The Washington herald., 1918-10-05
TEACHERS PAY
DELAY SERIOUS
Instructors Unable to Buy
Bonds and Meet Over
due Bills.

Teachers in the public schools of
the District will be unable to sub
scribe their full share Of liberty bonds
unless their long overdue pay is turn
cd over to them shortly by the au-
thorities.
! Miss Alice Deal stated last night
that there were 200 teachers in
Washington. the majority of whom
Intended buying at least one 800 bond.
II these women. and men. are pre-
vented from contributing TO the fund
Il viii mean a loss of at least s220, 900
| to the District.
| Under existing circumstances It
would be impossible for the teachers
to subscribe. One woman told Miss
Deal last night that she had only two
car tickets left in her purse. and that
her rent was long overdue.
| The teachers have been without
salaries since last July. and many
of them are now entirely without
| funds. Members OF the Federated
Committees OF Teachers Unions have
} appealed to the District authorities
i for immediate relief. Miss Deal. who
is chairman OF the High Schools
Teachers Union, has, in the name
/ OF her organizations, asked that some
/ dCliOH DS TAKEN at oilCSs
Letter to Commissioners.
! Miss Alice Clarke. chairman OF the
| Federated Committees of Teacher
| Unions. submitted a letter to the
Board of Commissioners, the Board
OF Education and the Superintendent
OF Schools yesterday indorsinG the
letter sent by Miss Deal, and added
certain details.
The letter reads as follows:
"E. J. Brown Schiol,
October 3. 1915
''The Federated Committees of the
Teachers Unions of the District of
Columbia wish to go on record as
indorsing Miss Alice Deals letter to
the Board of Education concerning
the delay in the payment of teachers
salaries. and TO add further that
1 while we fully appreciate this
months peculiar difficulties as well
as this years unprecedented condi-
tions. we wish to add to the details
of the said letter the following:
That every year save one Gf the
writer's memory be coTrecD Sep
tember salaries have been held VI
from three to five days.
"One year they were paid October
l-why not again?
I That October l Is a critical time
In the finances OF employees who have
not been paid since July /. Most
leases and other business deals are
closed October /. especially in Wash
ington's present wartime housing
crisis.
That this is not the only time o
year teachers have had to suffer thii
hardship. Three times last winter +
occurred when today's excuses did no
| apply.
First: At Thanksgiving time 4
was found possible to pay Federal en-
! ployes partly. at least, Wednesday
/ November %, while teachers had q
wait until Monday. December T.
Second: At the time OF closing tbs
schools for fuel shortage, teacheri
were paid Saturday. February 3
Third: At Memorial Day. Fedora
employees were paid Wednesday, May
., teachers, Monday, June s.
Victim of Loan Sharks.
'I have personal knowledge of on,
teacher who has partly supported al
invalid member of her family who wa.
una Bile to meet a note October l with
out borrowing at an illegal rate o
: interest. In spite OF many years res
, idence in an apartment house, she and
her family We're liable to have thei
lease become null and void unless tht
rent was paid October !.
"A housekeeper in a family OF hv'
has had to postpone payment OF he
bills until her salary is Forthcoming :
There must be many such cases
Last year a teacher who was on tn,
pay roll the previous June had he
: name omitted two months in sue
cession. so that she had to wait wei
, into the middle of both months fo
the check due her the first.
THE clerical force was paid Sep
tember 30.
ut is suggested that the minimum
Of s75 monthly might be paid while
the auditor works on longevities, sl2
increase. etc.
rs there no experienced force O.
accountants who could be called oil
for extra time in this crisis?
The rest of the District OF Co.
lumbia departments. as well as thu
Federal departments. fl rst-of-th
month rush is over. Is new outside
help impossible?
I'VE bring this situation to the at
tention of the Board of Commits
sioners. the Board OF Education ant
the Superintendent of Schools. L
it fair? Very truly yours.
ALICE A. CLARKE.
Chairman OF Committee.
Federated Committees of Teachers
Unions OF District OF Columbia"