The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-16
FOR MORE PAY
KEARNY HIGH SCHOOL rim
CIPAL SPEAKS OUT.
Says Town Is Losing Its Promising
Teachers and Urges Adoption
of Salary Schedule.

As the outcome of several conferences
held between the new supervising principal
of the KeaTny schools, Herman Dressed, jr.,
and Principal Thad J. Knapp, of the Kear-
ny High School, the Kearny Board of Edu-
cation was addressed at its regular meeting
last night through a communication by the
latter official on the subject of adopting a
salary schedule in the interests of the in
structors in the various departments of the
towns school system. The question of bet
ter salaries for the teachers was brought
up last year, but no action was taken,
and in consequence the schools lost some
of their best Instructors, the High School
especially being hit in that particular.
Principal Knapp, after dwelling upon the
danger of losing more teachers unless some
action is taken by the board forthwith.
continued in part:
I'm three years the departments of sci
ence, English, history, modern languages
and business have made rapid strides and
their efficiency and practical usefulness
these teachers means beginning all over
/ from the starting point. If inexperienced
teachers are employed 1t will be equivalent
to conducting practice classes for the bene-
fit Of those teachers and at the expense of
the children of the community and the rep
utation of the school. The damage done
cannot be estimated in dollars and cents,
but Is better represented in terms Of years
and lives of the children.
Our Latin department has been filled
by two young women OF flrst-class per-
soLality and preparation. They were each
retained for one year, during which time
they obtained some valuable experience and
gave as good service as they could under
the circumstances. But just as soon as
they began to be OF certain value to the
school and the pupils, and when their use
f~ulness would increase rapidly and con-
stantly, they were allowed to go to other
schools for a very slight increase.
Agar we seem to have a promising
| teacher huf If she makes pOnn there Ia no
certainty of keeping her with salary con-
ditions as they are at present. Meanwhile
We have had several changes in the latin
department and our pupils ave no such
preparation as we promised to give them.
| cannot recommend our graduates of that
department for college entrance next year
unless some way is pointed out of partial
ject."
loss of a young woman who had charge of
the department of mathematics for two
years, possessing excellent qualifications,
and had brought that branch Of education
to a high standard, but she left because
she received an offer of $50 more a year
than kearny was paying her.
IF an open salary schedule were estab-
lished." he continued, based on merit
and length Of service here and elsewhere.
good teachers who would be willing to
come here would be also willing to stay,
for they could see some opportunity oe
obtaining advancement as fast as they de-
served it. Teachers are dealers in fairness
ana they are PECULIARLY susceptible 10 1aif
treatment when they can see and know
the elements which enter into that treat
ment. But when the rating OF teachers is
done in sdcret and they. have no way of
finding out their. strong and weak points
in the rating, and when salaries are lower
than anywhere else, they are human enough
to finally decide to look out for better re-
Enumeration in some other place. Now,
whatever any other place can afford to pay
experienced teachers, the town OF Kearny
can afford to pay, II 1t is going TO stay in
| the hnafpnog of educating
THE Board of Education has been
steadily advancing salaries, though not as
around us; but, while this has been done
our women teachers in the High School
have not received any such increases as
were given a few years ago, at a time
now. The matter / am speaking of APP
plies with equal force to the grades. and
the cause of any one school. But the men
in the system had a conference regarding
a schedule with the board last year, with
out result. except, possibly, in case of
'If our experienced teachers in the High
School are allowed to leave next year, as
they are likely to do, 1t will be a blow
from which the school will not soon re-
cover. You will certainly appreciate this
fact in is full meaning. Personally. |
shall not care to remain In my present
position after that occurs. l have been
here during most of the time that it has
taken the Kearny High School to win its
I ~ la1 III All0 tRD&1A VI IhO DGOHi1"
of our town. of the State department and
of the colleges, and | have participated
in the satisfaction which its present po-
sition brings.
IF anything is TO be done in this mat
ter it will have to be begun right away,
as the New York examinations come this
month and ~the Newark examinations in
December. TIL adoption of a reasonable
schedule 70 go into effect next year would
probably keep some or all from taking
to you at this time only because | see the
urgent need of action"
Supervising Principal Dressed, who read
Mr.. KnapD'S communication heartily SYM
pathized in the contention made by his as
sociate that was supplemented bV Il elea
from County Superintendent Fl. M. Kins-
ley for some action toward the suggestion
made by Principal Knapp. To show that
Kearny pays less salaries to its teachers
than its %neighbors he gave figures to sub
stantiate the contention. Superintendent
Kingsley stated that The township Of Union
pays an average salary of $611.60 to its
women teachers; West Hoboken, 1884. SS;
Weehawken, $674.33, against Kearny's aver
age of $601.44 4. He considered the figures
fair for the purpose of comparison, As the
matter had been under consideration the
superintendent expressed the hope that the
salary matter would be given careful and
serious consideration by the board. Presi-
DENT Brown stated that the matter would
be taken up.
President S. Arthur Brown thanked both
the supervising. principal and County SUI
perintendeHt kinsley for presenting the
matter and assured the officials that their
recommendations would no doubt receive
favorable consideration. After the meeting
favorable to carrying the plan as outlined
apd some action will probably be taken at
the next meeting.