The Washington times., 1913-07-28
MARRIED TEACHERS
IN DISTRICT ARE FEW
Worries of School Boards in
Many Cities Not Known to
District Authorities.

OF the 1,75o teachers on the payroll
Of the Board of Education the last
school year, there were only two mar
ried women. Accordingly. the question
Of teaching by married women, a burn
ing issue in many cities, is not a hec-
tie question In the District A rule OF
the Board OF Education, In force for
many years, vacates the place held by
q single woman when she marries. SO
that the two married women who are
on the rolls are not likely to have many
additions to their number.
The two married women who are
employed are Mrs. c. v. Byram and
Mrs. F. H. Rogers. Mrs. Byram gives
instruction in music in the high schools,
and Mrs. Rogers is a practice teacher
Of the Wilson Normal School, formerly
Normal No. l. There are no married
women in the colored schools.
According to statements by Pres
dent Blair, Of the Board of Education,
Superintendent Davidson and other
members of the board besides Mr.. Blair,
there Is no likelihood of the rules de-
ing changed.
Not Regular.
The two, married women who are on
the rolls are not regular grade teach
ers and in fact all the married women
who have taught IN the past have been
experts of some sort or other and ap-
pointed because no single women
specialists in the given vacant line
were candidates for appointment at
the time.
A music teacher such as is Mrs. BY
ram is obviously different in qualifica-
tion from the ordinary grade teacher,
and q practice teacher, like Mrs. Rog-
ers, is an expert in grade room teach
ing. Normal school girls come under
the practice teacher for practical DEM
onstration of how to teach.
The ruel of the board has stood here
for a long time" said DR.. Davidson today.
'-and, so far as l am informed, there is
no demand that It be changed. Conse-
Quently, the employment Of married
teachers is rather an academic question,
SO far as Washington is concerned. 1t
ID not a problem here, nor Is it likely
to be-"
Having married women on the tutorial
payroll has raised a rumpus In New
York and other places because of re-
requests for leave of absence to become
mothers. The debate also RACES as to
whether married women or single wom-
en- are the better teachers. Those up
holding the married women's case gen,
eralv assert that women with chlldren
of their own know children the pest,
and are therefore likely 10 be the better
instructors of the young.
Kindergartners Best.
School authorities IN general deny
this, however, and say it is layman's
argument. General observation shows
that the teachers who handle children
the most skilfulIy are those who par
ticularlv specialize in this work.
By all odds, the Kindergarten teach
srS who have the Youngest children and
Therefore the most excitable and least
docile. are the very best on the scnooi
rolls In the actual handling OF boys ana
1irls. And the kindergarten teachers
are With hardly an exception. single
women, nearly all young. who have
taken a special course of preparation.
RESIDES the two married women
named, there are ten or eleven more on
the pay roll Of the Board OF .Educa-
tim who write Mrs before their
names. But these are Wido"s anu en-
tirely self-supporting-
Limit To Rule.
The rule of the board which vacates
q nlace when a school mistress marrles
goes this far and no farther: There is
no rule which makes married woman
ineligible as such. The rule does take
the marrying woman out Of her place'and
she is legally eligible to reinstatement.
but only by taking new examinations
and getting a new appointment.
But this has never happened. School
mistresses who have resigned to wed
or had their places automatically va
Gated by their marrying have not so
applied, and this question has not been
faded by the Board OF Education OF the
Feeling on the Board of Education is
such that II ii does happen-that
young married woman retakes her ex-
arninstions and gets back on the eligible
list she is not likely to be given her
I'D place back Some unmarried can
didate from the eligible list is likely 10
get the preference.