New-York tribune., 1911-10-21
TEACHERS THANK GAYNOR
Miss StraChan Praises the Mayor
for Approving equal Pay Bill.
HIS REPLY A WARNING
I'VE Don't Fear Competition, y
They Tell Him-Pose for Pict-
ures and Get His Pen.

Miss Grace Strachan, leader of the worn-
en- school teachers campaign for equal
! pay for men and women teachers, ana
more than hundred members Of the eN-
ecutive committee of the Interborougn
! Association OF Women Teachers visited the
City Hall yesterday afternoon. where they
/ met Mayor Gaynor, thanked him for ms
approval OF their cause. were in turn con-
graduated by the Mayor and went away
bearing In triumph the pen with which the
| equal pay bill was signed.
Half an hour before the time set for the
| ceremony the teachers began to arrive ana
the Mayors Office in the west wing, was
soon full of women, all bent on telling hlIn
| how much they appreciated his wisdom ana
consideration. Miss Stracnan was the
! storm centre OF enthusiasm, and her state
ment that the event which they had met
10 celebrate was in no way inferior In m
portance to the granting of tire Magma
! Charta or the signing Of the Declaration
| Of Independence seemed to be the con
v,c,ior of every member OF the big com
! mittee.
Shortly after o'clock Mayor Gaynor en-
tered, to loud applause. walked across th'
chamber and took his stand III front OF inc
solid ranks OF teachers. This was the
signal for Miss Strachan, the spokesman
of the committee, who stepped forward ana
made her speech In behalf Of New York
| women workers in the public Schools
| Mayor Gaynor was hailed as the man VINO
! removed from the teachers the 'shacHles
which benlghted man, in bcnighted age
forged out Of a natural and unchanseable
condition and with which he bound us IN
an unnatural and unhoy degradation lie
was saluted as a noble and great man,
| since "only a great man could have risen
above the prejudice and tradition of th1
past centuries and approved this act
| Miss Strachar closed hey eulOgy with a
blessing upon the Mayor and a prayer for
his future wellbeng.
In return Mayor Gaynor observed thae
he was surprised TO see so many teachers
because he had understood that ne was "
receive only a small committee oil three
lie said that his signing OF the Dih rep
resented nothing but pursuance Oh Ihe
| policy he had always entertained on the
| subject OF the teachers pay, and that ne
/ "had always tried TO do on the OUTSIDE
| what he was now trying to do on the IN
! side"
Some people seem to think that by sign
ing your bill ! have destroyed the tdN-
paver." said Mayor Gaynor 'Dut guess
| none of the taxpayers are lying AWAKE
nights thinking about II. As a matter oL
fact I have added four-tentts OF a mn
70 the tax rate-four cents on each $IJ9-
and guess New York will be able 10
stand that. have received letters from
tho men teachers complaining that am
unjust to them. To be sure the p'h may
reduce some of their chances for promo
| ton. but it will all come out nsht :" TIC
end
Then ne continued:
Another thing you women VIII nave go a.
| look out for Is this: Now you are on -,
| eaIarv with the men. / am dlrald t''V1 : :
a,nj he an eternal propensity 20 employ me
men in place of the women. 20 loilt -
iou were paid less than the men t"cie
| vas a constant economical .eason IO' 'i
| uointine YOU in place or the men. ,.;.i,
| iINravi ,bat Won are on even terms Wltl
tho men. | must warn you thal ou W, w
have 10 keep your own enH up II" Io
not send a committee here lor nle " W.
| that ?. bas bea, said
| I'm some quarters that | was coIullll t'eo u II
vour side of the case SeNelal StdlH ,,oroi
| 1 sided at "a meeting III ~ 10,
| l,.., ~ IoSiH'a aeo hui told the committee tnal
came to me that was not M mf'eai II and ina a
! 7 would not speak in favor o. II, ~. ~, od
! H. rceetinq | said | was not commute
but bat came there simply 6eyef to efaI decded G
Iii LII sinned the official paper Wnich ul,
decide it. Some people do not uhuerS'a'', ''''
/ :hat or do not want 10.
A. this there was Il chorus OF CRIES OF
we will" and I'VE are not afraid ot com
roti,ionr' and then the entire commute
! so-p,ad I'm Ines and crowded forward g
shake hands with the Mayor. At the enc
! ~ this ceremony the whole group was
photographed, with Mayor Gaynor standin'
| in front. holding the pen that signed M
hin in his right hand. This he afterwarc
gave 70 Miss Strachan and the commute,
J FLED out.
! Next Wednesday tho teachers VIII nor
q GRAND Jubilee meeting in Carnegie ia.
70 celebrate their good luck IL Is expected
that the Mayor will be present.