Middletown transcript., 1920-04-17
WOOD FLAYSLOW !:
TEACHERS PAY
No Class in Country Engaged in
More Constructive Labor
Than Educators.

WOrQS ln> Oehalf OF better cODdlt1Ons
for our educators are not merely per
functory, but spring from a well-found
ed conviction, forced upon him by mi
mute observation of educational de
tails in many parts of America, and
presage more promising. outlook fol
our teachers in the future should Wood
become President Of the United States
Wood says:
"Our educators are very much under
paid. There is no class today in Amer.
lea which has the opportunity to dc
more important or more constructive
work in the building up of good citizen
ship-1 do not know that could ex-
cept the church itself-than those who
are teaching in our universities and
schools. They are forming the men
and women Of tomorrow. They are
working quietly, but effectively, day
after day, week after week, and month
after month. They have our children
with them much more than we have
them, and as they incline the minds Of
these youngsters, so will they be later
on.
Teachers Driven of.
'"They are not only implanting knowl
edge, evoking power and teaching the
children how to use the knowledge
they give them, but they are also wag
Ing that silent battle against ignorance
and prejudice upon the successful out
come Of which depends very largely
the stability Of this country. The av
erage country school teacher in man!
sections of this country receives less
than the average first class chauffeur
The college professor is not paid as
well as the average good bricklayer
and the result has been that since tn,
war many Of our ablest professors and
teachers have had to seek employment
in other lines of work.
"This condition is one which we must
terminate. Let us interest ourselves
in those who are doing more than any
other group to make the citizens Of to-
morrow. The professors in our great
universities should receive salaries
which will enable them to live com
fortably and to properly carry on Their
work free from the constant anxiety
which comes from insufficient income
to meet the everyday expenses of life
insufficient even under the most rigid
economy. The same general policy
should apply to assistant professors
and instructors and to teachers in oul
public schools.
"At present the youth Of our country
Is being trained and our Ship Of State
is being built by underpaid and, con-
sequently, discontented workmen. It
is a dangerous situation. It gives rise
to unsound and careless teaching
Those who are in daily contact with
our youth and who implant In them
many of the vital principles Of citizen
ship should feel that their services are
recognized and their value fully appre
ciated. It is dangerous policy to
have the instruction Of our youth of
the country in the hands Of many who
feel there is something radically wrong
II a government which fails to recog
nize the value of the services Of those
who are training its youth.
Give Teachers Chance.
1--WE want our teaching force to feel
that its services are appreciated and
the value of its work is understood. If
this is not done the services will be
poorly rendered. We have in the
teaching profession thousands Of splen-
did men and women most of whom
could do much better, from the money
standpoint, in other lines Of work. |
They continue, however, simply be-
cause they have the missionary spirit
and because they love their work. |
These teachers have the power, very
largely, to shape the opinions and
prejudices of the youth Of the nation.
They can fill the sorls of our children
with discomfort and opposition to gov
ernment, or they can fill them with the
spirit Of appreciation and patriotism.
We should be as careful in the selec-
tion of our teachers as we are in the |
selection Of our clergy. They are the
teachers Of the children of our new
comers, and the thor0ughness with
which this is done and the spirit which
is implanted will largely depend upon
the character and spirit of the teach
ers.
IF we want to Americanize our in
coming youth we must see to it that
the teaching force feels that the Amer
ican people has recognized its value
and importance. Salaries which were
sufficient, perhaps, generation ago
are worth only one-tfird of their for
mer purchasing power. The compen-
sation 80 small that men hesitate to
assume the responsibilities of mar
riage. Large families are out of the
question. 1t is difficult to travel and
have the necessary relations with the
leading minds Of the day, and unless
some changes are made we shall find
the quality of our teaching force re-
duced to mediOcrity. There is no class
Of men or women that is doing more
arddous work. Let us give them q
chance to do It under the best possible
conditions"
Farming Fish.