The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-02-24
TEACHERS EALARY

adding so per cent before another 10
years have passed, so that the mini
mum average salary for teachers will
be 100000 this is the program urged
by DIR p p Claxton, U S Commission
er Of Education. Dr. Claxton says:
1T is only by very large increases
in pay of teachers that we may hope
to improve our schools appreciably.
Small increases of S, 10 or 20 per cent
will not avail, for they will not be
sufficient to hold in the schools men
and women of superior ability.
Teachers are now paid less for
their work than any other class of
workers, and the increase in their pay
in the last few years has in nowise
been in keeping with the increase in
pay Of other workers, or with the in
crease in the cost of living. While the
cost Of living has increased approx
mately 80 percent food IS per cent;
clothing, 106 per cont; drugs, 1902
per cent fuel, SO per cent; and house
furnishing goods, rs per cent the sal
aries Of teachers have increased only
about IL per cent. The purchasing
power Of the salary OF the teacher in
cur public schools is therefore, only
about 63 per cent of what it was four
years ago.
MANY of the better teachers are
leaving the schools and their places
are taken by men and women of less
native ability, less education and cul
ture, and less training and experien.
ce. Many of the places are not filled
at all. AS an inevitable result the
character of the schools is being low
cred just at a time when it ought to
be raised to a much high standard.
Student now entering the normal
schools to prepare for teaching are
not entering the normal schools to
prepare for teaching are not as good
quality as they were formerly, which
means that the standards of the,
schools must continue to fall In some
normal schools the enrolment is far
less than in former years.
"The only remedy is larger pay
For teachers. If school boards, legisla
tors and county or city councils would
Immediately announce the policy of
doubling the average salary of teach
ers within the next five years and
of adding not less than so per cent
more within the 10 years following
the expiration of this period, so that
at the end of Is years the average
salary of public school-teachers would
be not less than so per cent more
within the 10 years following the expi
ration of this period, so that at the
end of Is years the average salary of
public school-teachers would be not
less than $1,000 about one and half
times larger than they receive at
present-and then take steps for
carrying out this policy, much good
would be accomplished thereby at
one.
Such policy and such prospect
would attract to the schools more men
and women of superior ability and
hold them working constentedly and
therefore, profitably for the children
and the public welfare. Such increase
in salary should carry with it an in
crease of not less than % per cent in
the average length of the school term.
which is now less than 100 days.
ITO those who are not acquainted
with conditions and who have given
the matter no intelligent thought. the
Increase recommended may seem
arge, but in fact it is not. 1t would
IN most States mean a range of sala.
ries from $1,000 to $4,000. No person
who is fit to take the time and money
md opportunity of the children of
this great democratic Republic for the
purpose of fitting them for life, for
making a living, and for virtuous cit
lzenship should be asked to work for