Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-28
] LACK OF TEACHERS
BECOMING SERIOUS
Philadelphia Schools Face
Crisis and Hands of Education
Board Are Law.Bound

Schools in Philadelphia are facing a
real crisis and the problem of filling the
ranks of competent teachers is a grave
one.
The Girls Normal School graduated
about 1877 students this term part Of
whom will be teachers next year GER
tainly. nevertheless trouble faces the
schools in the prospects for next year.
Only 100 applications have been sent
IN so far to the Normal School at Thir-
teenth and Spring Garden streets by
prospective students. Formerly the ap-
plications had to be limited to 200.
Women are simply looking to other
professions for their livelihood. Many
who have been teachers for several years
are going into new fields-civil service
work and the many industries and oc-
cupations which the war has placed at
their hand
The trouble reduces to the question OF
salary. Salaries which several years ago
were perfectly satisfactory now appear
wholly inadequate. A teacher after her
years of preparation gets $500 year
that is. about sl15s week. The second
year she gets $3.50. After she has been
working ten years she gets $1,000.
At these times a woman can 60 into
various sorts of war work beginning at
salary equal to or greater than that
she receives in her third year as a
teacher.
THE salaries must be increased. and
increased enough to make it worth their
while to give to a position where the
work is well and their opportunities
broader said Eugene Baker, principal
Of the Girls Normal School But that
Is a great deal easier to suggest than to
be done.
"A great many people. carried away
by their feelings. have attacked any one
they could think Of who might possibly
be to blame. No one is to blame. The
trouble to be remedied, must be carried
before the Legislature, where the old
school code will have to be revised. That
code says the Philadelphia school tax
shall not exceed six mills.
"Outside of Philadelphia the tax in
many communities can be as high as
twenty-five mills. Out of the money
which the Philadelphia Board Of Educa-
ton raises by that small tax-and 1t is
only lately that it has raised that tax
from Ave to six mills-it has to pay for
, the equipment of the schools and for
many other things besides the teachers.
I'VE have considered cutting down on
the equipment-such as stationery ana
20 forth-thinking 1t was better to nave
a competent and satisfied teacher IN
shabby classroom than an unsatisfac-
tory teacher in fine classroom But
the little we could save that way was
merely a drop in the bucket.
THE Board of Education is as help
less as we are. The additional amount
of money which it raises by increasing
the tax TO its six-mill limit VIII enable
II to add bonuses to the pay this year.
Here are some points to consider in
regard to the Board OF Education, which
I believe to be in the fullest sympathy
with our dilemma: That organization
has so much money year from the
taxes; everything must be paid out OF
that money and II it borrows more
money to meet, for example. such sit
uation as this, it must pay back prin-
cipal and interest out of that small
yearly income from the six-mill tax.
Resolutions were passed in meet
ing the other afternoon to carry plea
for higher salaries to the Board of Edu-
, cation. The Board of Education has to
carry that plea before the State Legis-
lature. There several problems con-
front it, The petition cannot be voted
on until the fall; IL II is passed, 1t cannot
be acted on until next year. Further
more. the privilege of an appointed
I Board of Education may he taken
away and an elected board he substi-
tuteu. HlS "OuN 10 loboWcu py o
train of political broils On the other
, hand. the petition for the revocation of
|. the school code may not be passed at
, all"
: Mr. Baker was pessimistic about the
situation, which. he said, must be re-
Neved quickly II serious crisis is to be
avoided.
80 far It looks as II next year the
few teachers we have will be second
rate ones. and, for that matter, well be
glad to take even them. Unless some
solution is reached, and reached quickly.
next year will be one which will have
far-reaching effects on the whole atti-
tude Of the children who are the next
generation of the American people.
After a meeting the other evening a
newspaper man said to me: You will be
accused of lack of patriotism for press
ing this question at such time l
told him that it was outrageous to sug-
gest such thing. At this time particu-
larly, when the future good of millions
of American children Is in the balance,
the question is one of the most patriotic
Importance"