The Washington herald., 1918-04-28
ID. G. TEACHERS
DISSATISFIED
WITHSALARIES
Receive No Raise IN Twelve
Years. Though Living
Costs Go Up.

Starting that the teachers Of the
Washington public schools have not
received an increase In salary for
twelve years. members Of the exec
utive committee Of the Grade Teach
erS Union last night declared that the
teachers are dissatisfied with the single
increase granted to them In the Dis
trict appropriation bill now pending in
Congress. which provides for the In
creasing Of the minimum entrance
salary from 500. the present entrance
salary, to $50 No other increase IL
granted in the bill.
No Increase Since 1905.
They stated that the teachers have
not received an increase In salary
since 1906. but that the Department OF
Justice through several investigations
has proven that the cost Of living has
risen steadily since that time. They
also declared that the maximum sal
ary obtainable now in the District
received until twenty-five years of
The Civil Service Commission in q
statement made q year ago said that
1900 was the minimum living wage
in the District of Columbia The
members of the teachers union de-
clared that in an Investigation con-
Quoted recently 1t was discovered
that the majority Of the District
teachers had one or more persons de-
pending upon her for support
Barred from Departments
They further stated that the teach
ers were dissatisfied with q bill en-
acted on March IS last, whereby the
teachers in the District Of Columbia
are classified as federal emp. Dyes,
and are prevented from resigning
their position to take up work at a
higher rate Of pay in other depart
ments Of the government Previous
TO the enactment OF this bill they
stated that the teachers were leaving
TIE schools at the rate of one a day
to take positions in the departments.
Under this law they can no longer
he appointed to positions under the
Civil Service. but the representatives
Of the teachers organization said
tSat many of the teachers have de-
cared that unless their salaries are
increased they will be obliged 10 re-
FIgn and take positions with private
corporations. They stated that one
Of the large railroad systems Of the
country had been circulariZing the
teachers of the District. asking them
to accept positions in its clerical de-
partment at a much higher rate Of
pay than they are receiving in the
schools.
They also declared that the teach
ers feel themselves greatly humili-
ated by the fact that young boys
and girls with less than an eIemen-
tary school education are leaving
school and taking positions in the
government departments at a higher
rate of pay than that received by
their teachers, who have had at least
a high and normal school education.
Children Earn More.
Declaring It to be an unjust meas
ure. they also protested against the
provision OF the new appropriation
bill by which the increase in pay
given to the teachers for length of
service ceases to be automatic and
the power Of awarding 1t Is given
to the Board of Education, the award
to be basco on the judgment of the
board as to the merit of the teachers
work.
The teachers are conducting their
campaign for an increase in salary
through the Grade Teachers Union,
which is, affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor. The things for
which they are working were stated
by the ladies Of the executive COM
mittee to be a minimum entrance
salary Of 81 900. and the elimination
rom the District appropriation bill
Of the provisions taking away their
longevity increase and their eligili-
bitty to receive positions under the
Civil Seryire