Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-17
SMALL PAY KEEPS
POSITIONS VACANT
IN NIGHT SCHOOLS
Examinations Held, But Fail
to Produce Instructors
Which Are Needed.

Small salaries paid instructors in
the District public night schools
which are regarded as the largest
and best adult educational institu-
tons in the United States, have pre-
vented officials from filling existing
vacancies in the teaching personnel
in this branch of the system
Two examinations have been held
for night school teachers, but they
have failed to produce the necessary
number Another will be held in the
near future, it was stated yesterday
by officials.
1t was pointed out that all efforts to
obtain dressmaking teachers have
virtually been futile. There is a va
cancy for teacher of this subject
now. now, AFTER an the announcements
school authorities made relative to
the positions vacant for teachers of
dreSsmaking, only two persons took
the examination last week. Teachers
of accountancy are equally as hard to
obtain
Go to Private Institutions.
Failure Of persons to make applica-
tons for teaching positions in the
night schools, officials attribute to
the low wages. Instructors in the
nj ght institutions are paid about
s2.'3 night, some working only
three evenings a week Private
s sefo is a are paying teachers at the
public school authorities are of the
opinion that the private institutions
have absorbed a majority of the per-
sons available for teaching in the
night public schools.
If the third examination for night
school instructors fails to produce the
desired results. it is likely that some
plan will be devised to give these teach
ers an increase in salary. In fact, school
authorities now have such a plan I'M
der consideration.
Granting of an increase to teachers
IN the night institutions at this time
is regarded as almost impossible on ac-
count of lack of sufficient appropriations.
Nevertheless, by some method yet to be
worked out. authorities hope to give
the teachers an increase.
One plan now being considered is to
formulate a new salary scale, giving
older teachers in the night school serv-
ice higher pay than the new instructors.
This scale would be graduated, the
teachers receiving a slight increase for
every year they taught in the night
schools. Such plan. however, is in
its infancy, and it is likely that others
will be considered before any pay sys-
tenn is ultimately determined.
Day Schools Supplied.
ConQltfOnS IN the teaching personnel
in the day schools are precisely OPP
posite to those in the night institu-
tons. There is not a class room in the
day schools that is without a teacher.
School officials, however, are still
looking for additional day school in
structors. They point out that persons
making applications for teaching posi-
tons in the day schools must have
Exceptional qualifications"
Teachers with the so-called "excep-
tional qualifications will have little
trouble in obtaining positions in the
schools in the near future, despite the
fact that there are no vacancies at
present. One official said yesterday
that many of the teachers in the
schools now were appointed only tenn
porarily, and when they are forced to
take an examination to hold their
positions some undoubtedly will fail.
The we'll qualified teacher then will
replace the temporary teacher who
does not pass the examination.
There are many young women en-
ployed in government departments, Of
ficials believe, who are trained teach
ers, and it is to these in particular
that the call is directed. Belief also
is expressed that there is still large
number of persons available in WASH
ington who have had sufficient train
ing and experience to measure up IA
vorably to the teaching standards.