Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-25
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TEACHERS MUST LIVE

TEACHERS MUST LIVE
To say that teachers must 1.-Two is to
make special application of a truisn that
applies to all classes of people 1t is
equally true of clergymen and physicians
and lawyers and farmers and artisans
and even of newspaper men and news
paper women. When you stop to think
Of it. however, you will discover that
among all Of the different people named
school teachers are in class by them
selves. OF all these different classes the
school teachers are the only ones whose
compensation is produced through gen.
eral taxation. and who are consequently
dependent on the public and public opin-
ion for the rate Of compensation they
receive.
If you agreo that tho school teacher
stands next to the parent in importance
with respect to the training Of the chill
dren Of America. and admit. as you
must. that in a host of lamentable cases,
the school teacher must take the place
Of the delinquent parent In instilling
moral and patriotic and wholesome ideas
into the minds of the children. you in
directly acknowledge that the assurance
OF a euffi0,:.t wage to attract and hold
the right kind Of teachers for the chill
dren In our schools is a supreme consid-
GRAFTON.
At the late conference of the school
superintendent and directors with the
State Board Of Education In Burlington
1t was voted that school teachers ought
to receive an advance Of fifty per cent
in wages as compared with the rates
! paid before the war with Germany began
scale as before.
| 1t behooves the citizens of every town
and the parents of the children in every
school in Vermont to make 1t point to
see to II that this movement is carried
out. Otherwise in not a few instances
some penny pinching'' commissioner
will try to hold the teacher down to a
contract or agreement or to take advan-
tage Of some untoward situation to dodge
the moral responsibility to carry out this
mandate, not Of law or authority. but Of
concensus Of opinion Of the great body
of school authorities in the State.
Vermont pays lower average salary
than any other New England State. our
, average being only about half as much
as the average salary in Massachusetts
Consequently we lose a large number of
Vermont teachers every year including
some of our best teachers.
The number of students in Vermont
Normal schools and teacher training
classes is smaller than It has been for
great many years. Many schools are
at present being taught by unqualified
teachers. In some cases girls who
graduated from the commercial depart
ment Of high school in 1918 are now be-
ing paid higher salaries for Office work
than is being paid to the head of the
commercial department Of the school.
There are girls who are receiving more
than some of our teachers are receiv-
Ing and in towns paying relatively high
average salaries.
Many rural school teachers in Vermont
are teaching for 81 and $l2 a week for
a "a week year. and low salaries are not
confined to rural schools.
Rutland and Barre cities pay teachers
as low $3.50 year. and the average
salary of teachers in the first six grades
in those two cities is SCI lower than the
average salary paid to the rural school
teachers in the town of Rockingham al
the present time.
The great majority of Vermont teach
ers are obliged to supplement their salar
les by summer employment or by beinf
dependent upon relatives. Not more thar
40 per cent of them are receiving salare
as teachers large enough TO pay the
expenses for a twelve month year.
: Under these circumstances we ar
glad that the Vermont state Teachers
j association is making an investigation
e relative to salaries, teaching conditions
and living circumstances of the teach
ers in the public schools throughout tn
State. The results of this investigation
g must inevitably contribute materially t.
= the progress Of the educational campaig,
n necessary to ensure a general, recognition
y OF the necessity of paying teachers no
7 only a living, but also a "self-respect
j ing" wage. We hope the Free Press ma
= be able to print detailed accounts Of tn
= conditions found by this committee an
: aid still further I'm emphasizing the fac
n that the Vermont teachers as a Who'll
d are worthy Of a "higher hire"
n MAY HAVE BEEN MURDERED
Clinton Bowen of Chelsea has receive