New-York tribune., 1920-01-24
Low Pay Sends
1900 Teachers
To Other Jobs
Years Decrease in Force Is
Augmented Daily, SaysDr.
Ettinger; 10000 Pupils
on Part-Time instruction
City Asks Him forRemedy
La Cuardia Promises Plan
Will Be Supported; State
Legislation May Be Needed

Dr William L. Ettinger. Supcrin-
lehdent of Schools, declared Yesterday
,hat 300 teachers had resigned in tho
iast year, that increasing numbers are
quitting every day and shat 10000 chill
n'eh are on part-time instruction as
:nc result of inadequate salaries and
lnsu1hclent funds. He characterized
cradle"
f. II. La Guardia. President of the
BOARD of Aldermen, last night invited
Dr. Ettlngcr to draft d plan for rene
dylng conditions and submit it to the
board OF Estimate as soon as posi- bic
"r' La Guardla promised full CO
operation of the board ain getting
tcaGhers decent living wage
I'r. Ettlnger can get anything he
wants, within reason, if he sticks TO
educational Matters" said Mr.. La Guar
dle; we must do everything we can
to keep this body of men and women
ton for which they have been spc-
'cally trained. I've always said that one
teacher was worth three generals and
two preachers"
May Call Upon Legislature
La Guardia said that he would CON
slder seriously the problem of teachers
saidrlcS Dut that 1t would probably
require legislative action to bring about
next years budget is made up He re-
marked that the building program is
two years behind.
DR.. Ettlnger said that conditions
were due to insufficient support by the
city government, Inadequate compen-
satlon both for teachers and supervi-
sors, and growing shortage of teach
ers, many of whom enter more lucrative
fields. State legislatio is greatly
needed if New Iork's educational sys-
tenn is to retain rank commensurate
with the city's wealth and population,
he believed
DR.. Ettinger compared the pay of
teachers and school officials in Pitts
burgh-a city of $4,000 school popula-
tion-with that received in New York.
Pittsburgh has increased the salary of
the superintendent Of schools from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year and supervi-
aors and teachers have been raised in
proportion.
owe must have an independent
financial control for the city's school
systom,' he declared, land the supply
of teachers must be kept up by in
creased compensation. Although many
have received salary increases, all of
them have not. The supervisors. whose
work entails considerable responsible
ity, have been made to suffer by poor
compensation
For several years, Dr. Ettinger said,
the teachers aiming schools have been
running short of material and no ade-
quatc provision has been made for off
setting the shortage. At present it is
~. ~ hr cit ia int
force of at least $4,000 teachers.
"Thc Legislature which is in session
now could make the increased schcd-
ulcs effective at once and thereby re
lievc the situation conside rably. The
Lockwood bill. however, does not pro
vide for all, and certainly the advances
allowed are in no way comparable to
the cost of living
Questionnaires sent to teachers
who resigned within the year, asking
how much better Off they were IS to
pay and living conditions, brought a
universal response: PAY the teachers
d living wage"
Amendment Of the Board of Educa-
tion's bylaws as to provide pay for
teachers when they are i'll, and thus
expedite the making up of the pay rolls,
was urged yesterday in a resolution
adopted by the lntcrborough Teachers
Association in session at the Washing
ton Irving High School. The present
rule was declared to be responsible, in
large part. for the delay in paying sal
aries for December, owing to the COM
plexities involved in computing los,
time.
The teachers say they arc as much
entitled to pay for unavoidable absence
as are other employees Of the city. In
many instances, Grace Strachan For
sythc, president Of the assoc iation, said.
teachers were obliged to borrow money
from friends or contract other debts to
tide them over a period Of illness.
Oppose Spreading Increase
Unanimous Endorsement WAS given to
plans of the association TO support leg
'slatIon making the new salary schcd-
ules effective imme lately on the
enactment into law Of the Lockwood
bill, instead Of spreading the increase
over three years. Any attempt 10 make
the Lockwood bill retroactive to Jan
uary ! was condemned.
"Tcachers are now work ing under the
double strain Of try to make 81 do for
81, declared the president. "This low
pay is in large part to blame for the
great amount Of illness among the
teachers.
Owe had hoped that the promise Of
more pay would increase the number