The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-06-13
WHY TEACHERS SEEK
OTHER OCCUPATIONS
APitiful Salarie. Driving Strong Wo-
men and Men Out Of Profession.
Fifty Thousand Vacancies
in Country.
Literary Digest.

poured out their riches so prodlgaliy
in response to every patriotic, every
: charitable appeal, and who accord
ed such enthusiastic and liberal sup
port to every measure and to every
group that helped win the war should
have neglected to properly encourage
and reward the services Of one OF
the noblest professions in the held
of human activities-a profession
that in lofty ideals, in unselfsh prin-
ciples, in sacred responsibilities,
stands side by side with the ministry
of the Gospel itself. y
We wish to bespeak, with what
ever power and authority we may
have and with such words as may be
granted to us, some measure Of con-
sideration for the foster fathers and
mothers of our children-the school
:teachers of the United States OF
AAmerica.
There is no class of workers Of
(which we demand SO much. We COM
NIT into their keeping the minds, the
bodies, and the very souls OF our
children in the tender and formative
wears of their lives, and they, receiv-
ing these children, can indeed be said
to hold in the hollow of their hands
Dthe future of America. We expect
these devoted men and women to
watch over and care for our sons
.sand daughters as though they were
their very own, to drill them In the
arts and sciences, to train them for
business and for citizenship. to IN
struct them in manners and in NOR
ais, to do for them those things
which we would do had we the tram
ing and the leisure.
No class has assumed so heavy, so
irving 8 burden and responsibility
with such willingness as these eonse-
Grated men and women No class has
performed their Increasingly heavy
tasks more devotedly, more conscien-
tiously, and with less thought, of self.
No class served their country more
whi,ooleheartedly, more loyal, during
the trying and tempestuous times OF
4var day by day pursuing their reand
of duty, day by day helping the
young people, and through the child
rem the parents, to see the struggle
in its true light, thus securing the CO.
operation of the community in every
measure undertaken by the govern
ment to win the war.
tTruly they have made the nation
their everlasting debtor. Truly had
they not done their work so. well this
republic would not outlast the span
Of generation.
What then have the teachers re-
sceiyed at our hands in return? They
have received little Of honor and
somewhat less Of pay. Other classes
have prospered other classes through
powerful organizations have secured
generous wages. The teachers have
no spokesman, however, to demand
even the simple justice OF living
wage, so to them we give the petty
pre-war pittance, so meager, so pitt
fully inadequate, that it places
burning brand Of shame and dis
grace upon this nation.
The men and women who are max
ing the Americans of tomorrow are
r. 40 treated with less consideration
than the janitors who sweep out the
sbuildings in which they are employ
ed; they are earning on the average,
less than the wages given to the
scrub women employed in the pub
lie buildings of the United tates gov
ernment. Normal school graduates
receive less salary than street sweep
ers; high school principals and su-
perintendents less than section fore
men; country school teachers less for
instructing the farmers children than
he pays his hired man to feed his
hogs.
In a certain town of Illinois, for
Instance, the average wages of Is
miners for one month was SIT,
while the average monthly salary OF
teachers in the same town was
IS. In another town miner, who,
Rs the way, was an enemy alien,
drew more than s2,700 last year,
while the salary of the high school
principal in the same town was s765.
We welcome with all our hearts the
long belated recognition that is be-
ing given to the man who works with
his hands. We believe that this same
.uork;nunan will be the first to join |