Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-03
TOPRESENT PLEA
FOR SALARY RAISE
Employees of Public Schools
Will Ask Senate Subcommit-
Z tee for Hearing.
HIGH LIVING COST CITED

Active measures to obtain salary in
creases for employees of the public
schools of the District of Columbia are
to be taken in the near future by a
committee representing the various
groups This committee, which is
headed by William J. Wallis. will ask
the subcommittee of the appropria-
tions committee of the Senate having
in charge appropriations for the Dis
trict for hearing at which the school
employees may present their arguments.
This general committee has drawn a
brief which it is planned to submit at
this time. In addition to the general
brief. each group of employees will have
a separate brief specifically detailing the
needs of each.
1t is pointed out that more than
1000 employees in the public schools
receive less than $1,000 a year.
Committee Membership.
Members of the committee are:
William ]. Wallis, chairman. and l. v.
Lampson, representing the high school
teachers: Miss C. P. Dulin, representing
the grade school teachers; Miss A.
Dorothy Wall. representing the kinder
garten principals and their assistants:
C. C. Dunn. representing the special
teachers in the grades; ]. F. c. Palmer,
representing the clerks, and W. H.
Robertson, representing the tanitors.
In the general argument which is to
be submitted to Congress the commit
tee answers objections which were
made on the floor of the House of Rep
resentatives recently to granting an
increase.
Text of the Brief.
The brief begins by declaring that
'the public school employees in the
District of Columbia should be included
in the general salary increase legisla-
ton"
'On December 81. 1916 it is stated.
while the House Of Representatives
had under consideration the District
of Columbia appropriation bill the sub
committee having charge Of the meas
ure reported an amendment extending
the 10 and 5 per cent increases that
were voted in the legislative, executive
and judicial bill to the employees Of the
District other than employees of the
public schools, police department. fire
department and employees to whom
subsistence is furnished.
Longevity yearly increase for a
schedule): The chairman of the sub
committee stated in debate that the
public school employees were excluded
because the longevity feature in their
salary schedule gives them a raise for
next year that practically amounts to
the same thing as a 10 and per cent
increase.
An examination of the pay rolls of
all the public school employees clearly
demonstrates that this argument is
based upon a misconception Of the facts.
Out of 304 high and normal school
teachers over ESQ will receive no longev-
ity increase next year. Out OF 284
janitors not one will receive a single
cent Of increase for next year. Out of
200 public school employees over 1000
VIII receive for next year no increase
~(These statements are based upon
existing law.)
Should Be No Discrimination.
I'm the debate in the House on the
District bill the chairman of the SUBJ
committee frequently objected to any
discrimination against employees Of the
District and expressed himself at one
point in the following language: My
plea Is to treat the employees of the
District the same as the employees in
the federal departments in the District
of Columbia In view OF the fact that
over 1000 Of the public school en-
ployes receive no longevity increases
whatever for next year and the fur
Their fact. that those who do receive
such increases are necessarily down In
the salary scale, we respectfully submit
that to exclude those who are RESPONSE
BILE for the educational preparedness
of $4,000 children, would be discrimi-
nation which no member of Congress
who is in possession of the facts above
given would willingly justify.
High Cost Of Living.
According to the last annual report of
Secretary Redfield. there was a rise in
prices and cost Of living Of "a per cent
for the year.
THE high cost Of living affects the pub
lie school employees just as seriously as
other groups Of government workers.
several hundreds Of dollars, sometimes
several thousand dollars, before they can
even qualify for positions in the schools.
The United States government has
ben most liberal in its provisions for the
physical needs Of the public school sys-
tenn II has not given as much attention
to the personnel The corporations of the
country have long since recognized that
the efficiency of the working personnel is
fully as important as the efficiency Of the
plant. This is even more true of the
not goods manufactured for profit, but
boys and girls. Schools are possible
without school buildings. but schools are
not possible without public school en-