The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-23
URGES $500 MINIMUM
SALARY FOR TEACHERS

within the next five years, and then
adding fifty per cent before another
ten years have pafsed. 20 that the
minimum average salary for teachers
will be $500 this In tho program
urged by DR.. p. p. Claxton, u. 8.
kksS,n... .sz-..fs,e4 5 ~ sk.>1-..--. y
lClaxton says.
ut is only by very largp increases
lin pay Of teachers that we may hcpe
to improve our schools apprec4ably.
Small increases of five, ten or twenty
per cent win not avail, for they VIM
not be sufficient to hold in tho schools
men and women of superior ab0ity.
Teachers are now paid leSs for
their work than any other class OF
workerA and the increase IN their
'pay in the last few years has in no.
wise been in keeping with the increase
in pay of other workers, or with the
increase in the cost Of living. While
the cost of living has Increased APP
lprcxirnately eighty par esni. food.
druEN ~ pr cent; fnai, 50 pr csnk-
and house fuxniaiz1X EooAA. n pr
cant, the salar4es OF teacha8 hA10
Increased only aa,ost II per csu1 1ns
Durchas1ng power of the aa1nx2 ct M
taachor In our public aeA40b -
therefore. onay shsut 60 pr csgk q
what It w1s fsur years agn
MANY Of tho better teachers a1s
leaving The schools and the1r places
arc taken By men and woussa at le1
native ab1nfy. Aw education - cul-
tura~Anl AnB~tzxanAng And exDsrtanco.
Many OF tho places ars not dned at
all Al an inevitable result tn char
acter OF The eclbosls II being lowered
Just At q time when II ought to be
raised to q much higher standard
-Studouts now entering the normal
schools to prepare for teaching are
not of as good quality as they were
formerly. which means that the
standards of the schools must con-
the enrolment is far less than tn
| The only remedy In larger pay for
teachers. II school boaros. ie<tsaa-
torn and county and city councils
would Immediately Announce The
policy of doubling ne avorage salary
OF teachers within the next five years
and Of adding not less than 50 per
cent more within he tsn ye&<1 fol-
lpvfn4 the expiration OF This period.
80 that at the end Of dfhsm Jeaxs
tnacherr vUuh b not Le0 NAN
$1,kos. about ono and . hall cmes
larger than the1 rcoetve NJ present.
and then take sctnps for cUry1ng cut
t1rh policy. mach good Wouid - 90
complained thereby At onca-
Such . policy and such . proGpsct
wuuoA attract to ths schools more
msn and woman Of superior ab0ity
and would hold Cscn. wo<kAng com
ltendedly aud. therefore. probably tor
the children and tho public welfare
tSuch increase in salary shouId cAny
WIN II an increase Of not ieS hAn
las PER cent I'm tho average length OF
the school term which il now less
thsn $50 daya-
10 shone who are An4uAtnhed
WIN past conditions and who havs
given TIE matter no Intelligent
Thought, fhs increase recommended
may seem large, but IN tact It fs not
It would in most stA&ea mean . range
OF salaries from $1,000 to 3t.eso. Nc
person Who - N to take the time and
money and opportunity of the children
of this great democratic republic for
the purpose OF fitting them for life,
for making a living and for vfrtuoua
Icttizeushfp should be asked to work
for less than 1890 year IN any
community or In any state. No one
who h unworthy OF this minimum
salary IL fitted to do this work and
no such persons should be permitted
Ito waste the time and money Of the
children and to fritter away their op-
'portunity for education.
TT Ia not for the sake OF the teach
ers that this policy lis advocated
Schools are not maintained for the
benefit OF the teachers II men and
women of ability are not willing to
teach for the pay offered them they
can quit and do something else for
a living, ~ hundreds of thousands
of the best do II is for the sake OF
1.-THE schools. the children and the
prosperity OF the people and ths
strength and safety of the nation
that the policy is advocated"