Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-18

The teachers pointed out the fact that the
continuous resignation of teachers and the
impossibilities of securing others to take tnell
places is a direct result of the low salary
scales Superintendent Thurston offers q
remedy for the conditions in Washington,
which are identical to nearly every city and
town in the country, in two pointed SEN
tences what we need is a proper scale or
wages. marked increase would stop the
exodus"
school Life, the official organ of the United
States Bureau of Education, has this to say
in regard to teachers pay:
We may talk as we like about progress
in education, but if fail to spend money
for teachers there will be no prog less. School
boards which take a cOmplacent attitude
about teachers pay should read the National
Education Association report on teachers sal
aries They will find there solemn words
about the threatened collapse of the teaching
MISREPRESENTATION words used by men
who are accustomed to weigh their utterances
carefully.
In the new world of freedom and democ-
racy that is emerging, intelligence, knoWi-
| edge and skill will count for more than IN the
! old Education becomes the chief business OF
| Legislatures and congresses representing the
! people.
In America we measure values in terms or
| dollars and cents, and men and women have
formed the habit of selling their labor on
! whatever kind in the highest market they car
| command. IL is only through luCEooSS VI pay ,
| therefore, that may hope to improve to
any large extent the character of the person
mel of any trade or profession. 1t is only by
very large increases in pay OF teachers that we
may hope to improve our schools appreciably.
| Small increases of 5, 10 or 20 per cent will
not avail, for they will not be sufficient to
! hold in the schools men and women of supe-
| riOr ability. Teachers are now paid less fol-
| their work than any other class of workmen,
and the increase in their pay in the last few
years has in nowise been in keeping with the
| increase in pay of other workmen, or with the
| increase in the cost of living. While the cost
| of living has increased approximately 80 per
| cent the salaries of teachers have increased
| only about IL per cent The purchasing
| power of the salary of the teachers in our
| public schools is, therefore, only about 81
| per cent of what it was four years ag"
! Unskilled laborers, cooks, telegraph messen-
gers and many others occupying positions
which require no preparation are paid higher
salaries than teachers. AS result, many
the better teachers are leaving the schools and
their places are taken by men and women of
| less native ability, less education and less
aiming and experience. Many of the places
are not filled at all. AS an inevitable result
the efficiency of the schools is being lowered
Just at time when it ought to be raised to the
highest standard.
The only remedy is larger pay for teachers
If school boards, legislatures and county and
city councils would Immediately announce the
policy doubling the average salary of teachers
within the next five years, and of adding not
less than SO per cent more within the ten
years following the expiration of this period.
that at the end of fifteen years the average
salary of public school teachers would be not