Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-04-19
WAGE IS URGED.
SCHOOL TEACHERS.
Demonstrate Need Of
. Higher Salaries For
Instructors.


aud throughout the state, who win find
it easy to raise a Crouch at the re-
Gently enacted statute providing for a
minimum Of SIS as a teachers salary;
this on the ground that there are hun.
dreds Of teaching positions where a s75
teacher is not required and where it is
net possible for the teacher to actually
earn that amount. The fact is shown
from our own county figures that in
some districts the teacher is paid as low
as s45 a month, and no doubt the de-
mands Of the position indicated a teach
or Of about that eahbre. On the other
hand, there are figures in the office of
! Superintendent Churchill, aud Superin-
tendent Todd, Of the city schools, that
win make the reader forget all such in
cidental eases.
Considering the act that the time is
at hand when cur school board and all
other boards will be confronted with the
problem of securing contracts for the
coming year, it viii be worth while TO
note some of these figures. The depart
ment Of public instruction in the aggrc-
gate s4,552,5 94 in salaries. 1t win be a
simple matter to figure out the average
wage from this, though the result would
not mean much, for there are all kinds
Of teachers and all kinds Of conditions.
A few figures from Salem and Marion
county might be more significant.
Savings Margin Small.
For instance, here is a list Of male
teachers in Salem whose salaries run
from $1125 to $4,000, or an average Of
1855 a year. Roughly estimated, their
annual living expenses u n from $500
to $1,000 a year.
Again, here are "a lady teachers
whose salaries run from $675 up to
Sl000-there being but two teachers,
however, receiving hat magnificent re-
Enumeration. There are four VINO re-
eeive 5000; fourteen who receive be.
tween $500 and $3.50; nine who receive
between 500 and $775. In the case of
these lady teachers it is shown that
their living expenses, aside from what
AHtN NDNHu IUf N0tdtlOI fAHtiNtHs luiN
from 25 per cent up to 100 per cent of
their incomes, the majority Of them
showing over so per cent. Taken on the
general average, the lady teachers are
getting along with a salary of about
1910 a year.
Taking up the county teachers, Il Is
shown that there are about 50 out of 10,
teachers receiving $50 a month or less
several of them running between "a,
and $50. In a few rare instances out
side Of Salem, school teachers are re
ceiving as high as $50 o month.
Comparative Wage Problem.
Aside from the equity of the situation
in Salem, where the new salary law
does not affect it, the problem is going
to be how to fill positions in the schools
with other vacations and other localities
offering greater inducements. Ever
with the ten per cent raise Throughout
the school last year, the wage rate ii
not in keeping with other voeations re
quiring the same degree Of fitness.
Ii nay not be out of place in thii
matter Of news to quote from an ad
dress by DIR. A. s. Winship, editor Of The
Journal Of Education, in Boston: "Fol
a man to draw a good salary, to provide
theatre tickets and summer vacation.
fol his sons and daughters, un5 ye'
make no effort to have tho city pay
the teachers a thrift wage is as con
temptible as to feed skim-milk TO hi
children and Jersey cream to his hoge
Teachers must have a thrift wage. Tha'
is the slogan of the age. To talk Of
mere living wage for teachers is an out
! rage. The board Of education is elected
to do one thing only--to insist upol
5 having everything done that can b.
done for children through the schools
4 No school is satisfactory unless Oh,
teacher has the best possible condition
under which to work. 1t is the bust
! ness Of the board Of education to max
these conditions the best possible. II
. a civic crime for any member OF a boar,
Z Of education to watch the treasury, o
{ to represent the taxpayers"