The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-09
TEACHERS PETITION
FOR AN INCREASE
IN THEIR SALARY

ident of the board presented a petit
ton from the high school teachers
asking for an increase in salary of
ten dollars per month.
A. A. F'rattinger, member of the
board, started an immediate cross ex-
animation. Miss Helen Lambert in Of
fering to become spokesman for the
seven women teachers present, said:
81 did not expect to be called but as
the chairman of our committee is alb
sent, and the men teachers also, ]
was picked upon"
Miss Lambert then explained in a
general manner why the teachers had
presented a petition for an increase
in salary, stating that living expenses
had increased and railroad fares had
advanced. Then too, we are expected
to be public spirited, to buy Liberty
bonds, join the Red Cross,-it isn't
compulsory, but we feel that the peo-
pie of Watertown want us to do this"
| she said
Mr.. Frattinger then asked about the
teachers contention that parochial
schools had increased the salaries of
| their teachers. Miss Lambert quoted
ST. Marks school as having given
| their teachers an increase in salary
The fact that the increase in wages
had been given at the beginning of
their school year in January was then
brought out as differential from an
increase in the middle of the term.
| President VOss then reminded the
teachers that they had received an
| increase in salary in the spring of
| 1917. Miss Laurinda Albers answered
the question by stating that the teach
| ers expected a raise then as partly
| complimentary to their ability as
teachers and in recognition that they
| have passed the period of probation
| Other years we have saved some
money, but we are safe to say when
we come to vacation this year we will
not have saved a cent, and we as
| working women will perhaps have to
| look to a future" concluded Miss
Albers
Mr.. Voss asked the next question:
| What if the grade teachers also
come in and ask for money!"
Miss Burke in answering stated that
the majority of the grade teachers
| lived at home. The preparations for
| grade and high school teaching was
radically different. The high school
teachers must spend four years in the
university. They must attend a sum-
| mer school session. The grade teach
ers are not required to do this. The
| in no oh
that it is only right that they receive
more money than the grade teachers
for their preparation has been much
| more strenuous.
Mr.. Voss then propounded the unan
swerable question, Tell us where we
| are to get the money from?" The
| teachers were unable to answer it
satisfactorily. He then quoted to them
| section Il of the school laws:
1t shall be the duty of said board, in
all their expenditures and contracts,
| to have reference to the amount of
| moneys that should be subject to their
| order during the current year, for the
particular expenditure in question
| and not to exceed such amount
The matter of the raise was then
referred to the committee on teach
ers with the order that they report at
the next meeting. :.
| The petition of the teachers:
We, the undersigned respectfully
petition the board of education of the
! city of Watertown for an increase in
salary of ten dollars ($1O) per month
Tor the following reasons: The great
increase in living expenses due to the
war; the fact that boards of education
in other cities, such as Superior,
Rhinelander and Reedsburg have seen
the desirability of such action; the
fact that the salaries of teachers in
| certain parochial schools of this city
| have been substantially increased.
Laurinda Albers,
| Helen Lambert,
| Lois Burlingame,
Elsie M. Burke,
| Marie A. Thielman
| Mary G. Ladwig,
| Lillian Wingreene,
L. F. Thomas,
R. A. Buell.
| B. G. Trueblood.
superintendent BertO also reported
to the board, stating that the coal SUD-
ply was a little more than ample to
carry the schools through the year
He also stated that upon request he
had allowed classes from st. Bern
ards and st. Marks parochial schools
to enter classes in manual training
and domestic science in the high
| school.
He reported also on the work being
done by student teachers sent here
from the Milwaukee normal school.
The work being done here will bring
the normal school in closer touch with
local schools. Miss Joerdens is teach
ing music under the direction of Miss
Ladwig and has taken over some
grades entirely
Mr.. Dostal is teaching history and
English in Webster school and helping
in high school composition in the af
ternoOn.
The night school attendance fell off
a trif1e during the Christmas HOLIDAYS
but is picking up now
The school board decided to allow
Miss Edna Schoechert to attend Lin
coin school without paying tuition.
The case is rare in that part of the
property of her parents is situatad in