Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1909-02-11
RAISE TEACHER STANDARD
SALARIES WILL THEN TAKE CARE
OF THEMSELVES.
Indiana's Lead Educationally Due to
High Qualifications REQUIRED.


| To the Editor: The question of a
minimum salary law for public school
teachers, discussed by Supt. Tobey in
the Free Press of the 10th inst, is of
such Importance that it should be view
ed from various standpoints.
Two years ago we heard much of the
subject from the standpoint of GER
tain class of teachers, but the question
Of the real worth of the teachers af-
fected by such law has received but
scant consideration. President McKen-
ny is making progress in the solution
of the problem by coupling with the
demand for minimum salary de-
maDd for higher standard of qualifi-
cation.
| This Suggestion of increased require
ments touches the root of the matter
Let the educational and professional
qualifications be increased to the Indi-
ana standard and the question of sal
airy will take care Of itself. The ex-
perience of / n dian furnishes the
strongest proof of the correctness of
this position. Primarily the Indiana
qualification. Secondarily, the law
fixes an indefinite standard of wages
the exact amount of salary teacher
receives being made to depend directly
upon the scholarship and experience of
the teacher.
Supt. Tobey's quotation from State
Supt Cotton of Indiana shows this SO
clearly that l make no apology for re-
peating it.
Salaries in Indiana are about $50, 500
and $40 per month; a little more or a
little less than these figures, depend
ing upon the average scholarship OF
the teachers shown in the examina-
tions. All beginning teachers are re-
quired to be graduates OF standard high
schools and to complete at least twelve
weeks work in standard normal
school.
With such preparation and at least
twelve months license, the individu-
al is allowed to teach his first term and
his salary is determined by multiply
ing two and one-half by his general
average. IS indicated above, this
amounts to about $50 a month, count
ing twenty-one days in month-one
day in each month for township insti-
| tute.
| When this teacher attends normal
school another term and secures two
years license, his salary is determined
by multiplying three by his general
average, which, as above stated, is
about $50 month for twenty-one days.
/ When this teacher has taug h t
three years, holds three years Ii
cense and has attended normal school
three years, his salary is determined
by multiplying three and one-half by
| his general average, which amounts to
$71 to SIS per month for twenty-one
days.
Note particularly that only gradu-
addition certain amount of normal
school training are allowed to teach in
Indiana. In Wisconsin we are satisf-
ed with a h Ii d grade certificate,
which requires only the branches COW
cred by the eighth grade of our public
schools, and the standard of scholar
ship, even in these branches, is often
determined by the political sagacity of
the county superintendent. No wonder
that Indiana has outstripped us in ed
vocational progress!
Conditions such as these give little
support to the position taken by Supt
Tobey when he says that financial in
ducements must precede, not follow,
the efficiency of the teaching force.
| heartily agree that it is simple
business proposition that in the teach
ing profession as elsewhere we must
pay high price for skilled service,
but believe no good business man
will agree that we should pay $50 or
teacher. The teacher who works for
$40 month doubtless gets all she is
worth and she would be no more
worthy (worthless) because of an arbi-
trary increase in salary. A law MAX
ing such arbitrary increase in salary
would remove the only incentive that
such teachers have to fit themselves
for more efficient service.
If teachers with no higher. ambition
than that of salary without correspond
ing worthiness are leaving the educa-
tional field, the profession and the
people are to be congratulated. Prop
erly qualified teachers have no difficult
ty in securing, in Wisconsin, positions
paying higher salaries than any mini
mum yet proposed. Why then, this
cry that we must pay $50 or $40 per
month to teachers who are content to
remain in the $50 class?
Supt. Tobey's statement, when we
have salaries which will justify young
men and women of ability and charact-
er in entering upon the work of school
teaching we shall find an abundance
of material, and then we may fix an
educational STANDARD of requirement
for the teachers suitable to our needs,