Evening journal., 1918-04-26
School teachers
URGE council TO
raise Salaries
tContinued From FIrsL page.l }

Council gave the first and second read
Ings to two proposed ordinances, which
II adopted. win net this city additional
revenue. One Of tRese ordinance pro-
vides an increase in the dog tax OF 81
a year. The ordinance provides for a
81 tax on male dogs and 50 tax on fe-
males AT the present time the tax is
81 on males and 80 on females The
total number Of DOGS registered here so
FAR this yrar is 1000
The other ordinance provides that
every pool and billiard table in pool
and billiard rooms open to the public
shall be taxed SIS year Failure to
pas this Tax. Is punishable by a lne OF
Another financial matter that was
brought before Council previous to the
bearing OF the teachers was the receipt
or communications from the Street and
Sewer Directors and the Board on Pub
lie Education, asking FOR conferences
with Council on their proposed bud
gets Mr., Robertson stated that the
Street and Sewer Department desired
&7s000 additional for next year. The
Gouncllmen set next Wednesday even
Ing as the date FOR a conference with
she Street and Sewer Department on
cials. The matter OF arranging a con-
ference with the Board Of Education
0nlcials was referred TO the finance
committee.
The hearing accorded the teachers.
who were headed by a committee con-
eisting OF Miss Elizabeth D. Hoopea.
Miss Nellie L Sawin, Miss Sallie Reid
Shaw, Miss Ellen Samworth and Miss
Florence Ramo. was opened by Presi-
dent Of Council George T. Lyon. who
called on DR.. Clifford J. Scott. super
fntendent OF schools as the FIRST speak
er Or. Scott said that the teachers
desired to nressnt their petition for an
incrcase In paY to Council direct
He then called Miss Samworth as the
FIRST speaker. She said:
mfr. President and Members OF City
Council: While Il Is q little unusual
for such a gathering 10 confer with
your body. this kind Of thing Is as old
az civilization itself, and II Is proper
shat such a gathering should meet In
the halls where justice is meted out.
But | don't think u unusual for any
one 70 come before those who have
charge OF dispensing Justice" Miss
Samworth then spoke Of the eVer-in-
creasshg cost Of living, and stated that
the teachers were receiving ilattering
offers OF employment elsewhere, both
as teachers and IN clerical positions.
She stated that they had taken the
proper channel and appealed TO the
Board OF Education when they were
rightly informed that that body had
no funds and then they came 10 City
Council
She also stated that the schedule as
prepared and urged by The teachers
provided for minimum wage Of 5000
instead OF the present minimum OF
$500. The mlximum IA fixed at $1,000
she said. Those flgures. she contended.
were low enough when the cost OF
lfving is taken into consideration. She
said the wages paid teachers today re-
repel rather than attract teachers.
The teaching material In the city. she
said, was Of the best She urged that
the maximum salary OF the high school
teachers be placed al 81 200 a year with
Che heads Of the various departments
IN the schools at $500 a year. II was
necessary, she added, that the city have
heads Of the various departments lust as
The industrial plants have foremen. She
spoke OF the head or the English de-
partment in the local High School re-
signing each year for the past three
years. which she thought was not good
for The youth being taught here
Il was also suggested In the sohed-
ule prepared that the minimum sal
ary OF the principal Of the elementary
schools be 81 100 and while they asked
for Ahe sum Of $4,000. II is not much
when you consider that it Is to be sup
piled to 500 people, she said.
The appeals that had been made 10
City Council by the school teachers ID
1901 and every two years since then.
was recalled by Miss SamwOrth who
stated that tirst. Council told them lhst
they did not have the money and then
later the cry was that Il would be ne
0essery TO raise the tax rate n the in
cresse was 10 be granted. This. sha
said, was anticipated now as was shown
py the ever-increasing rents and showed
that the people here were learning the
lesson Of preparedness In CLOSING. she
laid, y VIII not be possible to bring
leachers here unless the hook IA 81
aaAted that they cannot see the point "
Miss Sallie Reid Shaw spoke on the
oyalty OF the school teachers WIN
were standing by che citizens Of VII
nington and teaching for a small sal.
ary when the best or them All re-
Deived lattering offers or employment
both ss teachers and clerks elsewhere
she compared the salaries paid the
teachers with those paid ln other in
sustries. This statement was corro-
sorated BY Miss Sawin and Miss
Hoopes.
George B. Miller. president Or the
scsrd Of Education. was then called On
Tor an address but he declined. savins
hat he would talk on the subject n
he conference with the eouncllmer
sitlHt had been asked for BY his do
psrtment. George Rommel. anothe,
member OF the board urged that ths
seBchers be granted an increase In nav
rhe meeting as far as the teachers were
eonoerned then came to a close with
Or. Scott stating that the teachers fel
that their case rested In the hands o.
friends
President Of Council Lyons. then In
Produced Mr. Robertson. chairman o
the finance committee OF Council. wb,
stated that he had considerable feeiin,
Tor the public schools here, but Il,
sounded note Of warning when he IN
formed the teachers that they shoui,
not be surprised II they did not ge
what they wanted
Mr.. Robertson said he had slway
been a reader Of American history, Is
pecially that Of the Civil War and h