The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-12-03
WOMEN TEACHERS
UNDERPAID.

At a meeting of the School
mistresses' Club, now the Vermont
Women Teachers Club, held a
year ago, a committee was appoint
ed to investigate the salary con-
ditions of women teachers in this
state as compared with the salary
conditions of other women wage
earners. This committee, called
the SALARY Committee, " con-
sisted of Mrs. Margaret R. Kelley,
chairman, of Derby; Miss Caroline
S. Woodruff, of St. Johnsbury, and
Miss Caroline NJ. Griswold, of Mont
pelier. The following is a summary
of the report of this Salary Com
mittee, which was submitted to
the Vermont Women Teachers
Club at recent meeting in Burling-
ton.
1t is stated that the average
salary of all women teachers in
Vermont is S37.S7 per month for
nine months, or about 81 cents
per day for sos days. Out of this
salary of 81 cents a day a teacher
is expected to give to charity, to
subscribe to 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 next year of teaching by attend
ing some summer educational school.
Since an income of 81 cents a day
is not sufficient for these expenses,
many teachers, during their va
cations, must resort to some other
occupation when they should be
osing their energy to prepare them
tulves for giving their best efforts
Sc the public during the following
year.
1t was ascertained by the COM
mittee that uneducated women
working in factories, stores, and
hotels receive larger average pay
than teachers. The average wages
of trained nurses, stenographers,
and dress makers 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 an increase Of 81. 100 a month in
the average salaries of our women
teachers. But at the same time
the cost of living has increased
about 800.
The public should realize that |
better pay to its teachers means
better service from its teachers.
Since the public demands of its
teachers continuous growth, it must
be willing to furnish the means to
make such growth possible.
The Salary Committee recon-
mended to the Vermont Women
Teachers Club that the club should
work together until the teachers
needs are recognized by the public;
that the club should endeavor to
convince the taxpayers that it is a
matter of economy to pay better
and thereby secure a more
body of teachers; in short,
that they secure by cooperation,
organization, what labor
could secure only through organi-
cation.
The committee also recommend
ed that the Vermont Women Teach
ers' Club interest itself directly in
the passing of a minimum salary
aw. France, Germany, and Swe-
len have national laws regulating
minimum salaries. Seven states
n our country have also established
such laws. In five other states
such laws are pending.
The committee also recommend
hat an effort be made by the club,
ither through the Legislature or
otherwise, to start a pension fund.
This fund shall provide for teachers,
It the close of a long and successful
ervice, an assured income, since
he average salary of 81 cents per
ay does not allow any margin for
ank accounts, to be used when a