The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-20
4 WELL LED CAMPAIGN.

which is involved in the movement to have their pay increased. MT. Hackett is a man before he Is teacher, and unless we are very much mistaken he Is the better teacher because he is a man. His printed letter to the Sum- day morning newspapers rings with the sincerity of conviction and the courage of his position.
 It is well to remember that the teachers have gone about their task of salary raising with personal dignity and with complete respect for the edu- cational authorities. They have placed with the board of education all the facts connected with their needs as men and women, and all the testimony with regard to the understanding other cities of like size have of their duty towards this class of public servants, TLeir position is an impregnable one What they in particular resent now is the reminder from the official organ of the board of education that the tax payers have rights to be considered as well as the teachers, and 1t is to this evaslve assertion that MT. Hackett with admirable judgment addresses himself in behalf of his associates. There are doubtless those who would like to know from what point of view a teacher in the schools derives a right to speak up to the educational commissioners, and to tell them that their understanding of the controver- sy Is self-composed one and out of all proportion to the actual rights of the teachers. From our point of view MT. Hackett's point of view is whole some and entirely justified by the facts. We rejoice, in fact, that the teachers have a representative who cares more for the truth than he does for his job.
 Mir Hackett Is as unable as we are to properly value the sollcitude of the committee on schools for the dear tax payer. He reminds the members of that committee, and its editorial spokesman in particular, that other less important undertakings are being authorized, involving the expenditure of thousands of dollars, without a show being made of that impressive solicitude. The teachers are not com plaining that valuable land is being purchased for a new library building, they rejoice in 1t, just as we all do. They are not complaining because a large and deserving class of people are successfully appealing to the city u give them a speedway. They do complain, and they complain justly, that when they ask for a beggarly in- crease in their pay, they are selected from among all of the proposed enter prises of the city government to illus trate the economical necessities of the hour, As if the city could make wiser use of the peoples money than to ex- pend 1t for the education of the chii- dren of the city. If there must be economy and there is always need of i it ir a city like New Haven, it should be sought last among the appropria- ticns made in behalf of the schools.
 There are many things which we would like to see New Haven enjoy
 the possession of which can be left urtil justice has been done so deserv- ing and essential class as the school 1 teachers.
 I The following extract from the com munication written by Mir. Hackett ought to be carefully considered by the 1 full board of education at once and not be postponed until the school commit | tee sees fit to make it's report; "In the writer's humble opinion the board or part of the board of education has a
 wrong conception of its powers and duties. The city charter prescribes
 the powers and duties of the various departments of the city government and nowhere does it confer upon the board of education the power to fix the
 tax rate or to say what shall or shall
 not be spent by the city" Equally to
 the point is Mir. Hackett's exposure of
 the ignorance of the editorial repre- sentative of the board, who has stated 1 that "the appointment and salaries of
 teachers as at present fixed are settled
 by contract for several months to
 come" Says Mir Hackett; q beg leave to say that on June 25 the con-
 tract of every school teacher in New
 Haven expires and ordinarily appoint
 ments for the following year are made
 near the first of June"
 The board of education owes it to
 the people of the city of New Haven
 to at once settle this not complicated
 question of the teachers pay. It is
 not up to them to determine the tax
 rate; 1t is up to them to arrange a fair
 schedule of wages, and leave the rest
 to the board of finance. The board cernot afford to permit the committee