The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-07-20
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1915.
The Sacrifice of Service.

h The announcement has just been
made that two Kenosha school teach
hers, both eminently fitted for their posi-
stions and both eminently successful in
1their calling as teachers, have resigned
4heir positions in order that they might
Eco into the grocery business. The an
announcement is of interest not only be-
kcause two excellent teachers have been
hlost from the service of the public; but
Sbecause it indicates that the pay of
Fsehool teachers in these days Of boom
fling prosperity is too beggarly, that in
Eorder to support themselves and those
Edependent upon them these men must
keither make a sacrifice greater than
us demanded of Others in business life
For suffer for the real necessities of life
The most pitiable sight in the world
To-day is the broken down school teacher
Eand the broken down minister. The
Ftwo are rendering service for the pub
slic which is invaluable. One is train
fling the mind of the child and the other
sis laboring in a vineyard whose only
sfruitage is the bettering of mankind
EBoth are miserly paid by the public
(which they serve. They are forced to
Fspend years in preparation for their
kwork as teachers and preachers, their
kworking life, be it long or short, brings
Eto them no great financial return
Eand when they have given Chat work
ing life to the service of humanity there
bis little or nothing left for them.
Y 1t is q ray Of hope that men who
Rhave boarded millions gained by legiti-
bmate trade, have seen the plight of the
Ppoor teacher and that in some states
EWise legislators have passed laws to
provide for mere living for school
steachers when they have, served out
fheir terms Of usefulness. 1t is little
Eenough to give, but that little stands
between these people and penury. With
1.-THE cost of living as it is today the
greatest gift of the minister who tolls
lin the vineyard of the Lord, is the
sacrifice of the many things that go to
Emake the difference between existing
land living. Under salaries that are
.being paid to ministers and teachers
they have no chance to claim any of
1.-THE luxuries of life. IF their children
are to be given the benefits of higher
education it must come through the
Nstinting of the fathers and mothers.
Other children must wear patched
clothes and stockings which have many
Hdarns ON them that the money may
be Forthcoming for education. 1t is
fonly in recent years that any provi-
sion has been made for the care of
these people who are properly charges
Fand not charitable charges on the body
Spolitic. There is no idea Of charity in
Eany gifts which may be. made to these
People. Tt is due to them from the
community they have served and from
Through their conscientious work.
RThere is no avenue for work open to
Ethe old man who has spent most of his
life in the pulpit, there is no street
Ito work for the woman who has given
sthe best of her life to the instruction
sof the children. Many of these women
Rhave given up chances of marriage and
home life because they felt the call of
sduty in the work for the children.
kThey come to the end of working life
with their nerves unstrung by the con-
Estant care of the children over long
Eperiods Of years. There should be some
nationwide provision for school teach
bers. One which would grant pension
land a considerable pension to every
oman and woman who spends twenty
Five years seeking to teach the children.
ASuch pension should not be taken
Efrom the small salaries paid from month
ITO month, but from the general funds
sof cities and states and if neees-
sary the nation. Tt should come, not
las the charity Of strangers, but as the
Iproper reward for service.
The problems of the old minister are
mot subject to solution by legislation
Eof the states, but every church organi-
cation should make it the first real
fduty of the organization to. provide for
the comfort of those who have been
worn out in the advancement of the
cause. Salaries paid to the ministers
today are not in any way in keeping
with those they might earn in other
fields of labor and if they are willing
to take the work which they are par
ticularly fitted for there should be some
WAY of compensating them, not only
while they labor, but when the time
comes that they must lay down their
work.
True, there is honor to the teacher
land honor to the preacher, but honor
alone does not provide for the declin-
ing years. The world owes these pat
riots and these martyrs to the cause
of education and the work of the
church some higher recognition.
n