The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-06-07
STRAPPED AS YEAR ENDS
Grade Teachers Believe Bonus Should
Be Equal to Month S Pay and High
School Teachers Earning Under
$11oo Want Fifty Dollars Each.

School teachers in Kenosha are feel
ing the pinch Of the high cost of living
and following complete organization of
the teachers OF the high school and
graded schools united request is being
made to members of the board of educa-
ton for the payment of bonus to all
teachers who have earned less than
ST, 100 during the year just drawing to
close. Committees Of the teachers
are making an appeal to every member
Of the board of education and the mat
ter will formally come before the board
at che meeting to be held on next Tues
day evening The teachers in the
high school receiving salaries amount
ing to less than $1100 have asked for a
uniform bonus of $50 each. The teach
ers in the grade schools IRE asking
that the amount Of the bonus be made
the equivalent of one month salary.
The members of the board are non-com-
initial on the subject but several of
them have given their opinion that the
bonuses should be paid and it is known
that the plan has the support of many
of the leading school officials The
suggestion has been made that one-half
of the bonus be paid at the close of the
year and that one-half of it be retained
as a part Of the first month s pay
check with the opening of the new year.
I" A lot of the teachers in the schools
are going to end the year strapped. =
said we'll known teacher today.
sFSince we made the contracts last
year there has been an increase in every
thing that goes into a teacher s living
expense. We have, many of us, been
forced to pay increased charges for
board and rooms, clothing has advanced
in price so that now we have no money
with which to carry out plans for the
summer Teachersslika every one else
would like to be able to take a rest and
vacation during the summer months.
Some of us have planned to go to sum
mer sessions of the normal schools but
with the money we have saved we
would be able to spend about one day
! a normal town. We are fully aware
that we signed contracts and that these
contracts are binding but we are ap-
pealing to the members of the board
to consider the fairness of the PROPOSE
ton. Most Of the teachers are inter-
L. 0F no Il axy
know that IL they can spend a summer
in normal school or at the university
that they will be able to render more
intelligent service. Workmen in fac
tories and in offices have all received
some consideration on account of the
increase in the cost Of living and we
can not see why the city of Kenosha
should not show this same consideration
to loyal teachers The amounts which
have been suggested will not be a great
burden on the people. We do not want
to spring anything or the board or
the people but we want the people to
consider our requestand it is not a
demand-in Che same spirit that they
would consider the request of men and
women employed by them for their own
business
1t is roughly estimated that to meet
the request Of all the teachers would
mean an expenditure of something in
the neighborhood Of $4,000 on the part
of the board of education. No appro-
priation has been made to meet this
increased cost of the teaching force and
if the bonuses are paid they must be
paid with the understanding that the
money to reimburse the school funds
will be raised by taxation in the next
school budget.