St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-11-10
School Teachers Salaries.
Average Only 81 Cents A Day In
Vermont. The Women Teach
erS' Club to Act.

At a meeting of the Schoolmistresses
Club, now the Vermont Women Teach
ers Club, held year ago, committee
was appointed to investigate the salary
conditions of women teachers IN this
state as compared with those OF other
women wage earners. This committee,
called the Salary committee, consisted
of Mrs. Margaret r. Kelley, chairman,
of Derby, Miss Caroline S. Woodruff OF
St. Johnsbury and Miss Caroline M.
Griswold of Montpelier. The following
is a summary Of the report OF the COM
mittee. which was submitted to the Yer
mont Women Teachers Club at recent
meeting in Burlington.
1t is stated that the average salary OF
all women teachers in Vermont is $32.7S
per month for nine months, or about 81
cents per day for 365 days. Out of this
salary of 81 cents day a teacher is ex-
pected to give to charity, to subscribe Tor
educational papers, to attend county or
state conventions. to clothe and board
herself to pay a substitute if she is unable
to attend school, and to fit herself for the
u6&l year vi lCdCUlIS NY ulLCHOlhS5 oOhS
summer educational school.
Since an income of 81 cents a day is
not sufficient for these expenses, many
teachers resort to some other occupation
during their vacations, when they should
be preparing themselves to give their best
effort to the public during the following
year.
1t was ascertained by the committee
that uneducated women working in fac
tories, stores and hotels receive larger
average pay than teachers. The average
wages of trained nurses, stenographers,
and dressmakers are far higher than
those of the teachers into whose hands is
given the training of the men and women
of the future.
During recent years there has been ar
increase of 5000 month in the average
salaries of our women teachers. But al
the same time the cost of living has in
creased about 80 per cent.
The public should realize that better
paw to its teachers means better service
from its teachers. Since the public de
mands of its teachers continuous growth
it must be willing to furnish the means to
make such growth possible.
The salary committee recommended to
the Vermont women teachers that they
work together until their needs are rec
ognized by the public, that they endeav-
or to convince the taxpayers that it is
matter of economy to pay better salaries
and thereby secure more efficient body
of teachers in short, that they secure by
cooperation, what labor could secure
only through organization.
The committee also recommended that
the Vermont Women Teachers Club in
terest itself directly in the passing Of 6
minimum salary law. France, Germany
and Sweden have national laws regula
ting minimum salaries. Seven states il
our own country have established sucl
laws. In five other states such laws are
pending.
The committee also recommended that
an effort be made by the club, either
through the legislature, or otherwise, t.
start a pension fund. This fund shall
provide for teachers. at the close of {
long and successful service, an assured
income, since the average salary OF 81
cents per day does not allow any margin
for bank accounts, to be used when {
teacher can no longer follow her profes
sion.