The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-08-16
OF INTEREST TO SCHOOL
TEACHERS
What School "Keepers" Received for
Teaching Three-Quarters of "A Gen.
tury Ago-Of Local Interest to
Many.

School teaching a half to three
quarters of a century ago compared
with to-day is as broad in contrast
as travelling overland from coast to
coast in a stagecoach instead of rid
ing in fine Pullman railroad train.
The method, manner, length of
term and salary also differs materi-
ally from ye olden days when the
hickory stick or CAD was used in
place of rubber hose; the log
school house is replaced by the mod
ern school building with it's heating
and ventilation system; also the pay
envelope which is now forthcoming
at the end of each month, 20 or
more years ago the school keeper"
was then compelled to wait until the
end of the term for his or her pay.
Through the courtesy of William
l.. Jackson, of Tyler Hill, The Citi-
zen is privileged to print some or
ders which will be of special interest
to Wayne counteans. Mr.. Jackson's
father, the late John Jackson, was
town clerk of Manchester township
and signed orders in that capacity or
as secretary of the board.
The following will be of unusual
interest because it concerns one of
our best known and highly respect
ed citizens, w. L. Ferguson, of
Seelyyille. 1t reads:
S2S. Manchester, Pa, Jan. 6, 1912.
To the treasurer of Manchester dis
trict, county of Wayne:
Sir:-Pay to w. L. Ferguson, or
order, the sum of twenty-eight dol
lars, being for school keeping in
school district No. 3, fifty-eight days,
for which this will be your sufficient
voucher on day of settlement of your
account.
Matthias Mogridge, Pres.
John Jackson, Secretary.
The following was received by the
Manchester school board from Har-
riet E. Sterns and gives the reader
a fair example of what a school
keeper" received per week:
l certify that l taught school in
sub-district at No. -, Manches-
ter, IL weeks commencing on the
9th day of July, 1910; that there
were IA males and 20 females. The
branches taught were geography,
reading, writing and orthography.
Price $1.62 " per week, $3.50
Harriet E. Sterns.
Manchester, Sept. 20, 1910.
Another patient and struggling
school keeper, Susan Wainwright,
was paid S12 for three months
teaching. The order was signed by
Thomas Todd, director; James Car
ter, president, and John Jackson,
clerk.
A notice written to j. w. Welsh,
Esq, releasing a teacher, reads as
follows:
Manchester, Jan. 1S41.
Sir: The committee have dis
charged the school teacher, who
wants to quit Immediately. If you
will pay his demand l will get reg
ular order as soon as / can and let
you have it. His time is six weeks
and three days; four weeks at 10
dollars per month, the rest at 10,
which is 1880. Yours respectfully,
James Carter, Pres"
John Jackson, Secretary"
ITO j. w. Welsh, Esq
Last year, nine months term, the
school directors of the Honesdale dis
trict paid the Honesdale faculty
over $4,000 in salaries. The mini
mum salary for a school teacher, al
lowed by law is $40 per month,
while any teacher holding a profess
sional or permanent certificate can
demand $50 per month. Teachers
receiving a higher amount than this
is paid by the district in which he
teaches and by the board in charge.
Manchester employs eight teach
ers in the district. In this district
there are 100 pupils enrolled be-
tween the ages of and 16. An ap-
preparation of $1,S96.75 was receiv-
ed last year from the state for school
purposes. The amount raised dur
ing 1910 by local taxation of that
district was $2,413.66.