The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1918-01-10
GREAT DEARTH
OF TEACHERS

aries.
DR.. j. Y. Joyner, State Superintend
ent of Public Instruction, has issued
the following letter in regard to the
serious situation that confronts the
public schools Of the State:
"a serious situation confronts the
public schools Of the State. Teachers
salaries are utterly inadequate to
meet the greatly increased cost of liv-
ing in these war times. Many teach
ers-perhaps majority Of them-find
their present salaries insufficient to =
meet their actual expenses of living.
In many instances teachers are paid
$40 per month for not more than five
or six months a year, and are paying
$40 per month or more for board
alone The average annual salary OF
white teachers in North Carolina IN
1916 was $296.62. While the salaries
have been increased slightly during
| the present year, the small increase
has not been at all in proportion to
the great increase in their living ex-
penses nor in proportion to the IN
crease made in other lines of work in
the State and nation. Many of the
young men, especially in the high
schools, have been drafted for service
in the army; many of the women
teachers on account of increased de-
mand and increased compensation in
other lines of work, and many on ac-
count of their absolute inability to
meet actual living expenses on the
salaries offered for teaching, have
been forced to leave the profession. |
The result is that there is dearth
of teachers in North Carolina. The
demand for teachers is greater than
the supply. Many schools have not yet
i been able to secure teachers. 1t seems
likely that many will not be able to
secure them and will be compelled
either to be closed for lack Of teachers
or to employ unframed and ineffici-
= ent teachers.
"Realizing the seriousness of this
situation, the North Carolina Teach
/ ers assembly at it's recent meeting in
Charlotte passed strong resolutions
cessity for increased salaries
of teachers. At the same ses-
sion Of the assembly, the department
| Eof school boards, attended by sixty
representatives Of county and city
boards of education and the State as
ISOLATION of county superintendent,
devoted much time to the serious dis
cussion of this situation, and passed
strong resolutions urging the increase
of funds and increase Of salaries for
meeting the situation. Committees
were appointed to cooperate with the
State Department of Education ir
waging a campaign in devising ways
and means for increasing schools
funds and increasing the salaries Of
teachers with a view to relieving thi:
serious situation and thereby prevent
II ing a serious interruption of the worl
of the schools and serious injury t,
the efficiency of the educational worl
and of the teaching profession in tn
State. A conference with these com
mittees including the executive com
mittee Of the Teachers assembly, vii
be called by the State Superintendent
January to formulate and inaugural
Statewide campaign for increas
ing school funds and teachers salarie
for relieving this serious situation
The following means for increasin!
school funds and salaries are avail
able by the people under the law:
81. By voting special county-wid
taxes for schools under Chapter Z
Of the Public Laws of 1911 and by vot
ing special township tax for mainten
ance Of township high schools unde
section Alb of the public school law
Ill SO. By increasing the number Q
1
therein special tax for the mainter
ance Of the district schools under Sci
tion Ais Of the public school law an
by increasing the special tax IL
schools in special tax districts her.
tofore established under said sectio
to maximum of SOC on the 500, ar
$3.50 on the poll, and in special cha
tered city and town schools, to ma:
imum of 81 100 on the 500, as PROVE
ed by the General Assembly of 1917
SO. By increasing the district fun
by private subscription, public ente
tainments, providing wood free, etc
a. By increasing the budget for Sc
aries of teachers, etc., submitted
the county board Of education for ne
essary expenses for a four month
school for the year 1918, under Cha
ter 33 Of the Public Laws Of 1913,
subsequently amended by the Gene1
Assembly and increasing the spec
county levy by the county comm
sioners required Hereunder for
necessary expenses Of the fo1
. months term.
So. By the adoption at the Move
Der election of 1918 of the consti
tional amendment making it man'
. tory upon the county commission
, to levy special tax to supplement
regular county and State tax
schools sufficient to provide mi
mum school term of six months
stead Of four months, in each cour
"Whatever happens, whatever
may cost in money and sacrifice,
schools must be maintained at full
ficiency for the preparation of
present generation to fill the g
made by the red hand of war in
ranks of our young men, for ser'
at the front if the war continues,
for efficient service at home in c
and industrial life when such ser