The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-28
Teachers Salaries.


On the 9Th Of June, l requested %
gentlemen to go before the Board of
| Education to request an increase in
The salaries of the superintendent and
teachers both white and colored. Of
this number, could not go for rea-
sons beyond their control; but stated
that they were heartily in favor of
raising the salaries. The other tWen-
ty appeared before the board IN per-
son. We requested the Board 10 In.
crease the salary Of the superlhtend-
ent to $4,000 and the salaries OF the
teachers both white and colored at
least ten dollars ($10) a month each
on a basis Of twelve months. The
salaries of the other teachers had
been raised last year en- a basis of
twenty dollars a month; but the su-
perintendent's salary YVES not increas-
ed at that time. Every citizen whom
I az preached in reference to this mat
ter stated that he was heartily in fa-
vor Of the increase in the salaries and
several expressed themselves as wish
ing to ask for a much higher increase.
did not know that the Board would
meet on that day until about twelve
o'clock at which time l was informed
by the chairman that it would meet at
4 o'clock, l then called up these
gentlemen, told them of the purpose
for which I wished them to appear
before the Board. and every one of
them expressed himself as in favor Of
an increase in the salaries and ap
peared before the Board as above
stated.
I have never spoken to citizens
about any proposition where / found
them so absolutely unanimous as
die in this proposition. This to me
seemed an evidence of the fact thai
our people appreciate the work Of
cur superintendent and his corps Of
teachers. a few days after we ap-
peared before the Board, I went into
the store of one of our citizens who
is a large taxpayer and he Informed
nae that he had just heard about these
citizens appearing before the Board
andethe purpose for: which tiney' ha;
appeared and that he felt that he had
been sighted because iie iad not
kecn called upon 10 go as o2ie OF :lIeso.
that he wsss not only heartily in fave,
OF wha had neen done and felt
sighted becauS he had not had a
part in it and approved Of the re-
quest we had made; but that he was
in favor Of still more. He added that
our superintendent was invaluable to
the schools and community and
should be paid more than was re-
quested. The gentleman just referred
to above was Mr.. Isaac Schwartz and
everybody knows that he knows
good thing, and is not willing to
spend his money unless he gets full
value. T felt at one time when he
was talking to me that 1 was in dan
ger of being thrashed for not having
given him the opportunity Of satisfy
ing his desire to add; his vote Of ap-
proval 10 our request. : lam confident.
judging the balance of. our citizens
by those who appeared before the
Board, that our schools are conducted
in such a manner as to command the
approval and hearty support Of our
entire citizenship. I am informed that
other citizens have gone to DR.. Ed
munds and expressed their pleasure at
the action taken. Some of them even
mountaineering themselves in order
to do so.
The schools are undoubtedly our
greatest asset in fact, without our
schools all our other possessions
would soon become worthless. We
have never properly appreciated the
work OF our teachers They have the
training of our children during the
most important period in their lives
and yet we have been willing in the
past 20 let them train our children
almost without adequate conspensa-
ton to make ends meet; but, feel
that the people are beginning to real
ize where their greatest asset lies,
and, that whenever their attention is
called to the fact they will always re-
spond and will be willing to put UP
the money necessary to properly COM
pensate our teachers and TO carry or
the educational work.
The following is the list of the cit
liens vino appeared before the Board
of Education:
ri n