Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-28

rs THE laborer worthy of his hire? Or,
i more particularly, is the laborer who hap
pens to teach and to be likewise woman
worthy to be decently paid? To be a teacher
by profession Is in itself a serious handicap
in the chase for the dollar. To be a woman
in addition to being a teacher-in Phifadel-
phia, at least--is to be out Of the race save
for the discarded trifies that may be picked
up on the race course after the runners have
all passed. We pay much for the cleaning
of our streets which are really not cleaned
We pay more for protection against much
against which we are actually not protected.
But we pay little for the education of our
children and in the zeal, the toll and drudg-
cry, the willingness and ability to serve we
get, especially from our women teachers,
great deal more than we pay for.
TIME Gownsman is no statstcian, He
i knows figures may be made to lie almost
as easily as men. But here are some unds-
puted facts which we who glory In the for
wardness of our State and city should know,
ponder and act Immediately and vigorously
to reform. For period now Of more than
thirty years the average salaries of teachers
in Pennsylvania have been lower than the
average in the United States at large ana
the disparity has been increasing to our dis
advantage. Three years ago Arizona alone OF
the States paid to her teachers a smaller
proportion of her annual expenditures than
did Pennsylvania. The Middle West, which
we profess to regard as backward in patri-
larger share of money for public education
than did we. The tagging South, with the
difficulties of negro education to contend with
and far less wealth, found more money pro-
portionately for education than did Pennsyl-
vania. And the three years which have
elapsed since this was demonstrably shown
have not materially bettered things.
YJ1IE highest salary attainable by woman
/ who has reached the head of her pro-
fession as teacher in the Philadelphia
public schools is $4,000 per annum. against
$4,000 in the cities of Chicago or Cleveland
and $3.50 in New York. These figures repre-
sent the salaries of the heads of departments
Of instruction in high schools, exceptionally
good places and few. The Philadelphia
maximum for women in other high school
positions Is $3.50, and the minimum is but
800. In the elementary schools where, &C
cording to some authorities on education,
there is need of the greatest skill, tact and
teaching ability, the best that can be looked
forward to Is S1100, with the pitiful minimum
of 5000. New Yorks minimum in the same
grade Is $500, half again as much and the
maximum salary for women teachers in ele
| mentary schools there for 1919 is promised to
| he $4,000 Just double the present maximum
| in Philadelphia.
T1ROM another point of view, within a
II period during which, save for an occa-
sional bonus the salaries of women teachers
| in the Philadelphia public schools have not
haan advanced we find an increase Of from
| q 10 IA per cent in the salaries of such
| teachers in Chicago, of ~ per cent, with a
| provision rising next year to Is per cent in
| the city of New York, and an increase up to
| 30 per cent in Cleveland Even st. Louis
| has bettered conditions to the extent of an
| increase of from to 10 per cent But what
| in the meantime of the cost of living? Ac-
| oording to the Federal Bureau of Statistics
| the cost of living in Philadelphia, since De-
| cember 1914 has increased nearly 10 per
| cent. and the pitiful minimum of Phladel-
| phia teachers, $50 per month for the year.
| had been fixed long before that date. Will
| the comfortable reader or the Gownsman
| consider how much $50 month viii provide
| for a Young woman who must be fed II she
| is to work and who Is bound TO maintain a
| certain modest standard of neatness and re-
| snectabilitv before her classes On the au-
| thority of Doctor Cattelh $500 per annun
| ,odav will buy about $3.50 worth of some five
| wears ago The rise in prices. without COM
| nensating increase in salaries for these un-
| fortunate teachers. has left those withou
| other income less than a $40 bill per week
| with the purchasing value OF less than fifty
| cents for each. And, comfortable reader, Just
what do YOU now pay your second or third
| maid? We shall not mention your cook.
JV1Hr result is obvious. We are losing our
| i teachers and. what is more. our prospec'
| tive teachers With opportunities In other
/ yocations increasing and with an estimateo
| rise OF at least 2b per cent IN the salaries
in positions demanding the KIND of educa'
ton which the tercber pogsesHes. me suppl,
J "a those willing to teacn. IKE theis quality
4 ~ ~