The Penn's Grove record., 1914-02-06

there has beer an increase i'll the retail
cost of fifteen principal articles of food
of 50 per cent. so that the $500 in 1900
would purchase as much food as $3.50
will purchase at the present time.
There has been SOM increase in rent
during the same period, though it is
difficult to ascertain exact figures. 1t
is also difficult to ascertain the exact
increase which has taken place in the
cost of clothing, though available fig.
ures would indicate that between 1900
and 1912 there has been all increase of
nearly fourteen per cent. When these
facts are tt ken into consideration it is
evident while The public may believe
that teachers have substantial increases
during the past twelve years, the fact
remains that the purchasing power of
the average salary of the present day
is but little greater than The purchasing
power of the average salary Of 1900.
Reduction in the annual expense of
our schools can therefore hardly be
sought by cutting down the teachers
salaries. If the schools are to be made
more efficient the probabilities are that
a material increase III the salaries will
be necessary. Men ara MT now at
tracted to the teaching profession be-
cou 90 they can earn more outside Of it.
Many women of ability who prefer
teaching to business now select the lat
ter because of the greater ~pecuniary
return.
Owing TO the fact that the lmmi-
grants now fl ,cking to our shores do
not understand our language, our Gus
toms or our principles of government,
the burden placed upon the school is
becoming greater and greater. 1t is
the school which has welded into one
homogeneous mass many natiOnalities.
If it Is TO continue such work, and if
schools are to be open twelve months
in the year as many advocate, more
tempting salaries must be proffered If
the public desires that the calibre of
young men and ONE entering the
teaching profession be equal to that of
those now engaged in it.
Those who criticise school expense
would do well to look into other phases
of the school problem. Those who
live in cities would do well to study
the rural school. Unless cities help to
make the country mor congenial and
more particularly help its schools SO
that parents will feel sure that their
children will receive as goud an edu-
cation as il they lived in the city, the
population will continue to drift away
from the country, and the cost of liy-
ing will continue 10 increase. Parents
will not stay in the country and those
who leave IL will not go buck to the
farm if their children will thereby suf-
fer. Our schools. and especially our
rura schools are not perfect by any
means.
In 1910 there were 100, 900 children
in this Stale between the age Of five
and eighteen who were not in any
school either public OF private, while
the average attendance OF those III
school WAS only 70 per cent. If earnest
endeavors are made to give as provided
in the Constitution q thorough and
efficient education to all Children be-
tween Eve and eighteen years of age,
and to compel all children between
those ages to regularly attend scLocb
will school expenses increase or de-
crease? The answer seem obvious.
More schools, teachers and truant OF.
dcers will be requiied.
Our school expenses appear high.
yet when analysed il is difficult TO see
how they can be materially reduced il