The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-03-21
FAVOR INCREASE
TEACHERS SALARY
SCHOOL TEACHER SITUA-
TION is BECOMING
ACUTE IN THE
COUNTRY.
ELECT HERE SOON
Sentiment OF Justice FavOring
Material Increase In Salaries;
Only Nominal mcrease(
Thus Far.

During the month Of April the
trustees of the schools Of Columbts
will face the task of selecting ami
electing teachers for the next ses-
sion.
In the opinion of the school direc-
tors unless some provision is made
for material increase in the salaries
of teachers in the public schools here,
much difficulty will be encountered
in securing an adequate teaching
force for next session.
1t is known fact that the teacher
situation throughout the country is
growing more acute every day. From
data based on accurate information
from every State in the union it IS
known that 900 teachers have left
the profession to take up work in
more remunerative activities. This
condition has been brought about BY
inadequate salaries, which in some
communities has been less than liy-
ing scale. The mission of the teacher
is next in Importance to the parent
in the development and training of
the youth of the land, and they should
be adequately paid for their services.
Compared with other cities Of
similar size and even smaller towns,
Columbus is at the bottom of the list
in the matter Of teachers salaries.
The following few instances are cited
in support of this statement; Ele-
mentary teachers, average salaries,
Brookhaven $908, Clarksdale S1,1S7
Greenville $945, Laurel 5000, Collin-
bus $500: 5sis9 ..aaaals asasst aeri
$1,163, Canton SLIPS, Greenville ST.,
162, Hattiesburg $1,000, Clarksdale
1880, Tupelo 5000, Yazoo City ST.
OO4, Columbus $931; High School
principals, Brookhaven $500, Green
vile $500, Hattiesburg $4,000,
Laurel $1,000; Clarksdale $500, Col
umbus 81 600; City superintendent,
Clarksdale $4,000, Greenville $3,500,
Laurel $3,25O, McComb $4,000; Green
wood $4,000, Columbus $2760.
In the Columbus city schools sal
aries of teachers have been increased
approximately 3 per cert since l9l4,
whereas, the cost of living has been
increased, variously estimated from
$50 to 1872 per cent. 1t viii be seen
that the increase in teachers salaries
here has not been adequate and not in
keeping with the rapid advance in the
cost of living.
Much difficulty was encountered IN
securing teaching force for the city
schools last summer, and unless some
assurance is given, members of the
board of trustees, say, there will be
even more difficulty this year as the
teacher situation is becoming more
acute every month. 1t is also known
that a number of the teachers in the
city school faculties have received
f1attering offers from other cities,
representing material advances over
the salaries they are receiving here.
AS a matter of simple justice the
school authorities feel that the teach
ers are entitled to fair and reasonable
advances in salaries, and plans to ade-
quately take care of the matter of
salaries are being worked out
The following report Of confer
ence of educational commissioners,
published in the New York Times,
gives an illuminating survey of the
teacher situation throughout the coun-
try:
"The Commissioners of Education
of nine States, following an all-day
conference on the alarming shortage
of teachers, held at the Chamber of
Commerce yesterday, adopted resolu-
tions calling upon Boards of Educa-
ton to increase salary schedules to
meeting the increased cost of living
and retain in and attract to the teach
ing profession capable men and wom-
en-. While the conference was con-
cerned primarily with the low salaries
which have caused such an enormous
Of teachers throughout the country, il
dealt also with the ultimate effect
that this shortage is bound to have on
the education of the youth Of the na-
tion. 1t was the concensus that not
only must salaries be increased but
more humane methods must be adopt
cd in dealing with teachers
"The resolutions pointed out that ex-