Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-12
LOWER PAY FOR NEW
TEACHERS PROPOSED
Secretary Dick, of Education
Board, Advises Reclassifica-
ton Downward
CALLS SALARY LIST HIGH
Explains That Recommendation for
Reduction Does Not Apply to
Present Employees

a reciasslhcatlon downward OF the
salarie Of grade teachers OF the Phila-
delphia school system and a program of
the strictest economy in the operation
of the schools, was recommended today
by Secretary william Dick In his an
nual report submitted TO the board at
It's February meeting In the Keystone
Building Nlnetcent1 street above Che u
nut. The reductions suggested would
not, however. affect the pa. of any teach-
er now In the employ Of the city
Tho Increase In the income or the
board from ali sources for the last five
years has been only s226,65O. The IN
crease In the payroll alone has amounted
to an average OF si69.375 In the same
ucriod. Mr. Dick points out. The neces-
sity for higher tax rate than the pres
ent limit of six mills was brought TO
the boards attention; even this would
not be available until 1920. he says lie
states that the small margin shown by
the budget presented in January will
not be sufficient to meet the increased
EXPENSES this year. and he predicts that
tho deficit by the end of 1918 VII he
larger than last years deficit OF s6OO,oOO'
FAvoRs REDUCED SALARIES
Tn spenNtng Of reduction In grade
teacher salaries Mr.. Dick said
A saving Of money could could prooan,Y %
be affected by declassityins .ne S"''
/ 10 6 would he placed upon the
AIRY basis. leaving only grade
5 on the gramer basis. Tn
would have to be Effected sr
No as not to reduce the salary
nsrson now in position. The "A.
] ments that could be made for this
proposition are , uo,,d ,t,o
recognition to the different character
| Of work done In grades Z and 8. par
| ticularly In concentration centers, the
demands made on teachers, energy ea;S
heavier than in grades to g.
| second. The inauguration of our
new courses Of study In the last two
| or three years has in part at least
done away with the ,old-timc distinc-
ton between the character Of the
| work done In primary grades and that
| done In grades five and ak. Accoru-
| ing to our present courses, there are
| no new subjects introduced in grace
| i've whereas a few years ago. this
was the point at which the study of
physiology and Of history was IN
% Third The saving of approximate )
si2'50o per year to the board, in
| asmuch as there are about 125 0fth
and sixth grades filled each year
and as there are in all about lVVO
such positions. the savings eventually
would amount to 100000.
The coal situation was also toucne
upon in the report. The poor quality
the cost OF hauling, etc, had greatl
increased the cost of this item. he said
DESPITE the buying of coal direct fror
the operators He recommended build
ing larger storage bins in all tn
schools.
SCHOOL MOBILIZATION
The school mobilization committee,
department of the Mayors home defcns
committee requested the board to al
point one of it's members 10 that con
mittee, and presented complete repoi
OF the activities in which 1t had er
gagged. Frank G. Brodhead. chairman
appeared In person to make the plei
II was also requested that the commit
tee be designated as the official repr,
sentative of the board In all emel
gency service requiring the assistanc
of the teachers. This request was re
ferred to Il special committee.
| The school treasurere was authorize
to negotiate a temporary loan of thre
months for $1,000, 900 to finance II
school system until the taxes are re
ceived in August.
A communication from Francis 4
Lewis. Federal fuel administrator fo
Philadelphia. reques/o'g that the school
be closed for a fun day on Washing
toms Birthday was referred Jointly t
the elementary and the high school
committees He also requested that al
schools allow the children only one hou
for lunch and that they close each da,
at o'clock. This latter rule wH, pu