelve
Months in Year

Months in Year
Big Jolly Joe" Scott came out
strongly last night in favor of in
creased salaries for the teachers, and
his eloquent appeal for the school
ma ans placed the subject in a most
forceful light What increase to make
and how to do it was the question.
That it should and must be done was
granted by every member without
question.
The board will take final action on
the question sometime in the early
part of May, when it will meet in a
committee of the whole. President
Scott, superintendent e. C. Moore, all
the members of the board, Mayor
Harper and the chairman of the
finance committee of the city council
are all said to be in favor of giving
the teachers a substantial increase, and
the present campaign for that object
promises more than the spasmodic eff
forts of the past.
Appeals to Members
Mr.. Scott brought the subject to the
attention of the board last night in an
eloquent appeal to the members. He
said: II had this matter brought to
my attention some time ago in very
painful way. L was visiting one Of
the schools and the teachers invited
me to dinner, 7-cent luncheon.
learned that this was somewhat of an
extravaganza, their usual meal costing
cents. l tell you, gentlemen, when
this Is done as joke or one day as
an economy, it's not so bad; but when
it is the ordinary thing all year it gets
pretty serious.
my position in reference to the
raising Of teachers salary is that the
teacher is entitled to adequate COM
pensation, considering the requirements
made of her as to scholarship, ex
perience and ability as to the exact
ing nature of her work and the further
fact that her years of usefulness are
after all quite limited, for, whereas a
man of 45 in other professional callings
is just in the full vigor of his capacity
and power, we fix that as the outside
limit to consider applications and will
not entertain a proposition for admis-
sion to our teaching staff from any
person over the age of 40 years.
No Pension System
Furthermore, we have no pension
system at all and we thereby confess
that we take the best of the life and
enthusiasm out of a teachers career
and then cast her adrift at a time
when she is exhausted mentally and
physically and almost unfit to pursue
any other occupation. Teachers, in the
language of President Roosevelt, are
the poorest paid people in the coun-
try and no other class of public SER
wants are entitled to more considera-
tion in every respect, and particularly
financially.
II wish to stand on record as insist
ing upon a substantial raise that will
enable teachers to live WELL eat we'll,
to have a reasonably enjoyable vaca-
tion and to be able from their salary
to put by little surplus cash for the
inevitable day when they will be re-
tired under the stringent regulations of
this department as no longer worthy of
| service.
Teachers Are Loyal
There is no class Of teachers in the
country more loyal to their department
than ours, and they must have a sub
stantial increase, even If we have to
skimp on some other department"
Mr.. Quinn feared the difficulties that
would be encountered in endeavoring
to convince the finance committee OF
the city council that the teachers
should be paid more He declared that
| the city teachers We're already getting
more. than the country pedagogues 1T
took $4,000 TO give the teachers a raise
of 81 month last year." he declared.
TITS up to this board to take stand
on the matter and then make our esti-
mate of what it will cost" responded
Mr. Scott.
Pay for Twelve Months
f. w. Steddom suggested that the
present salaries be continued but that
the teachers be paid for twelve months
in the year. This plan seemed to meet
with the approval of several of the
members present and il was stated un-
officially would be the recommendation
the board would finally make.
To Mr.. Quinn's fears of the hostility
of the finance committee DR.. Moore
stated that the chairman declared he
would take favorable action on any
| recommendation the board might make.
'He has become convinced of the need
Of such step" said Superintendent
Moore.
With this the champions of the
scheme had to let 1t rest till some time
in May, when the finance committee
of the board win report on the financial
standing Of the board and the methods
to raise the additional sum the increase
would require.
Wife-Why, John how dare you
swear before me?