Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-02
Weaken Teachers Efficiency.

the teaching force are materially
bettered.
Weaken Teachers Efficiency.
Low salaries not only drive teach
ers from the work, but also weaken
ef!iciency by unrest and uncertainty.
Low salaries mean temporary service
and the use OF positions as q stepping
stone to something else. They mean
for those who remain a financial
stress which Is destructive of peace
Of mind. They mean too often inabil-
ity to protect the teachers health, or
to give her the recreation and relaxa-
ton which such a stressful occupa-
tiol requires. They mean the forcing
of teachers to overtime and vacation
work. often in other distinctive fields.
in order to secure the funds to make
ends meet. They mean the loss of op-
portunity 70 rtravel and study which
worth while teachers desire in order
to retain their efficiency at a high
level. Especially is there danger Of
lowering professional standards and
ideals"
Mr.. Thurston said that In his judy
mont the board took a necessary step
when 1t sought to establish a mini
mum wage Of $1,000 year for teach
erS.
The chapter of the report dealing
with the teacher question includes a
table showing that the system lost
230 teachers. white and colored. dur
ing the last fiscal year, of which
number 127 were permanent losses.
Cover Absolute Losses.
Past experience leads us to be-
lieve." the report continues, that
many of the others, also will not re-
turn These figures cover the abso-
lutte loss for the year for which re-
placements had to be obtained. They
by no means show the full extent of
the loss in the efficiency Of the school
system. In many cases replaceme en- Is
could not be assigned to the direct
points at which vacancies occurred.
Promotions and transfers within the
force were nece5sita ted. and these
necessarily affected the work of other
classes"
In advocating a reorganization of
the business management Of the
school system. with business man in
charge. Mr.. Thurston points out to
the school board the heavy burden
which the present system places upon
the superintendent and assistant SUI
perintendent of supervising all minor
financial transactions along with their
educational duties.
Supervision Of General Character.
Continuing. the report reads:
Naturally. under the circumstances,
and in view Of the proper educational
demands, supervision can be only OF
a general character, while the more
mechanical burden of signing and ap-
proving of business papers. of many
hundreds of acquisitions. pay rolls and
miscellaneous papers takes time that
could be spent to better educational
advantage in other ways. In addition
other educational officers in the school
system must be taxed with business
duties in order that the work Of the
system may go on. This is especially
true of the white assistant superin-
tendent, who acts in many ways as
executive officer to the superintendent.
He deserves credit for the heavy bur-
den that he has carried.
The need. therefore, for a general
business officer to relieve the educa-
tional officers, 1t seems to me, is clear
ly evident. and his appointment would
mean the relief of the educational
stan and corresponding increase in
the educational efficiency. The bust
ness affairs, rated at a salary that
would secure a man Of the right type.
He should have authority to handle
all routine business coming in con-
tact with the educational officers only
where educational questions make
such course necessary, or advisable
l earnestly trust that the board OF
education will continue to stand for
the establishment of this Office;