The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-08
The Rule As Controversy.

Unless the preSent-day custom which makes II
the duty of husband to support his wife be
repudated and rejected, there is every reason why
a woman should relinquish her work school
teacher when she marries In the first place, it is
still supposed, even in these modern times, that
when marriage takes place home is to be
| established that requires a wife's presence and
supervision at least; and, secondly, it must be
| recognized that in every community there arc
many young women who, before they pre-
pared or have the opportunity to establish homes
OF their own, find it necessary to contribute
thing to the family income With this purpose in
view, scores of young in this city each
year take the normal-school course and equip
themselves to become school-tcachers The
establishment of custom that would encourage
women, with husbands whose duty it is to support
them to retain their positions in the public schools
could not fail to be productive of undesirable re-
suits. Not only would it destroy the incentive
that at present insures ready supply of young
teachers and deprive young women dependent
upon their own efforts of the opportunity to earn
a livelihood, but it would tend to foster superan-
nuation and destroy efficiency in the teaching.
stats. Much has been made of the superior quail
hcations of wife and the head of home as
teacher of the young, but it is not at all certain
that these advantages would materialize. 1t is ex-
IiSihSS Wnctnef tne majority OF the mar
ried women who elected to continue their school
duties after marriage would bring to their classes
much of home knowledge or influence. They would
be either school-teachers the busy heads of
households, but not both. And should that be the
case, where is the advantage to the schools in
keeping women who should have other means of
support on the pay rolls to the exclusion of the
unmarried who have living to make?
Great pressure is being brought upon the Board
of Education to induce it to repeal rule As. which
automatically dismisses teachers upon their mar
rage. The Herald believes the rule should be
repealed, not for the purpose of encouraging mar
ried women to retain their positions in the Schools
but because automatic rules frequently produce
absurd situations. The Board of Education should
not bind itself by rule which might, upon occa-
sion, place it in ridiculous attitude. 1t should
leave itself free to deal with each individual case
as it arises and upon its merits. If it should be
deemed advisable expcdient in an unusual case
to employ retain the services Of married
teacher, the board should not be prevented by an
automatic rule from doing SO. On the other hand,
it should be wel-rccognized custom for teachers
to resign when they marry, or for the board to |
remove Them should that be necessary. |
The teachers themselves, married single, ap- |
parcntly not taking leading part in the contro
'ersy rule As 1t is rather feminist movement,
ncw-woman propaganda, equal rights de-
mand that seeks its repeal. The demand comes |
largely from the sources that aim to make woman
independent OF her husband, to widen her sphere,
and to make place for the wife in the working
world. All of which opens up questions of eco
nomics that reach far beyond the situation today
n the public schools of Washington which alone
should be considered in discussion of rule As.