The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-12-15
Now. as to the hours that teachers

NOW, as W tliC tSe&SAkSi9
work. Although it is true as "A Tax
payer" charges that teachers as a
rule are required to be at school only
from 8 AS a. m. until 3 pm. in the
case of some teachers and $40 in the
case of others, we beg to inform our
unknown friend that the teaching
done during these hours is only a
part of the work exacted of every
successful teacher. u. Any teacher
worthy of the name spends several
hours every evening in study and
preparation for the next days work,
and furthermore must devote some
time to professional and general read
ing in order to keep abreast of the
times. Nor is, that all. The CON
scientious teacher--and' a big ma
jority of the teachers are eonscienti-
ous-requires a considerable amount
of written work on the part of the
pupils, and this work must be gone
over and corrected after school by
the teacher. In addition TO that, af-
ter the regular monthly tests and the
two semi-annual examinations there
are many papers, allSof which must be
carefully corrected and graded
great part of Saturday and even Sum
day being consumed-in this task.
AS to the three months vacation
during summer which IA Taxpayer"
also charges up to the teachers, this,
as every one knows, is an enforced
vacation and instead of being asbless-
ing to teachers and pupils as many
think, it works as mist fortune to
both inasmuch as in the case fof the
former it means going three months
without pay and in the case of the
latter it means a demoralizing inter
ruption to their studies and a. dead
loss of three months time atGii
Furthermore, as the standard Of
scholarship required of the teachers
by the state department Of education
is being raised every year, they must
spend at least a part Of their vaca-
ton in attending a summer school
always of course at their own ex-
pense. 'E't4tAt9 Ll'& z:t2 J'154lS
The fallacy of "a Taxpayers" ar
gument that teachers even with the
minimum salary Of $55 per month
receive a per diem of more than
$3.50, is therefore so apparent that
it seems unnecessary to explain to
any intelligent person that when $55
is multiplied by 9 and divided by IL,
it means a salary of only $41.25 per
month, which in these times4of soar
ing prices is barely sufficient to keep
body and soul together. And this is
especially true in the case of the
teachers since, as ga Taxpayer" SO
notes, they "all seem
well dressed and we'll fed" ferFit is
one of, the ironies of their position
that while citizens of the mental cali
Der of "a Taxpayer" are largely re-
sponsible for conditions that force
teachers to work for less than the
wages Of cane cutters, they would be
among the first to criticize and point
the finger of scorn at any teacher who
failed to dress well or pay the pre-
vailing rate of board usually charged
teachers. aHinHjH nesEJ .zTn
Finally, regarding the comparison
made between the salaries paid clerks ks
and school teachers, "a Taxpayer"
should not fail to take in considera-
ton that the professional training re-
CURED of teachers is, both long and |
expensive and that compensation for
their services should be proportion
ateIy large, as is the rule in all other
specialized professions. Il That. such
IS not the case, however, that on the
contrary the salaries paid teachers
are beggarly when compared to the
enumeration given like ability and
raining in other professions, and is
;ota1ly inadequate to the demands of
l decent existence in that stratum of
society in which teachers are expect
ID to move, is not only the bitter ex-
oerience Of the teachers themselves
,ut is the deliberate conclusion of all
and intelligent people.
How to remedy this condition, how
o bring the people and especially the
axpayers to realization Of the dan
,er that threatens the integrity of
FUR school system through the. rapidly
number of able teachers
Who will continue to remain in a.,
Profession under prevailing condi- r
ions, is the problem that is giving
rave concern to our school 'authori-
les and to all thoughtful men. ]
Yours respectfully, v a1l
T.'* R. S. VICKERS.