Evening journal., 1919-10-20
]ELAWAR near
LOWEST LEVEL IN
TEACHERS. PAY
contlnned from 81 page

Maryland. and AR. shilling and Mr.
Holloway went TO New Jersey. Why
Because under tho old school law an,
system teachers salaries in Delaware
we're held down to such level thai
other States were paying from % {,
100 per cent. more for school teachers
For five years prior 10 Americas en-
trance into the war the average month.
ly salary Of Delaware's schol teacher,
was a few cents less than SO a onlh
For the last school year prior 10 our
entrance into the war. fhe average
monthly salary Of Delaware's school
teachers was Sii79.
While Delaware had been standing
siiil FOR five years in the matter Of
teachers salaries what had Maryland
been dolngs 70 had been gradually adj
,ancing teachers salaries until In 1916
they averaged S63.0i a month. What
had New Jersey been doing3 70 had
been increasing teachers salaries until
Ia 1916 they averaged s933i a month
And DelaWarc's average stood still at
si.l9 a month.
With teachers salaries Just across the
state line In Maryland averaging 40 per
cent. higher than In Delaware. and with
teachers salaries just across the river
in New Jersey averaging 100 per cent
higher than in Delaware. what hap
pened? Exactly the same thing that
would have happened if wages for
arm hands I'm ncighboring Siales were
from 40 20 100 per cent. higher than in
NIaII I'D
,tenegraphers or factory hands or cooks
or any other skilled or unskilled labor.
Delaware began 90 lose her school
teuchers. That b., those who had train
ed themselves 90 make school teaching
d profession. Like other professions
they sought the field which paid the
higher wages. The teachers named
above were among those attracted 10
neighboring states because OF better
salaries. But they We're not the only
,nes. Delaware lost other teachers who
have not come back.
Nor is that all Because OF the scan
ialously low wages offered teachers
here. young women and Young men Of
Delaware stopped training 10 be teach
ers. fley could make FAR more money
n other lines Of work. Tho result was
ever new teachers each year. untll at
last Delaware was forced 10 employ
girls ~ho were In nOwise prepared 10
be- teachers and who had no intention
n remaining school teachers over
year or two, girls who took schools
Intil they got married or found some
hing else 70 do.
Nor were Mary land or New Jersey
hc only states paying far higher salar-
Is for teachers than Delaware. As
natter of cold, hard facts Delawarc's
c,el of salaries for school teachers had
Junk 80 low that by 1916 only three
ther States in the Union were paying
little. Those three States were
Georgia. North Carolina and Mississippi.
lll of the other southern states were
laying more for teachers than Della
ware. notwithstanding the fact that
southern states are very backward In |
public education.
What were the conditions I'm the /
Wild and woody" west. out in the sage /
,rush' States? While Delaware kept on
)aying It's teachers an average monthly /
Nage Of little less than Si5. New Mexico
was paying s16.6S; Arizona. 5000;
Nevada, S9i32. Utah. $3.50; Idaho,
ss5.s5; oregon, SS6l5; Washington.
s9926, and California. sii386l In the
light Of these figures. Is it any wonder
that the western States are attracting
men who want 10 settle down and
raise families where their children may
lave splendid opportunities. that capital
$ being attracted 10 those states that
The country is being developed into a
fabuously rich section OF America?
Nor were the southern States and the
FAR western States the only States pay
ing far more 90 teachers than Della
ware. Everywhere 10 was the same
story; In the middle west. the agricul-
iural states OF the Mississippi valley, |.
The New England States. Everywhere
it was being recognized that children
must be given better education. and TO
get better education they must have
better teachers and better schools. and
l0 get better teachers more money
must be paid. Everywhere, except In
Delaware and three southern States,
eachers' salaries We're being increased.
The average monthly salary in fhe
United States was S701i, against sii.79
IN Delaware.
Nor does that tell the whole story. Not
]
per month, but the schOl year in Della
ware was cut so short in many districts
hat they averaged fewer months school
work year than did teachers Of other
'tates. Delawares school year averaged ,
- months. At the rate Of sii.79 ,
month, this gave the Delaware teachers 4
IN average annual salary OF S367.21. But F.,
he teachers who taught only eight !
months had TO live twelve months. She Z
lad TO feed, cl0the. house and take care r
n herself 800 days a year. If she bad ,
10 other income than her salary as
eacher-her s367.27. her average daily n
wage for the 365 days was one dollar a
day. Delaware was paying her school r
eacheVS al rate which was less than n
he rate paid cooks in the kitchen. Office
'oys, farm hands, foreigners on the
help in the eanneries. less than 4
NY unskilled labor in the State. Z
BY the time the new school law was
assed, the old system had practically :
illed the profession OF school teaching :
n Delaware, had practically driven
ralned school teachers out OF the 4,
late and made il impossible for Young 4
women TO look forward TO teaching i
chooi as a means Of even decent .
lVingi So true was this that when !,
delaware College offered GO free n
cholarships in the teachers training !,
curse at the beginning Of this year 10 a
'eiawareans, less than half OF them r,
vas applied forl Who wanted 10 be a \,
eacher in Delaware? \
To this low level did the old system !
ring Delaware II was the direct re- :
- l.