Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-29
PITY YE POOR JAN|T0R
All Work and-No Play in the
Public Schools.
so THEY WANT A RAISE
And Declare Their Demands Are
Very Modest, Indeed.
LIST TO THE LIST OF DUTIES
Why q Man With One Of These
Jobs Cant Get Acquainted With
His Family!
LIST TO THE LIST OF DUTIES

All work and no play is the life of the
public school janitor in the District of
Columbia.
His duties and his troubles are legion.
He must be jack-of-all-trades and the
master of several. though he is not paid
for being the master Of any. He must
carry out the instructions of innumerable
officials and employees of the school sys-
tenn and the District government. At times
he is expected to be in two or three places
at the same time; work t&enty-four
hours day: wear his old clothes to work
in, but keep dressed up all the time for
company; forget his family; always look
handsome and pleasant-and all on a lean,
mighty lean, pay envelope every month.
This. In BRIEF is the viewpoint of the
janitors themselves, revealed last night at
the Franklin School building. when a
| committee of the Janitors and Engineers
Association met R. o. Wilmarth, repre-
senting the board of education and the
| new scale Of wages This scale will be
presented to the board In the hope that it
will ask Congress to make appropriations
for janitors' salaries hereafter in accord.
ance Herewith.
Scale Is Real Modest.
And with all their multitudinous duties
and leviathan tasks this committee was
real modest In its requests. The scale
submitted Is largely a readjustment of
| salaries on an equitable basis and pro-
| vides immediate increases in salary for
only few. But they ask for increases in
| the way Of longevity pay and hope thus to
benefit under the new scale by future
| faithful and long-continued service. Others
hoSi0p9 meeting
outspoken in declaring the requests ex-
ceedingly modest.
To meet Mr.. Wilmarth there were pres
ent at the meeting Hugh McQueeney, su-
| perintendent of janitors. and the commit
tee. composed Of w. e. May. chairman;
| William McQueeney. T. l.. Jones, George
Price and Longstreet Bradford:
While the wage scale ostensibly was the
| subject of the conference, the Qualifica
tions, duties and troubles of the janitOrS
were much discussed.
Some years ago the board decided that
every new janitor should have explained
to him, when he began his work, all his
duties" said Supt. McQueeney. Il did 1t
in several cases. but before had finished
my explanations the men put on their
hats and resigned. So we don't explain
In full the first day any more.
Just the other morning a new janitor
began work. The principal of the build
ing explained few OF the details OF his
work for that day. The next morning he
didn't want the job at the money offered"
Just a "Few" Duties.
A janitor, it was explained by one Of
them. must keep the building clean. heat
it satisfactorily, be a steam engineer, an
electrical engineer, a carpenter and q
policeman: wear store clothes and look
nice; be diplomat to please the board.
the school officials. the principal. all the
tfo <,h{I ha iato mt
principal, a general mechanic. health Of
f1cer-
Before he had finished another outlined
the rules and orders he must obey. First
of the board of education. Then he must
obey many more made by the principal
and various teachers in his building.
Then the chief OF police and his assistants
wondering how he is going to follow them
all, the fire chief and fire marshal call and
give him more instructions. His head be-
gins to swim and he is about to give up.
when health inspector calls and makes
a few suggestions which take an hour or
SO to explain in brief.
THE rules don't say he has to work
every legal holiday. either" declared an
other. But the law says he must raise
and lower the flag on such days. and
therefore he has to work just the same"
"A married man can't even get &C
auainted with his family suggested
| another.
Here Are Some More Things.
In cold weather. which covers most of
the school year, another added. the jani
tor must get up about am. get to
his building about 4 am. In order to
get the building heated by the time schooll
begins. keep the building heated. clean
and sanitary during the day. watch the
children during recesses. including that at
noon, and then. after the sessions close
at night. must clean the floors. wash the
and put the tire building and school
yard in shipsnape condition. make re-
pairs and alterations and perform few
other duties.
do all they expect him to do in the
buildings" concluded one OF the con-
ferees last night
I'VE have no criticisms to make. either
ers," they agreed. But we want to be
paid fairly for what we do"
The new scale. 1t was pointed out, will
mean reductions In salaries for some
by the longevity feature. they will all
benefit financially II they remain in the
service and do their work efficiently.
New Scale Of Wages.
The scale adopted last night provides
Central High School-Janitor. 81 200 per
| year, with an annual increase of $25 for
four years: one fireman at $500 per year;
; three assistant janitors. $240.
Eastern High School and M Street High
! School-Janitor. 81 600 per year. with an
annual increase Of $25 for four years; two
! assist ants at $40 each per year.
Western High School-Janitor. $1.1oO.
with an annual increase of $23 for four
wears: one fireman at $500 per year: one
assistant at $40.
; Mckinley Manual Training School-En-
| pineer at 81, 200 per year. with an annual
! increase of $50 per year for six years;
assistant engineer at 5000 per year, with
an annual increase of $50 for six years:
] ianitor at 81 eco per year. with an an
nual increase Of $25 for four years; two
| assistants at $40
| Armstrong Manual Training School
| Engineer at 81, 600 per year. with an an
| nual increase Of $50 for ten years: as
sistant engineer at 5000 per year. with
an annual increase OF $50 for six years:
janitor at $1,000 per year. with an an
nual increase Of So for four years: one
| assistant at $40
| Business High School-Janitor at 200,
i with an annual increase Of $25 for four
years: three assistants at $40
Rate for Graded Schools.
! Graded schools with over sixteen
rooms-Janitor at 81 100. with an annual