The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-12

Iue dDOllLIOn or Ql0crluQlndtlOn II maximum salaries paid to the teach CTS, in the various grades of the ele, mentary schools, and the fixing of, z uniform maximum salary at $500 are the purposes of 8. petition from the Bridgeport Teachers association lodged with the board of education al it's. meeting last evening.
 consideration last evening. It evok- ed an outburst of impatience from Commissioners Bell, who said he didn't like the idea of the teachers being able to say they had the board of education on. the run. Commis- sioner Veness counselled judicious ac- ton on the petition, pointing out that the petition came in the regular man. ner and the petitioners were entitled at least to courteous treatment.
 It was suggested that the matter be referred to the committed on schools, then the committee on fn- ance was suggested. At length the matter was tabled pntil the pex' meeting. VI X |. sssais
 The teachers submitted their claims ering 10 pages, in which they dwelt upon statistics gathered from throughout the country. The associa- ton some time ago went on record as in favor of the one maximum sal ary. and by way of preparing for sub- hitting their claims, they have been in communication with practically every city of any size throughout the country gathering data for the board to consider.
 The petitioners remind the board that a year ago, Dec. 12, 1910. the association asked for changes in the existing salary system. After ex; changes during the year. the teach CTS respectfully ask consideration nf the first two points of their former petition: E
 l.. That the number of maximum salaries be reduced to one minimum salary for all the grades in the ele- :. ?. That the one maximum estab- lished be $500. E
 Under the present system of paying the teachers, all grade school teach CTS start at $500 a year. Each year a raise of $50 is granted. under the present system. Teachers in the eighth grade receive $S50 as maximum salary. Those in the seventh, sixth and fifth may reach $SO0 Those in the fourth, third and second receive $750 as the limit, and those in the first grade are'paid $500 as maximum. All start at $500. Thus the teacher to receive maximum of .$900 would have to serve nearly 10 years, for it would require eight raises of $50 apiece to reach the maximum figure and the raises come only. once a year.
 In their petition the teachers argue that given normal conditions experi- ence is the most, valuable asset in any profession, business or occupa- tion. Ten years experience in teach- ing gives ample opportunity to a teacher, they claim, to acquire poise, balance, knowledge of the school sys- tenn, and skill. in handling both chil- dren and methods.
 They embody in their petition a set of satisfies to show the status of the teachers of the present teaching corps. Of the 284 elementary grade teachers in the school year 1911-1912. there are IA with 10 or more years of experience.
 These are distributed as follows: Grade VIII, maximum salary $850, g; Grades VII, VI and V, maximum salary $500, 14, 13 and 12, respec- lively. Grades ", III and II, maxi mum salary $750, 15' IS and 10, re- spectively; Grade I, maximum salary $500, 33.
 These are the teachers who would command the $500 maximum. The petitions set forth that these are the teachers, women of maturity who arc the backbone of the teaching corps and are important factors in giving to the school system stability.
 Embodied in the petition is an other table showing that the propor- ton of the teachers who remain 10 years or more in the teaching corps is about 40 per cent. This percent age, the petitioners point. out, com prises the more permanent nucleus of the teaching corps, and this group of teachers. it is claimed, should re- ceive the maximum. The teachers point out that investigation in differ ent cities where there is not the sim gle maximum system shows that the cities are not in accord as to which class of teachers is entitled to the greater pay. Thus they claim that the interests of justice demand a uniform and single maximum.
 The teachers point out as examples of cities with single maximum of $900 or more the following: New Rochelle, $9O0; Hoboken, $1.2OO: Jer- sey City, SHE'S; Paterson, NJ., s90O; Camden, N. J., $500; Pittsburg. $500; Mt Vernon, N. Y., $9OO: Passaic, S950;, Bayonne, s95o; Cleveland, s1,- 900; Los Angeles, S1,0sO; Detroit. $1.- 900: Des Moines, $90O; Cincinnati, $1.00o; Minneapolis, s1,0OO; Boston, s9SS.
 . The teachers maintain in their pe- tition that every grade has diverse, but at the same time, equivalent, diff faculties. They refer the hna r,1 tO