Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1919-10-31
TEACHERS SALARIES
SHOULD BE RAISED
Correspondent Shows Up Insult
cheney of Compensation Paid
Our Educators

Did you ever stop and think that
the day laborer, the section hand,
and all unskilled labor are paid larg-
er wages than the teachers in our
public schools, who have to spend
many years at colleges in preparing
for their work, which requires great
skill and tact, and who make greater
personal sacrifices and have greater
influence on the men and women of
tomorrow than any other profession
or factor in the world, says a cor
respondent to an exchange. They are
generally speaking, unappreciated,
and were it not for their natural love
for a self imposed lifes duty, would
be driven into more renumerative
pursuits. Only the daughters of the
rich can get by without financial
humiliation and worriment. The
daughters of the poor are invariably
in almost Strengthened circumstances.
Loyal? There is no more loyal pro-
fession in America. Teachers have
invested their last cent for thrift
stamps and liberty bonds, have sub
scribed literally to the War Work
er's fund and even borrowed money
from local people in order to go
home for their holiday vacation.
The people of the State of Min
nesota should cover their faces in
shame. With the states enormous
school fund, it's palatial scohol build
ings and it's wonderful school system,
ariTnn f0
compel school teachers to labor for
such niggardly wages. The leading
men of this state-financiers, states
men and industrial captains -Owe
their success to the influences of
some school teacher, beyond a ques-
ton Of doubt.
The state can step in and force
just treatment for the school teachers
lust as the federal government
forced fair treatment to the section
men on the railroads. For illustra-
ton; section men received the mig
gardly sum of $3.50 per day for ten
hours work and now they receive
$40 a day for ten hours work, with
paw and a half for all over time.
This means at least $88.40 a month,
on straight time, or $1O6O.8O per
annum In former years this was
"the last resort job" The clerks at
the 500 line receive as a monthly
salary from $4,000 to $102.5O per
month. The "call' boys received
$3.50 per month. The minimum
grade teachers of the Glenwood
schools. receives $3.50 per month, or
S652.5O per year. She pays $500
for board, room and washing per
month. Her other absolute necessi-
ties will average not less than $1,000
a month, to say nothing of the cost
for railroad fare to and from her
home You will plainly see that it
leaves but a very small sum with
which to pay $1,000 for shoes which
formerly sold at $2.98; Is cents a
pair for stockings, which formerly
sold for 35 cents, and $1,000 for a
bonnet that she could formerly buy
for $3.50 to $500, a coat for $42.50
that was not considered a rare bar
gain at SLABS, and so on down the
line. If she permits herself to have
the recreation and amusements so
essential in life, she may have to
accept it under circumstances which
are positively humilating to her. A
needed bon-bon or dish of ice cream
is luxury with her-a1most prohi-
bitive-and, we don't blame the peo-
pie for the blush of Shame, and we
hope that the State of Minnesota will
right this wrong. It's the best in
vestment the state can make; it
means efficiency in the schools, with |
the people as the greatest benefci-
aries