The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-12
SHY 7O4 ~SCHOOLMA'AKS
5000 So BSTITUTES, hut THEY
SEEM TO Hang BACH.


Partridge. who wants 10 Know why
No Attempt to Raise TeaehcrS' Pay.
Il officially developed at yesterdays
meeting of the Board OF Education that
there is a great scarcity Of public school
teachers in this city. Commissioned Frank
H.. Partridge declared that the schools
were shy 5Oi instructors and he introduced
a resolution calling for the appointment
Of a special committee to find out why
there should be such a deficiency.
1T is ack nowledged by the City Super
intendent that there is a great dearth OF
teachers" MIR. Partridge said. Il have
his report here. and in my opinion il is
full of inaccuracies. think we are en-
titled to know Just how ANY teachers
are lacking and the reasons for the scare
ity. l nave been making some inquiries
myself among the officers Of the school adj
ministration bureau and learned that there
are 200 vacancies among the substitute
teachers. and in addition 20 this there is
ar averag absence OF 40l regular teachers
daily. That is a serious matter.
Il have heard that teachers ia the tram
ing school nave been t9k en- out and sent to
do classroom work. " our present meth
ods of obtaining teachers are detectiIe II
il time we did something 10 improve them
for in our anxiety 20 get a teacher or a
substitute teacher we are Wiling to take
almost anything and glad To get l.. .
In the supe~rintendent's report referred
To bv Mr.. cartridge it was stated that last
October there were las classes without
teachers AZ different times in the twenty
TN pP school days iu that month
Il know there are vacancies that Cannoti
he filled. Mr.. CosgrOve said. We should
not have such a deficiency, hut | think the
matter should be investigates hy the eic-
mentary schools committee instead, al ~
a special committee, and | propose 'hat TN"
resolution he so amended.
Abraham Stern said: We cannot offer
any more inducements in the way oil IN
creased paw for teachers TO come 10 hS.
Neither can we afford TO lower the standard
Of examination in order 20 obtain more
teachers. The scarcity Of teachers VIII
probably adjust itself when the Normal
College gets settled in lis revised methodist OF
teaching and examination
There are places in the outlying PARTS
of the city where il ia almost impossible
TO get teachers to go, "explainai City super
inIendent Maxwell. Il am confident that
there are over 5000 persons on the list OF
substitute teachers. II Is our misfortune
that they will not come forward tn 40 work
in the schools. but we have no power 10
compel them
Il question the accuracy Of that state
mcnt. >" r%eiOinel Mr.. Partridge. From my
best Information there are not more than
5000"
Commissioner higgins took a whack at
the elementary s ,hools committee. OF which
Abraham Stern il chairman.
This matter should not be sent TO the
committee on elementary schools, as II rs
likely to be sidetracked and we shall never
hear of il again" he said. .
That il an uncalled for ~insinuatiOn. and
as chairman Of the committee | object to the
language and l designate it as false, said
Mr.. stern.
A vote was taken. the special committee
resolution was lost and the matter was
referred 10 the elementary schools COM
mittee for a report at the next meeting.
Mr.. Stern then introduced a resolution
saying that as the Board of Estimate had
refused to grant the additional money
increase of salaries, the Board Of Education
would not raise the pay of the teachers as IT
had arranged to do. The resolution was
carried.