The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-28
FINAL FIGHT FOR
TEACHERS BOOST
IS WON
Miss Laura M. Downey In Clever
Speech, Again Sweeps Away All
Opposition and Estimators Vote
Unanimously For Increase.
Northwestern High School Item
Allowed and Croul Will Get $50
More Patrolmen.

Without one dissenting voice, the
board OF estimates. in committee OF
the whole, Thursday night, allowed
the salary increases asked by the pub,
; lie school teachers. II was another
great personal triumph for Miss Laura
NJ. Downey, chairman OF the special
committee on salary increases ap-
pointed by the Detroit Teachers as.
ISOLATION, who appeared before the
full board and stated her case sub
stantially as she presented 1t to tho
committee on the board OF education
fund earlier In the week. And, as on
the former occasion, she was the
only woman present.
The spectacle of a lone woman,
standing before a body of 40 men, In
a room reeking with tobacco smoke.
was a rather unusual one. But the
estimators for the most part were
willing to forego the pleasure of their
cigars while Miss Downey was speak
ing and gave her most respectful at
tention.
II was not long speech-just
concise statement OF the facts and a
simple. direct appeal for justice. and
every word carried conviction. When
Miss Downey had finished there was
a burst OF applause as spontaneous
as II was sincere.
IL move that the item stand" said
Estimator Craig.
support It," came from Estimators
Gordon and Barnett almost stimuli
taneously, and the latter announced
that he had been converted. The
motion carried almost before Miss
Downey could return TO her seat, and
she again stepped forward TO thank
the estimators for doing, as she put
il, Just what we felt all along you
were going TO do"
You have done more for the teach
ers of Detroit tonight than all the
educators in the country could do"
she said
In her address to the board, Miss
Downey disposed OF all the objections
that had been raised TO granting the
increases, one by one. She pointed
out that the teaching problem is much
more complex today than II was 10 or
Is years ago and that more money is
required by the teacher to At herself
for the profession and to keep abreast
of the advances made in teaching
after she has obtained her certificate.
THE word never hears much OF
the teachers trials and hardships, for
teachers, as a rule, do very little COM
planning" she said But there are
just as many heroes and heroines
among the teachers as there are In
any OF the city departments. One OF
the objections 10 the proposed in
crease In salary is that teachers. with
few exceptions. have no families.
That should not be considered at ALL"
The allowance OF the salary In
'creases followed a long. but futile
fight, led by President Barnett, against
the item Of $2S0,000 for the proposed
Northwestern high school on the Fer
ry farm. Ordinarily, the report OF the
committee on the school board fund
would not have been considered until
Friday night. but Barnett was eager
10 take IL up and when a motion TO
suspend the rules for that purpose
was made he urr-d its adoption.
This was done.
AS soon as the board had resolved
itself into committee OF the whole,
Barnett relinquished the chair TO Es-
timator Wobrock and took his place
on the floor TO be prepared for the
coming fray.
When the s2S0,000 item was reach
ed, Barnett was promptly on his feet
with a motion that II be cut out. He
insisted that the high school was not
more necessary than some OF the
grammar schools the committee had
seen fit to cut out, and declared that
the only man who seemed particular
w anxious for II was Supt. Martindale.
Estimators Wardell, Backus, Craig,
Frisch, Clark, Porter, Mcqueen and
Nichols all made speeches in behalf
OF the item and both Supt Martindale
and Supervisor OF Schools Stewart
were called on to explain the need OF
a new high school. The debate wax
ed warm at times. but when Il came