Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-10
GET PAY FOR MONTH
Controllers Decision SustainS
Plea of Teachers.
ADJUSTMENT OF SALARIES
Ruling of Board Providing Compen-
sation for Actual Service Only
Set Aside.
ADJUSTMENT OF SALARIES

This Christmas shopping season is an
| appropriate time of the year for the con-
troller of the Treasury to make decision
| that will put about $3.50 in the pocket
| books of nineteen teachers. The bene-
| ficiaries of the decision have Miss J. II.
| Marston, a second grade teacher. and l..
| C.. Wilson, disbursing officer of the Dis
| trict. to thank for getting the controllers
ruling on this subject, for Miss MarSton
made a mighty protest when her first
paycheck came to her this year and she
| found that she had received money for
only eleven days service, whereas she
had been appointed and on the books just
one month. Mr.. Wilson saw it that way,
| too and as he has considerable to do
with the purse strings of the District, he
forwarded Miss Marston's complaint and
to the controller. and backed it up with
a lot of very deep and impressive lam
guage and excerpts from many and
varied laws and regulations.
Date of Appointment.
At the first board of education meeting
this school year Miss Larston and about
eighteen other young women were APP
pointed as teachers, the appointments to
take effect from September 1. This action
on the part of the board was really
ratification of what Supt. Stuart had al
ready done He had chosen these nine
teen teachers and added them to his
the first time Septembe 20. On that day
Miss Marston and all the others took
their oaths of office, Just as all District
officials and employees do when required.
When Harry Hine, secretary to the
board, got at his pay rolls for the month
of September he followed the practice of
his office and put down eleven days pay
opposite each of the names OF these
eleven DAYS of teaching. but who had
been teachers for one month. He had
plenty of precedents to go by in this
matter, notably the case Of DR.. Chancel-
getting to his duties in the middle Of the
month after his appointment
Demands Pay for Whole Month.
But when Miss Marston received her
check she sent it back before the post
man had left the block. She said she
wanted a months pay instead of eleven
days pay. Mr.. Hine was asked to tell
what he knew about it and said among
other things that Congress had provided
the money for teachers with the under
standing that the board of education had
adopted the principle of paying new
teachers from the moment their actual
duties began because of the permission
granted the board to determine all ques-
tions of general character relating to the
schools, and to direct the expenditures.
The board, said Mr.. Hine, decided that
the method adopted, against which Miss
Marston made an objection, was not in
conflict with any law.
Mr.. Wilson contended that. as long as
Miss Marston had been put on the force
of teachers September / she should be
paid the money for the whole month. He
said that there is no provision prohibit
ing the payment of salary for services
rendered prior to taking the oath of Of
flee. provided the employee takes the oath
before payment. Also, it appears that
although Miss Marston was appointed as
teacher September 1, she received no
notice to take an oath until September
Is.
Controllers View of Case.
When the controller got the papers in
the case he went over the facts SEEM
ingly with fine tooth comb He cites
the law it appears in the act Of May
26. 1908. which provides that the salaries
of teachers, duly elected. whose services
commence with the opening day of school
and who shall perform their duties, shall
begin September L. They shall therefore
get full months pay for September IL
they have been appointed September /,
no matter whether school opens Septem-
Der l or September -. The controller
holds that Miss Marston was duly elected
as teacher September and his decision
takes in the eighteen other teachers who
were appointed September 1 and did not
begin to teach until September 20.
Therefore, it will be but a matter of
few days before the nineteen teachers will
receive a nice little sum of money that
will undoubtedly come in handy just be-
fore Christmas.