The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-18
MORE SALARIES
FOR TEACHERS
Recommended by ] a m e S
Hartness to Vermont
School Directors
so PER CENT RAISE
CALLED NECESSARY
Chairman of State Board
of Education Calls on
Towns to Act

James HartneSs OF the state board OF
education to the school directors of
Vermont at meeting here to-day to
consider the critical condition of the
school system in Vermont. Chairman
Hardness recommended that the in
crease become effective not later than
Feb. l, 1920, and as much earlier as
possible.
Chairman Hardness statement was
as follows:
This conference is called in recogni-
ton of the right of public school teach
ers to have a material increase in sal
airy.
I'VE are all fully aware that there
has been change in the purchasing
power of a dollar
1T is not essential at this time to
find all the causes that have produced
this result. 1t is the fact that faces
our teachers and ourselves
by various avenues of approach we
all arrive at conclusion that our dol
lar is worth about 80 cents when meas.
ured by the pre,war buying power
Wages of unskilled and skilled
workers have been generally advanced,
but there still remains a vast majority
of incomes which have not been adjust
ed There must be uniformity in
change in all compensation if we are
to avoid the calamity of national up
heayal
Under the pre-war condition there
were lamentable inequalities Of com
pensation We know that we have
always had profiteers, parasites and
kother burdens for the people to carry.
We know that the trend of the times
is toward equality of compensation for
given quality of service rendered. We
| know that on this new basis there will
be not AN exactly uniform change of
| pay from the pre-war basis, but it will
be something different from the ex-
| IRENE condition that now exists.
I'VE know that our lawmakers have
suggested only partial and sometimes
| destructive cures, but we are confident
that an investigation conducted by men
competent by record of service will
bring the needed light and remedy for
the correction of the old and new ir-
regularities of remuneration.
THE method of change will not hurt
the people; it will not hinder produc-
ton; it will not kill industrial life, and
it will predicate all its conclusions on
the fitness for every man for the Job or
Office eliminating parasites but since
we are face to face with condition
that requires prompt action let us take
/ care of this emergency
"0ur object in mentioning the broad
err problems is to satisfy ourselves that
we are on the right track in our course
toward correct determination Of our inn
mediate problem.
"0ur problem to-day is to give our
| teachers a square deal.
1T is for us, as officers intrusted
with the administration of the educa,
tional system, to act wisely in the
present crisis.
"In the teacher of the public schools
we have the highest type of American
ism, and consequently, a spirit of true
tdeyotion to the interest of the Amer
lean home on which Americanism is
| based
"ln our public schools we have the
most powerful engine for good or III.
1t has dependability of action. 1t
will not run away. 1t cannot easily be
| stampeded.
"The teachers have not struck for
higher salaries and they are not spread
ing unrest doctrines. They know the
great power of their influence, not only
on the pupils who in few years will
be the citizens of the state and country,
but also the great potency of their at
titude in forming the public opinion of
the family and community.
1T is for us and for all good and
| loyal Americans to recognize the power
Of our schools and the high value Of
our teachers ideals.
Teachers Ideals in Jeopardy.
"We must not permit continuance
Of this inequality of remuneration that
places each teachers ideals in jeopardy.
I'VE cannot evade our responsibility
| by pleading existing contracts or
change our tax rate, for that would
merely feed the repressed spirit of re-
bellion and unrest.
"0ur teachers are not bomb throwers,
or anything but the highest type of
humanity, but loyalty is hard to main
| tain against the insistent demands of
the body for ample raiment and other
needs such as could be provided with
the pay in other fields of service. Low
atty can live and even thrive under
adversely, provided it is not subjected
to the sickening thought of unfairness
and lack of appreciation.
! "This is not carelessly set forth. II
is careful statement of facts as they
exist
. 1--WE know that Vermonters are gem
uine Americans; that they stand for a
square deal and for maintaining and
energizing the strong Americanism of
our teachers so that this power of the
public schools will continue an engine
for true democracy instead of hot bed
for the spirit Of distrust and opposi-
tion to our government.
| "WhiIe it has been necessary for some
branches of labor to resort to strikes
some instances this has disturbed the
economic balance Of remuneration for
service, the teachers. scheme of life is
one that is led by faith and trust in
people that is inconsistent with the
strike principle
Teachers Forced to Scrimp.
"Many of the teachers have been
forced to 90 into other work to get a
living remuneration, and while this has
depleted the body of trained teachers
to serious extent, the majority are
continuing on, scrimping in their ex-
penditures far beyond the point of 9TH
er workers.