Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-08
STATE HOUSE
Meeting 10


the lowest paid received 81 ger week
and that IL for 81 weeks in the year.
not for IS weeks as the teacher Is
paid. The other young women receiv-
ed as high as sSs per week, making
the lowest paid of the group s1404 per
year for regular time. l asked about
the young lady's educational qualifa-
ca tons. "She hasn't any" the mana
ger replied, "She has not passed the
third grade of the public SCHOOLS.
1T is not strange that young men
and young women will not spend the
required amount Of time, at least
six years beyond the elementary
school, and several thousand dollars
in preparation for a position pays
them much less than they can earn
in many other lines.
Some days ago an ad appeared
in one Of the Boston papers. 1t offer
ed SIS per week and subsistence for
a young woman to take care Oh Two
Pomeranians. This is equivalent TO
1920 per year. 1t ought to be worth
as much to take care of 30 or 40
blooded young Americans as to take
care OF two dogs. but the latter oc-
cupation seems more feemunerative
at present.
Il cannot believe that people are
unwilling to properly finance the
schools. All they need is to find
way. The people do not begrudge the
keepers Of their treasures proper
compensation. In time they will cor
rect the injustice which has recent
iy become evident to them. The press
| is right as usual as it is champion
! ing the cause Of the teacher and the
people will know the facts 1t may
| take little time to become accus-
toned to the idea Of proper compen-
| sation, to overcome the inertia and
| to adjust government machinery to
the program.
| We are spending at present about
seven hundred million dollars a year
| on education in the United States
| A little over half of that goes to
| teachers wages. We need a billion
! dollar program. If it were a consid-
Grafton of a business enterprise or
| even of organized charities a billion
dollars would be raised. A billion
| dollar program would put into opera
ton 81, 500 minimum wage scale for
| prepared teachers with sufficient re-
serve to pay additional for expert
ence and unusual ability. There is
| need of increased compensation all
of the way from the most remote ru-
raj teacher to the superintendent Of
schools and the college professor.
There is shortage of $4,000 teachers
in the United States and many of the
teachers now employed are unpre-
pared. The country school is the
| greatest sufferer and it is Of great
est importance.
AS 1 go about the State and visit
thriving centers some friend takes
me in his car and shows me the
sights Of the town
Whose residence is that" in
quire, as we pass "a beautiful home
in the best part Of the village.
That belongs to the superintend-
ent Of the MILL" he replies.
Whose house is that >over there,
that is beautiful too?"
That is the home Of the leading
merchant"
"A little later as we pass a mag
nificent residence GROWING the high
est portion of the village I am told
it belongs to the banker"
Where does the superintendent q
schools live?" I inquire.
well, now, 1 cannot exactly tell
He did live over on the east side but
understand that he moved last
week to find a cheaper rent"
"ThiQ 10
We were taught many Lessons by
the war. The schools Of the past
have served their time and well in
deed, but the inadequacy Of our edu-
cational system to supply future
needs became manifest during the
war. The teacher is the keeper Of
our liberties. A government by the
people, for the people. and of the peo-
pie must be based upon intelligenc,
and education. The uneducated NAV
junction in an autocracy but cannot
function in a democracy. Is a free
government worth the cost?
"A few days ago 1 visited a coun-
try school at South Windham. The
children sang America with feeling
and appreciation; they saluted the
flag and understood it's meaning:
they recited a patriotic poem. The
teachers Of our schools have taught
lessons OF sacrifice. deeds Of daring
and heroism. These lessons helped
carry the boys "Over the Top" and to
victory but much remains to be
done. A higher degree Of expert
teaching is required. Better pre-
pored teachers are demanded and
they must be given a living wage.
Il do not mean by that a wage
to keep them while they are evident
ly engaged in the profession, but
enough to keep them when they have
reached the age Of dependency. a saw
ing wage. A teacher must feel indie
pendent. reasonably fell fed and rea-
sonably well clothed and she should
be educated. cultured and refinel.
She should have a chance fer recrea-
ton and travel the same as other
people enjoy. The leaders Of our on
coming army Of 24,000, 900 citizens
need all this. Is it worth the cost ?
Is America worth while?
Governor Milliken after receiving a
telegram from the National Tuber-
culosis Association at New york
stating that Maine had gone "over