The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-04-09
SALARY RATE TOO SMALL
TEACHERS. ARE POORLY
PAID, is CLAIM
Declaration Made BY J. M. Nc.
ConnelI Before Session of the
State Boards
UNITED Press Dispatch.l


Minneapolis, April 3.-More than
sixteen percent of the public school
teachers, principals and superintend-
ents in Minnesota are unable to live
On the salaries they are now receiv-
ing, report of the investigating COM
mittee to the state session to school
boards revealed today.
Send Out missionaries.
The Minnesota State Educational
association sent out 10000 question
aires on this subject and 10000 re-
plies were returned. OF these 2,437
declared that their living expenses
exceeded their salaries. State Super
intendent of Schools ]. NJ. Mcconnell
of Markato addressed the session OF
state boards today.
Are Facing Annihilation.
I'VE are facing an humiliation OF
a profession" he declared. There is
a shortage OF eleven and one half per
cent of the teaching force needed in
the state now, which Means that we
are just that percentage short in our
work" He urged a substantial in.
crease for all teachers, principals and
superintendent.
-Ad Saalry too small
Remuneration of teachers was de.
clared so niggardly that +. Nj. Phil
lips. state high school inspector, ad.
vocated an advance of two mills Id
school tax to alleviate conditions.
The statistics prepared by the COM
mittee indicate that teachers are most
poorly paid of all occupations COM
monty known as professions. Trades
men average $1;750 year, while high
school teachers receive an average OF
l. H4 D,tc hrNn prnfnc-
sional men average $4,000, while
school superintendent are paid be-
tween 1900 and $4,000. County SUI
perintendentS receive an average OF
$1798 a year, while the county audi
tors, treasurers, registers and Sher-
ifs receive considerably more.
L Most Striking Discrepancy.
The most striking discrepancy in
wages is found in the cases of the
grade and rural teachers. Cooks are
found to receive an average Of $775
a year and maintenance. farm hands
an average of 1927 and maintenance.
and day laborers. section hands and
teamsters an average of $l,l55. In
comparison with these wages, grade
teachers receive an average OF $500
and rural teachers $500.
Advance Called Inadequate.
A report was read of the salaries
to be paid to Minnesota teachers
next year as obtained from series
of special missionaries sent out to
all the boards of education over the
state. '.s. .-.i
While the report indicated a gen
eral rise in nearly every branch OF
the teaching profession, the commit
tee declared the advance to be in
adequate. The figures show an av-
ara % RISE as follows.
For superintendent, $475; for high
school principals, $685.; for high
school teachers, $12S: and for grade
a.nd rural teachers $50.
Goes On Record
The general session went, on record
yesterday afternoon as declaring the
salaries to be too low and determined
to do everything possible to come
to some sort of satisfactory wage
basis.
Mr.. Phillips declared that in addi-
ton to advancing the tax for educa-
ton in the state to two mills on the
dollar, at least 100000 should be set
aside for emergency and special use.
He said:
be taxed for the support of the
schools. At present, especially In the
outlying districts. -there are really
pitiful school conditions"
Many Children Not in School.
Out of $4,000 school children in
Minnesota there are 5000 who are
unable to go to school because of the
distance of the schoolhouses from
their homes. The legislature should
fix the distance between schoolhouses
and should see that the children in
the isolated communities are as well
cared for. educationally. as the chill
dren in the city.
The whole salary situation is ex-
pected to reach definite climax this
morning when James NJ. Mcconnell.
state commissioner of education, will
make his official salary recommen-
dation to representatives of all the
boards of education throughout the
state. The meeting will be held at