New Britain herald., 1919-12-05
ELM CITY TEACHERS
 SEEK MORE MONEY
Try to Educate Public Sentiment
 to This Necessity

 CTS of the city. mcmb bers of the Teach CTS league Lnd not members, met yesterday afternoon in the auditorium of the High school to consider the methods which will be used in the general campaign on the part of every teacher to secure the salary increase. The teachers aim to deter mine the sentiment of the public to- ward the increases, as apparently the members of the board of education and Mayor FitzGerald are in favor of the raises, if they feel that the citi- Zens of the city desire and believe the teachers should have these increases. The estimated cost, based on S03 teachers, is $320,OOO, or about Is rniI]s on the grand list.
 Teachers feel, if the citizens of the city are behind them, both the mayor and the board of finance will find %Onle means 10 get the money which iS needed for the increases. The min- mum increase is $35O a year; the maximum. $500.
 Increases in Other Cities.
 Statistics just gathered by the teachers and presented at the meeting yesterday show that the following in crcaSes were granted during the war period above the regular increase: Seattle, s7OO; Holyoke, $500; Lynn, $500; Los Angeles, s350; Brockton, $40; Reading, 35 per cent; Richmond, %5 per cent; Newark, 35 per cent; Charleston, 37 per cent; New Bed ford, 35 per cent; Syracuse, $500.
 New Britain Cited.
 The following cities in the state have given increases upon the same basis: Ansonia, $700; Norwich, 10 per cent; $200 and s67; Waterbury, $55O; Torrington, $522; Meriden, 46 per cent.
 Increases are being considered in the following places as follows: Der by, $500; Waterbury, $250; Ansonia, $500 flat; Worcester. $500; Somer- vile, $500 flat; Stamford, $50 flat; poston, $500 flat; New Britain, $500 flat; Paterson, N. J., s200 flat; Hol- yoke, $500 fiat; Cambridge, $500 flat; New Bedford, 35 per cent; Middle town, Conn.,, 25 per cent. Thirty eight other cities arc considering the question of raising the teachers sal aries.
 Teachers here are asking for maximum increase of not more than $500 and a minimum increase of not less than $35O for five or more years service.
 To Meet Increased Cost of Living.
 The increased high cost of lbvins has determined teachers to ask for this increase now. The average teachers increase during the war to meet the increased living demands has been below 20 per cent, statis- tics show.
 The increased cost of living has n received a new wage schedule short time ago, but it will take at least three years before the maximum under this schedule becomes opera tive, and now on account of the eX- cessively high cost of living they are asking that this schedule which has been vouchsafed them be made oper- ative now when it is most needed.
 Teachers TardincSs Explained.
 One of the officers of the league said yesterday;
 "It has been asked why we have not made application earlier for the increase so that it could be included in the budget. The new schedule had been operative only three months during January, February and March and it would have been necessary
 
 have it before the finance board in August. As a matter of fact, the teachers did not begin to realize how much they needed the money until June and the summer months, when they received no pay until October. The price of everything has increased and they were plunged into debt and in Septemb bor of this year the first appeal for help came. Teachers said they could not live on $950 a year of 12 months which is the maximum in the first six grades, and $1,1O0 for a teacher who has taught as many as 25 Or 30 years The first demand that the league do something for the teachers came in October and then, of course, the budget had been made out. When the schedule was put into operation prices in everything had not risen to the heights they are now. Neither was there any idea that they would so rise, and we were not prepared.'