The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-08
THEHASKINLETTER.
THE PAY OF. TEACHERS
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

WASHINGTON. =. c., March s.
That the American school system is in
danger of literally going to pieces, If
the pay OF teachers Is not raised sub
stantialY, and Immediately is the opin-
ion OF the best educators all over the
country.
Teachers as a class are Thoroughly
disguised with making over old clothes,
and living in third-tloor hall bedrooms,
while they wait for the country. to
wake up and show appreciation of their
work. They are too pround TO strike,
The only way out of an impossible
situation they lind, is quietly to give
up their chosen profession, and that Is
what the best teachers in the country
are doing ny thousands every month.
In New York state over 1000 rural
schools are closed for want Of teachers,
and this condition Is repeated In other
states. The nations teaching army Of
$4,000 lost $4,000 members last year,
most Of those who resigned being eN-
rerienced teachers. the kind from which
mothers like their children to learn.
Some of their schools are closed. III
other cases the NaCar cies have been
filled by young girls with no profess
gional training-some without even high
school diplomas.
The people Of the United States
gays Ernest l.. Thurston, superintend
ent of the public schools OF Washing
ton, do not understand how vitality
they ere concerned in this school prob
lem. The other night, when | was
speaking before body Of citizens,
asked them il they realized that then
children wilt be taught less well next
year and the year after that, and II
they understood that fewer courses
win be offered in the high schools an
less something is done to attract com
petent men and women back TO tho
schools. Apparently they lid not Be
, fore the meeting was over however
they were alive to the personal side
Of the proposition. They began TO see
that adequate pay for teachers was q
desirable thing from the standpoint Of
the citizen and tax payer.
The school teacher probably sees
mere Of the chid during its active
waking hours than It's mother does
and she has nearly as great an infIu'
cnco on its character and ideals So
that if the children Of today and to.
| morrow are to be taught by young
gels who CarelessN take up teaching
until they find something better, or be
cause they are not mentally equipped
! to do higher paid work, we can only
expect a lower class Of citizens in The
next generation
Mr.. ThurStou believes congress car
materially help the national campaign
! for better paid teachers. Congress.
/ said Mr.. Thurston Controls the pay
! If teachers in the national capital, anC
"hen congress fixes the wage scale fol
, the teachers Of the district in the bill
| now pending IT Will show the entire
country Just how it eleyates the teach
| ing profession"
| Where the legislators stand on tn,
matter Of teachers pay, it is not cas-,
! to propheSy. Sc far, no great champion
! Of the teachers has arisen to defeh(
/ their rights, in the present congress
| The min ! of congress is divided be
| tween vague understanding tina
that something ought 10 be done, ant
| its WELL defined ideas of economy, Tn,
| result. probably will be A Compromis,
| between the $1,000 minimum which tn
| teachers ask, and the present pay seal,
that Is wreching the morale Of thu
| schools.
Tho action Of congress on this bill
| viii set an example for the states, ant
| viii have somewhat the effect of "A SUI
premc court decision on other bodie
! that consider advances for teachers.
| congress docs not meet the demands o
| tn" Washington teachers, the shortag
| Will grow more and more acute, unit
| In the end strenuous measures viii ~
needed to bring the schools back t,
any somblanco Of the old-time ef
! ficincy.
i is no longer q matter Of offeriuJ
| the teachers "A living wage Mr.. Thurs
/ ton believes, but the country must a
/ least give prone' recognition TO a pro
| fcsson that is the very foundation o
national life. Raising the teacher t.
| the pay Of an elevator boy or a lunch
room waitress might have relieved tn
difficulty once. Now the situation ha
/ gone so far that the best teachers SCI
| no future in their work, and can b.
! held in the service or called back to j
only by much larger Increases thar
| have hitherto been offered. No one car
| blame the teachers for giving up wha
| every one knows is a hard lite and
/ rtdiculously poorly paid one TIL
/ stories Of teachers pay are equaled II
/ no other profession, unless, perhaps
| tho ministry
one of the newest stories on this oil,
| theme Is that Of little high schoo
| sri in a South Carolina town, Thi
girl had been studying shorthand a
| an elective course in high school 70
I several months, when a business MAJ
asked her 20 so into his office at 81 en-
Il year, with various inducements aut
| advantages, The girls teaoher--wh,
| besides knowing shorthand thoroughly
/ haS 90 know how to impart her knowi
! edE draws $500 year for teaching
/ this aud various other subjects,
The difference between the pay o
teachers and office workers is so grea