Newark post., 1920-11-10
SALARY INCREASE.
PARTIAL SOLUTION
OF TEACHER SHORT
AGE PROBLEM
u S. Commissioner Claxton
Discusses Seriousness of
School Situation

/ SlaAloiIt ~. ~ Solillilio
sjoner of Education, in a paper
read before the N. E. A. made the
following plea for better salaries
for teachers:
Teachers worthy of places in
the schools in which American
children are prepared for life, for
making living, for the duties
and responsibilities of democratic
citizenship, and for eternal des-
tiny, can never be fully paid in
money. Men and women worthy
of this highest of all callings will
not think first of pay in money or
in any other form. For teachers,
as for all other workers, Ruskin's
saving holds: eff they think first
of pay and only second of work,
thew are servants of him who is
the lord of pay, the most unerect
fend that fell. If they think first
of the work and it's results and
only second of their pay, however
important that may be, then they
are servants of Him who is the
Lord of work. Then they belong
to the great guild of workers and
builders and saviors of the world
together with Him for whom to do
the will of Him that sent Him and
finish His work was both meat and
drink"
Workers Paid Largely in Kind
1t has ever been and probably
must always be that workers of
whatever sort received the largest
part of their pay IN kind, as
millers take toll of the grist they
grind. Those that work with ma
terial things that have easily
measured cash values are most
easily measured in money. Other
rewards will be less in proportion
and in Importance. Those who
work largely for other than the
material results that can be meas
ured by money must continue to
be content to receive large part
of their pay in the consciousness
of work we'll done for a worthy
cause, and in participation, by
faith at least, in the results, both
near and far away in time and in
space.
Average Salary Should Be $4,000
The average wealth production
of the adult worker of the United
States is not far from S1,25O q
year-probably somewhat more
The average for men and women
of ability, preparation, and indus
try of such teachers as we are
talking about can not be less thar
$4,000; it is probably nearer three
or four or five thousand dollars
But in view of this fact that teach
ing is by it's very nature an al
truistic calling, and also becaus'
it may reasonably be supposed
that the purchasing power OF tn
dollar will increase considerabl.
within the next few years ant
the cost of living as measured IL
dollars relatively decrease, let u
agree on $4,000 as an averag
salary for teachers in the ele
mentary and secondary schools o
the United States. This is thre
times as much as the average TO
the year 1918 and more tina
$50 per cent above the average 10
the year l919-20.
If the pay to beginners is S
fixed that the average for a
teachers in the first year in urba
and rural elementary schools an
high schools is $1,000, this wi
allow other salaries of S2,50'
4 $4,000, $500, and Sd, 900. Salarie
i of 5000 or more may be held OF
as rare prizes for those who haV
j gained experience and have prove
j their worth and who are willln
q and able to pay the price OF sue
4 great and fine service as is reco
4 nized by unusual rewards in oth'
3 professions.
D The Money Can Be Raised
d Can we pay such salaries? WI
u such proper and userul economl
y as may be easily brought abou
including consolidation OF sma
u rural schools and the adoption
IL a well-arranged work-study pl'
N plan in the city schools, the tot
d number of teachers in the puol
81 elementary and secondary schoo
~ of the United States need not e
M ceed 100000 within the next D
NJ 10 years. At an average wage
MI $4,000 it will take billion ana