Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-04
RAISE SALARY Of
TEACHERS, SAYS
HENRY ". kinney
Asserts Some Now Being Paid
less Than Ordinary Plan
tation LaborerS
SHOULD MAKE REQUEST
TO NEXT LEGISLATURE
Thinks Any Increase Should
Be on Graduated Per-
centage Basis

Hawaii's public school teachers are
entitled to and should have an in
crease of salary.
This is the opinion of Henry w. Kin
ney, superintendent of public fnstruc-
ton, as expressed at a meeting last
Friday of the Etaui Teachers Assocf
alton. and in statements to the, Stat
Bulletin today The statements by
Superintendent Kinney are in line
with Recommendations made by the
Maui teachers and at the annual meet
ing of the Territorial Teachers Associ-
alton. held in Honolulu, that the peda-
gogles be given more money.
Superintendent Kinney attended the
meeting of the Maui teachers where
the question of a salary raise was
taken up after it was learned that a
similar question was to be discussed in
Honolulu. Asked by the meeting for
his opinion, Kinney said he felt the
teachers have every right to expect a
raise in salary as, in these days OF
prosperity, everyone is receiving high
er compensation, and partly since the
cost of living is making It almost inn
possible for the teacher on a small
salary to get along.
Must Maintain Standard
In expressing this opinion Superin-
tendent Kinney was referring to all
the public school teachers in the ter
ritory.
1T should be remembered" he told
the star -BullecA To-Day, that teach
er is required to- maintain, standard
of living which will be . aicredit both
to the teacher and to the community.
A teacher must have decent clothing
and live in decent surroundings and
have decent associates, and all this
costs money.
The teachers in the Hawaiian ISL
ands are better paid than teachers in
most Of the states, but the cost OF liv-
ingis considerably higher here. Since
the paying of bonuses, the lower paid
public school teachers do not get as
much pay as that of many plantation
laborers.
Percentage Plan Best
Il recommend very strongly to the
teachers, however, that in any effort
to secure better pay they ask that
the increase in the salary appropria-
ton be made on the percentage basis.
There are two reasons for this;
First, because in this way the Pro-
portions established by the present
salary schedule would be maintained,
although the salaries would be higher
throughout;
Second, that in case some time in
the future a retrenchment policy Is
inaugurated, as was done during the
time George r. Carter was governor
and when all salaries OF teachers were
reduced 20 per cent, 1t will be most
unlikely that any reduction would be
made beyond the percentage OF in
crease made by the coming legislature,
should it be made.
Superintendent Kinney adds that he
declined to recommend at the Maui
meeting any particular rate OF in.
crease, saying he thought this was
a matter to be taken up directly with
the next legislature.
"But I think" be said today. that
the rate of increase should be higher
for teachers being paid below SlO0 a
month than for those being paid above
that amount, although | think all
classes should have the increase.
The new officers of the Territorial
Teachers Association have under con-
sideration a resolution presented at
the annual meeting last Friday urging
that all public school teachers be CIV
en- a raise in salary.