Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-03
CITY TEACHERS
HEARD BY BOARD
Proposition Will be Submitted
by Board of Education to the
Board of School Estimate
PROVIDES F0Rs 100 BONUS
Will Also Present Teachers
Request for $780, Matter is
Thoroughly Discussed.

request or the grace tedCnerS Ol inc
Perth Amboy schools developed into
an informal discussion in which the
five representatives of the teachers
presented their case with all the
arguments In its favor and the mem
bers of the board answered in kind.
Miss Lillian Fretz, spokesman of
the committee, came at once to her
point with: Board of Education OF
the City of Perth Amboy and Mr.
Shull, we have come here tonight,
representing the grade teachers OF
this city, to ask you 20 reconsider our
proposal of May for bonus OF $40
a month for the coming year, in ad-
dition to the new salary schedule.
Mr.. Sheehy answered, I'VE have
discussed this affair very thoroughly.
When the schedule was made up we
thought at the time that every effort
had been made to care for our teach
ers as well as possible. We wish TO
show the teachers every possible
consideration, but we must also take
into consideration the taxpayers OF
the aity, from whom any increase
must come. We had hoped, however
that prices would come down. and
this not being the case as yet, the
Board of Education has decided to
recommend to the Board OF Schooi
Estimate a 500 bonus for all the
women grade teachers for the COM
ing year.
At this point the meeting waived
all formality, and became an open
discussion. Miss Fretz attempted to
show where, not only her claims Were
justified, but where they were WITHIN
the law. Reading from formidable
looking book the spokeswoman said
that 1t was in the power of the Board
of Education to grant a thirty per
cent bonus to teachers until April
1, 1920, and that the local teachers
were asking sixteen per cent. There
after throughout the session, this ar
gument was presented as one or the
main points. If a member of the
board mentioned that 1t was up to
the Board Of School Estimate, in any
way, one or another of the committee
quoted that the fact that ut is in the
power of the Board of Education-'
A. C. Clark told the teachers that
the new budget already added $S5,O0O
to the school budget and other i'm
creases made this year has resulted
in nenormous tax rate. and that 1t
would not be fair to add an extra
burden to the city, especially where 1t
will affect the poorer people.
Miss Fretz, however stated that
many of the teachers themselves are
taxpayers and that to her knowledge,
many other taxpayers have stated that
they think the teachers are fully justi-
fled in asking an increase.
The committee made no demands" "
1t did request" however, that the
board would please present to the
board of school estimate a suggestion
for a 5000 bonus. The girls spoke of
room rent, taxes, clothes and other
essentials, all agreeing that If they
did make ends meet, it was with great
sacrifice throughout the year. Some
even stated that during the summer.
they have to depend upon their fam
lilies, that others have had to sell
their Liberty Bonds, that there is no
wherewithal for any kind of recrea-
ton or mental stimuli which every
teacher needs. Miss Grace Hawk. .one
of the committee, stated that an in
crease of $500 might mean just lit
tile opportunity to visit some of the
places which the girls teach about,
but which they have never seen. Miss
Fretz stated that 1t has been neces-
sary for her to spend her two months
vacation in the summer, teaching
summer school in Newark, in order to
make both ends meet.
At this point 1t was asked IL the
committee thought that all the teacher
of the city really earn even the in
crease in the present schedule. Mr..
Sheehy said that this is where the great
difficulty comes in. and that If every
teacher was conscientious, there
would be no difficulty in adjusting the
matter.
Miss Fretz stated that she could
not speak for teachers in other
schools. but that she knew and could
truthfully say that teachers with
whom she Is associated in the gram
mar school are all very interested in
their work and in their children and
try their best to make the right kind
of teachers with the proper influence
working for the school. The greater
consideration, however, were the
takes, which subject was re-
verted to continually. Miss Fretz,
apropos of one of the arguments
against an increased tax rate spoke
of the new reservoir and the i'm
creased pay for policemen saying that
there has not been any public oppo-
sition and that surely. there would
be no opposition to an increase in
pay for those, in whose hands the
education of the city's children rested
This brought up the question of a
referendum and Mr.. Sheehy asked If
the teachers would be satisfied with
a referendum next November.
The committee was thoroughly con-
f1dent that a referendum would bring
them the desired results, but it was
the unanimous opinion that the need
for it Immediately is great.
William Sellers, of the Board wish
ed to make perfectly clear his stand
in the matter and said that he was in
entire sympathy with the teachers at
this time and that the increase should
be granted at this time. until a refer
endum could be taken.
1t was the idea of Mr.. Clark, how
ever. for representatives of the Board
oe Education to go before the Board
of Estimate. saying that they, the
Board of Education had offered a
bonus of 500, and then present the
request of the teachers for 5000 with
their arguments.
At this the committee all agreed
that this would not bring about the
desired result. What the teachers
want is the endorsement of the board
of education for the 5000 bonus and
they feel sure that the board of
school estimate will show them every
consideration.
Although the Board and the teach
ers were extremely friendly and
agreed that they wished to work to-
gether. this was the point where the
q two bodies could not agree, the teach
CONTINUED on page 81
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