Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
MORE PAY FOR TEACHERS
To the Editor of the TeIegraph:

The following extracts from the
Reports on Teachers Salaries of
the National Educational Associa-
ton are heartily endorsed and ap-
proved by the joint committee rep
resenting the School Board and
teachers of Harrisburg:
The critical situation of our
schools will never be genuinely rem
edied so long as teachers services
are regarded as a commodity to be
purchased at the cheapest obtain
able rate in the open market. The
teacher must come to be taken for
what he is-a public servant, per-
forming a task of unsurpassed i'm
portance to the nation, and on that
account just as fully entitled to ade-
quate compensation, or its equiva-
lent. as the soldier, the legislator
or the judge.
ut is a day of big things. It is
pre-emtnently a day when those
who are serving the state must be
granted the right of way. The teach
ers of the country are not only serv-
ing the state now, they have been
serving all of their lives. A nation
without education is a coast with
out a lighthouse.
How can the child be expected
to have respect for the things of the
mind when he sees those who have
devoted lifetime to them refused
the reasonable comfort of exist
ence Why should go into teach
ing high school girl is reported
to have asked an aunt who was urg-
ing the girl to adopt her vocation.
a II On inAn &4n 4I,s,
when l can get $3.50 a day more
than you are getting after teaching
twenty-one years?'
'"Why should I want an educa-
ton boy who had left school for
the mines retorted smilingly to the
teacher who was trying to impress
on him the need of a high school
education for success in life. why
should I want an education? Why,
my dear teacher, I'm making a good
deal more than you are now.' What
could the teacher say?
Mr.. Voter. do you know that
right here in Harrisburg many girls
in the cigar factories who can only
speak broken English are making
much better wages than your av-
erage grade teacher?
Are you going to trust the train
ing OF your boy and your girl to
those to whom you are not willing
to pay a living wage?
Do you know that the teacher is
only paid for a part of the year.
but has to live the entire year?
Would you like to be forced to be
idle from two and one-half to four
months a year without any income ?
You want the teacher of your boy
and your girl to be we'll read and
progressive. to have an interest in
the affairs of the community. to
have well-iriformed, attractive
personality whose influence for good
is felt beyond the confines Of the
schoolroom. You have a right to
demand a teacher who will inspire
your san and daughter with the
highest tideals in life.
In return for this are you willing
to use your influence to see that ade-
quate recompense is made for these
requirements?
Such bill is now before our leg
islative body. bill for Increasing
the salaries of teacherk
Better salaries mean better teach
ers. Better teachers mean that
better-equipped boys and girls will
go forth from our schools. Mr..
Voter, can you hesitate to instruct
your representative to vote for this
bill as 1t now stands or with suit
able amendments?
INTERESTED.