Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-12
Teachers Retirement.

The House of Representatives, sitting
today as the Districts common council,
has an opportunity to do justice to one
of the most essential, most valuable and
most neglected bodies Of public servants,
the teachers of the public schools of this
National Capital. A bill is before the
House providing for the retirement of the
teachers. embodying the best features of
all the legislation which has been enacted
in the different states where this problem
has been solved with more or less justice
to the educators of the American youth.
Ii is a singular fact that in the United
States less progress has been made in the
evolution of teaching as an honorable,
valuable profession than in some or the
European countries that boast or older
civilization and, incidentally, less liberty
of thought and popular action. 1t would
seem natural that in the United States,
of all countries, the foundations OF whose
institutions rest upon the doctrine of free
education for all classes, every sacrifice
would be made to ennoble the teaching
work, to encourage the best men and
women to engage in 1t, to dignity 1t by
emoluments and honors. On the contrary,
save in a few communities. teaching the
youth of the land is apparently regarded
as comparable with manual labor. This
is no mere expression of words, but
statement of fact. The annual report OF
the bureau Of education for 1905 showed
that In forty-four out of forty-five cities
in this country the yearly compensation
of laborers exceeded that of the ele-
mentary teachers.
Cnderpaid teachers are supposed not
only to maintain themselves decently. to
dress neatly, as BELTS the instructors of
the young, and to keep in physical health
in order to endure the strain of class
work and the hard work at home which
the average teacher must do, but they
must study, usually at their own ex-
pense, to improve themselves, and they
must travel, also at their own expense,
TO widen their horizons and fit themselves
for better performances in the class
rooms. More Is expected of the teacher
in proportion to the pay given than
from any other class OF public service
worker.
In the circumstances it is not a mat
ter for wonder that the average teacher
is able to save little, If anything, from
the annual salary. 1t is, indeed, a mar
vel that so few Of them fail to make
both ends meet. Here in the District
Of Columbia, the National Capital, with
its often exploited public school system,
where should be the best schools and
the most efficient and happiest and most
enthusiastic workers in the world, the
lot of the average teacher is a sad one.
There is hard york, high standards of
living and professional performance,
and there is absolutely nothing ahead
Of the teacher after years of faithful
service but the charity of friends or the
shelter of an institution. 1t is necessary
for the elder teachers 10 keep on and on
and on, year after year, hoping for help
from an indifferent legislature, gradually
losing in physical and mental strength,
holding back promotions from still more
poorly paid teachers, clinging to places
that could be better filled with younger
men and women, giving inadequate re-
turn for the stipend allotted, even as
ANAL as it is, and thus clogging the
school rolls.
Is the District government to be forced
10 turn these teachers out into the
world in order to keep the schools from
degeneration? Must ii forever rely upon
the generosity of the teachers themselves
VINO contribute out of their small earn
ings far too little fund for the support
OF the very oldest Of the veterans? Must
il stand out in contrast even to sup
posedly backward Russia, where there
have been teachers pensions for nearly
= century: Must it be in glaring op-
position TO Germany, where the teachers
are respected and we'll paid and finally
honorabiy retired on d competence? 1t
is for Congress to answer. and the hope
Of every Washingtonian is that Congress
will answer right, by passing the Smith
retirement bill, without further delay.