Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-12-27


fore the recent Potter County Teach
ers Institute on the question Shall
the Teacher When III Lose His SAL
ary?"
Mr.. Fish, a former principal OF
Amarillo High school and we'll
known and beloved by some teachers
still In the force made an earnest
protest against the teacher losing
his salary when III. We are sorry
We can not produce the entire speech
but are glad TO give a rough outline.
He said there IL neither equity nor
justice In teachers losing salary on
account OF misfortune. Although
teacher serves only six or seven
hours per day for five days in the
week, he is not to be paid lest for
that. because this position leaves
him from accepting additional en-
ployment. Teachers are receiving
competent salaries. only II they re-
ceive enough to enable them TO live
and to lay up a competency for old
age.
The question OF teacher losing his
salary will be solved just as soon as
the question comes TO the public
mind.
I. To take away teachers sal
airy when he or she Is Ill, is not In
harmony with the spirit OF the age.
Chicago pensions her teachers after
twenty years OF service. Many states
are considering questions OF pension
Ing teachers.
2. When teacher knows he
will lose his salary. he will attend
school when physically unable and
school will suffer from imperfect
work Teachers are, as rule.
physical wrecks after a period OF
90 or 30 years service in school
room, and II compelled by losing
salary 10 come when unable this
physical inability will come earlier.
Teachers often contract Illness by
teaching In unsanltary buildings.
this condition due to ignorance or
negligence on part OF school board,
il is not. then fair TO cause them 20
suffer for the boards fault En-
ployers liability act assumes that
employers are responsible for injuri-
es 20 their employees while In their
service, and the cast IL analogous.
In order TO protect the wealth of
the citizenship OF the state, teach
ers should not be allowed TO attend
school when ILL., Soldiers are sent
out TO fight the battles OF the coun-
try with the perfect assurance that
as reward for faithful service, they
will be taken care OF when overtaken
by misfortune be worn out by years
OF hard service Should less be
done for the teachers who train
children TO fight the battles OF life.
Mr. Fish concludes by saying that
" is not right for n teacher TO lose
his salary when III, and that when
misfortune or Illness oyertakes him.
the state should pay HIS substitute
and az the same time take care OF
him. As 10 tho manner Of doing
this he refers MS 10 letters sent to
him in answer 10 questions which he
addressed 10 superintendent Of
schools in Texas and other states
His letters Of inquiry are as fol-
lows:
Nov 70. 1912.-superintendent OF
Schools, Dear Sir am inyesti-
eating and getting some data on the
subject, Should teacher lose his
salary when prevented by sickness
from attending 10 his duties as a
teacher" take Il that those sub
hitting the question had in mind a
case necessitatlng the absence OF
the teacher and that temporarily
What rule or custom is in vogue In
your schools regarding this subject?
4 prompt reply will be mucn appre-
ciated Yours truly. s f. FISH
Springfield. Mo. Nov. %. 1912.-|
:. = Fish. ESQ. Amarillo. Texas
Dear Mr. FISH Your polite favor
Of the 18th inst Is before me. nj
one OF our teachers ls absent from
any cause, she must pay a substitute
$50 day so long as she Is absent
II one OF our teachers should be
sick for a month Il would cost her
$50 and II she was drawing SEQ per
month she would be losing half her
salary We have had cases OF this
Kind. Last year one OF our best
teachers in the grades was about
seven months with typhoid fever,
and she drew her $50 per month
and paid first class substitute $50.
Although IL Is rule Of the board
that after a week the board pays the
substitute the and the wages OF the
teacher stops I'll she again enters
ThiY sick teacher was so excellent
and so dependent on her salary moth
ing was said about her sickness ard
she drew her salary. Your truly.
J. FAIRBANKS.
December 3. I912-Mr. s. FL
Fish. Attorney AZ Law. Amarillo
Texas. Dear sir-1n reply 20 your
letter OF November p. am en-
closing herewith a copy OF the rule
81 the Board % Education regarding
the payment o. teachers salaries
during absence on account of Hines
Very truly yours.
ELLIS stage YOrNG.
superintendent o. Schools