Evening journal., 1908-05-27
SALARY OUTLOOK
STIRS TEACHERS
Aroused Because Council Has
Not Provided For More
Pay For Them

The Primary Teachers Association held
a special meeting yesterday afternoon in
Samuel wollaston School, No. Q. to cake
action on suitable memorials to the mem.
ory Of David w Harlan and Miss Mary
c. / williams and to consider their efforts
to try to get increased salaries, which ap.
parently are unsuccessful this year Miss
Clara Mendenhall, vice-presldent, presided
and it was decided not to MI the office Of
president made vacant by the death Of
Miss Williams, at the present time.
Upon motion Of Miss Ellen Samworth
It was decided that committee of three
be appointed to have charge of the mat
ter Of selection and erection of some suit.
able memorial to Miss Williams and to
former Superintendent David W. Harlan
The principals of schools will have charge
Of the voluntary fund in each school. The
form OF the memorial is TO be decided
upon by the committee. The suggestion
that Mary c. I. Williams Scholarship be
founded has been deemed not feasible on
account of the amount Of money, about
s.. $50 that would be required Other sug-
eestions made we're a memorial bed, or a
tablet. such as was placed to the memory
OF Charles Baird in the Wilmington High
School Sentiment seemed to favOr the
tablets
Aroused Over Salary Question.
Miss Ellen Samworth. chairman Of the
committee on teachers salaries, called at
tention to the failure Of the efforts Of the
committee to secure an appropriation from
IN
salaries and she urged every teacher to
constitute herself a committee of one 70
enter upon a campaign Of education, so
that the people Of Wilmington may pause
to consider the needs of the schools and
to compel City Council to give the teachers
what they ask.
No Appropriation Increase.
Last year, you recall, we held a mum.
Der of meetings and aroused pif5lic sentl-
ment," said Miss samworth in her ad
dress. "As a result of this we secured. as
you know, $4,000. This year we were asked
TO pursue a different campaign. so we
have depended upon seeing men whose in
fiuence should entitle their opinion to some
weight. We have had the cooperation of
President f. G. Shortlidge. We have the
interest of the Board of Trade.
1--WE have personally interviewed both
Mayor Wilson and the chairman Of the
finance committee of City Council, upon
the advice of both of whom we have con-
Quoted a quiet campaign. They asked US
to hold no meetings; to write no articles to
the papers and to agitate public sentiment
III no way, and they would do all in their
power to give the balance of the $4,000
promised last year.
I'VE have taken their advice; we have
worked quietly; we have been perfectly
obedient and tractable City Council has
worked quietly, too; It quietly presented
the budget and as quietly ignored every.
thing that has been asked by the teach
ers and the Board Of Education.
Educate, Won't Need Police.
"A man recently said, II the teachers
don't like their jobs why don't they leave
and get others. That is more easily said
than done. The majority Of our t5achers
have ties Of home and friends here and
cannot easily change. City Council is taxi
inE advantage Of this and forcing the
teachers TO work on forced charity
''The argument was presented to your
committee that the city needs more police
Oul answer lss GlNe US the money and
we will save the city the need Of extra
pelice by teaching the children to police
themselves. The schools prevent pauper
ism and lawbreakers and minimize tha
necessity for penal Institutions"
Not Enough Money.
DIR. Thomas o. Cooper, chairman Of the
Teachers Committee Of the Board Of
Education, who was present. said that
Miss samworth had presented the matter
in clear light
Il believe in parks" Or. Cooper said
but believe first in schools. II We have
enough money properly to conduct all the
STOOLS we need and adequately pay the
teachers. then I say let us beautify the
city by all means
I want TO say to you that the Board
Of Education does not receive enough
money to manage the schools of this city.
Our current bills have TO go over to July
1 because we haven't any money to pay
them, neither can we pay for the enumer-
alton Of the school census that was forced
imam ne bu