Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-05-22
f. D. C0wen Analyses Cost of Public FduCat-
ion. Finds an Increase of Cost Per
Pupil that is AIarminQ.
SALARIES DOUBLE WHILE SERVICE DECREASES
Eyes of Taxpayers are Being Opened by Expert
Cowen'S Startling Disclosures as to
Disbursements of Funds.

To the average taxpayer the reason
for the abnormal increase in his an
nual tax bill is mystery, and small
wonder. The total cost of govern
ment is made up Of an infinite mum.
Der Of comparatively small expendi-
lures made by many various authori-
ties. In each department, state
county and city, will be found men
In charge Of certain lines Of work,
honestly intent upon giving the best
they can for the money, but beset on
: one hand by expert statesmen hand.
ling goods used in such departments
and on the other with q natural de-
sire to keep their respective depart.
ments up to the mark set by other
communities, If not excel them.
In no particular instance is this
better exemplified than in the man
agement Of the public schools. This
state stands first in educational lines
In the union, fact that educators,
and the public point with pride, but,
this enviable position seems to have
been acquired in a manner that would
wreck any private enterprise. In the
articles by E. D. Cowan, now being
published in the Spokane Spokesman
Review, appears the following, which
of itself is liberal education in the
,Science of how to gradually not to
say insisiously, increase the cost of
schooling. Mr.. Cowan says:
Public school tuition in 1889, when
the state displaced the, territorial
government, cost 1857 per capita OF
enrolled pupils, while in 1913 the per
capita cost for teachers had risen
to $2S.35, with diminution Of en-
rolment
. OF the whole sum expended on the
] public schools 537 per cent has gone
to the teachers. In dollars, the sum
paid for tuition was $54,15S.72S out
y Of the total investment of $107,519,-
$40.
1t is doubtful whether in any pro-
fession or calling the wage level has
been raised since 1890 as it has been
for the teachers Of this state. The
average teachers salaries, when the
state was admitted to the Union in
1882 was for male $47.66 per month,
and for female $39.e7.
The average monthly salary for
maiu ,eacherc ~ 1872 e10S41
and for female 5000. The gradual
Increase for the first five years of
statehood was followed by decline
during the period when populist pol
itics held the front Of the stage, un.
til in 1897 a wage point lower than
that of 1889 was reached. In 1897
male teachers received $42.12 a
month and female 1860.
Compensation Lowest Under Hard
Times Thrift.
Thus in the eight years of the
states existence, under the pressure
Of thrift enforced by hard times, the
compensation of public school teach
ers was at it's lowest point. Every
year since 1898 teachers wages have
advanced, but more particularly after
the tax commission began to promote
the general search for assessable
property.
To illustrate: From 1889 to 1900
the average wage Of male and female
teachers increased $3.50 month,
from 1900 to 1913 the monthly in
crease of average for the two sexes
in the latter year was $46.94, and
from 1905, when the tax commission
began operations, to 1913 the average
increase of male and female teach
ers' salaries was $35.15. Thus, Of
the total average increase of $46.94
y during the 20 years of statehood,
$35.15 of that average advance came
with the general confidence in the
states taxable resources coincident
with the results of tax commission
activities.
- Not only have the wages OF pub
lie school teachers advanced Of re-
cent years with surprising momentum
their energies have been conserved.
While the enrolment of school chill
dren in 1889 showed an average as
signment to each teacher on an av-
erage OF $44.66 per month to be 36
pupils, the average assignment Of
1913 to teachers enjoying an average
monthly wage of 1890 was ~ pupils.
In other words. for an increase Of
monthly salary averaging $46.94. the
proportionate number Of pupils rep
resented by each teaching unit has
diminished bv one-fourth.