The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-15

petition of the Bridgeport Teachers Association. asking for wage in crease. and for certain changes in the system of arranging salaries of grade teachers. The document is commended to the attention of all citizens as the most specific, interest ing and convincing public document ever presented by body of public employees in the City of Bridgeport. The petition follows:
 To the Honorable Board of Education
 O. the City of Bridgeport:
 Gentlemen:
 The Bridgeport Teachers Associa- ticn-knowing that it is and ever has been, your aim to establish and nam tain the highest standard of excel lence in the schools of this city re- spectfnlly presents the following pe- tition for your consideration.
 Tn the spring of this year, 1910, the teachers or the school system Of this c-ty presented to you a petition asking for an increase in their saf- aries. The appointments of the teachers so read for the year 1910- l9il that the teachers understand that it is your intention in response to tilis petition to increase theIr salaries.
 Since th;s petition was presented to the Board of Education, the teachers have organized an association. Ihe grade teachers requested the asSoc1a- ticr to consider the salary schedule Of the elementary school amongst their first problems. The association having considered the problem, res pectfully petitions you for changes III the salary schedule of the elementary
 T xfa<, fr,sa. h heNycf fJ- ton for an increase in the salaries of the grade teachers, the amount desired being definitely stated.
 THE PETITION.
 We respectfully urge you to adopt the following changes in the salary schedule of the elementary school
 An 4eduction from the present number of seven different maXimums to one maximum salary for all grades in the elementary school.
 ? The establishment of that maxi mum at the sum of S900.
 The increasing of the present minimum salary from $450 to $500.
 The increasing of the yearly sal ary by the sum of $50 until the max imun is reached
 II We respectfully petition that the salary increase for the period of the year from April 1. 1911 to June 1911 inclusive and for the school year 1911- 1912 be at the rate of one hundred dollars For instance, our request be- ing granted, a teacher now receiving $500 will be paid at the rate of S700 for the above mentioned period. Ar ter that time has elapsed, we should ~desire the yearly increase of $50 until the maximum salary of s900 is reach ed
 REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER
 OF SALARY MAXIMUMS.
 We believe that a reduction in the Der to one will bring about the great est good for the greatest number for the following reasons.
 Justice to all teachers.
 Every grade teacher in Bridge port has to spend six years in study and preparation for the work Of teaching.
 r.very grade teacher. is expected to bring to her work of teaching good equipment in scholarship. to keep up with the educational times through the reading of books and magazines and should be expected from time to time to continue some special line of study.
 : Every teacher should have the opportunity for rest. recreation, and some travel in order that she bring fresh thoughts and ideas to her work.
  ly we'll dressed and to live in good surroundings. All of these points are the direct means of keeping up the public school system to the highest efficiency.
 Every grade in the elementary school presents it's own especial diff faculties in teaching or disc pline.
 The higher grade teachers plead much time spent in correcting papers and in the preparation of subject matter for daily lessons. But these facts are offset by several conditions. The higher grade teacher receives the picked scholars of the whole elemen- tary school,-those who are ambitious to enter upon the work of the High school. and many times those who are helped by the personal interest taken in them at home. In these grades, to grasp new sahisct matter is at the highest point%o intake of any period in the whole elementary school. A pleasing element in the daily rou- tine of teaching in these grades is the greater maturity of the pup ls There recting sets of papers in some branches whereby the work of the teacher is lessened and the children are given training in the discovery of their own personal errors. Upper grade teachers are not slow to take advantage of these methods.
 The intermediate grades and VI are recognized as the critical grades. Here, the foundation of the Grammar grades, IS laid. Work we'll done in these grades makes for ease in carrying on the work of the upper grammar grades. In these grades Is begun the first serious work in book study. How to teach pupils to study from books is a task that absorbs much nerve energy. In these grades is begun the first serious study of technical grammar and composition, the more intensive study of geogra- phy, the completion of the study of fractions and fractional problems in their phrases. as well as the founda- fion work in mensuration. If the up- per grades involve the teaching of much subject matter, surely the whole educational world unites in acknowledging the difficulties encoun- tered in the discipline of these grades V and VT.
 The especial problems of the teachers of the lower and the inter- mediate grades are due to the grad nation form the public school system of a large percentage of it's school population upon the completion of the work of the fourth and fifth grades. The recent studies of a Columbia ,,rofosaor Prof Thorudike, show that