New Britain herald., 1920-01-08
LOCAL SCHOOL SUPT.
 SUGGESTS CHANCE
Holmes Would Have State Con- tribute More to Upkeep Of Schools

Stanley H. Holmes, acting for the
 Connecticut State Teachers associa-
 tion, of which he is the presiding off,
 ficcr, has mailed today message from
 that association to the teachers. school
 com mmittees, supertntendents. teachers
 organizations and welfare organiza-
 tons throughout the state, comment
 ing upon the present situation in the
 world of school tcaehing and suggest
 ing improvements.
 The principal item in his message
 is d recomm endation for higher sal
 aries, improved pension systems, and
 larger financial appropria tions from
 the state for the upkeep of the schools.
 To make this possible. he also recom-
 mends d statewide publicity campaign.
 Following is the messa ge:
 "A grave educational emergency
 confronts tfe people of America be-
 cause of the increasing shortage of
 trained and efficient teachers. This
 shortage is due to unsatisfactory and
 unattractive conditions of salary, pen
 sions, and tenure which arise from in
 adequate financial support for the
 schools. Unless new policies arc in
 stituted the present serious conditions
 are sure to be aggravated and the
 very foundations of American liberty
 and democratic government under
 mined.
 Tn the face of these conditions it is the duty of teachers and of all other
 patriotic citizens to concern them selves seriously about the present sit
 uation and to seek by every legitimate
 means to bring about improvement. The purpose of this message is: Il. To provide information as to
 the program proposed for the next
 m mceting (F'ebruary 13 and ID of the
 State Teachers association al Hart
 ford.
 "2. To bring 10 the attention of all interested proposed plan for a state wide publicity campaign for the bet terment of Connecticut schools. The Program. 'It is proposed to devote the pro- gram of the February meeting 10 the discussion of the following subjects which in the Judgment of the d1rec- tors are funda mental to any movement for the improvement of the schools of Connecticut:
 q. Higher salaries for teachers. "2 An improved pension system for teachers.
 "s More stable tenure for teach CTS.
 II. A larger contribution by the state for the financial support of ! schools in order 10 relieve in a meas ure the burden of local taxation. which is already bearing heavily upon many towns and cities.
 ''5 Such changes in state taxation | laws or in the distribution of state revenues as will make possible a larger contribution by the state for the financial support of schools. "6 The Consid eration and adoption Of plan for a statewide campaign of publicit for bringing above sub iects before the people of Connecticut and presenting to the next General Assembly some definite propositions which may result in such legislation l as is needed to provide higher salaries 1 for tea chers. a better pension system. more stable tenure. and an increased 1 contribution by the state for the fnan- ! Cial support of schools
 "Jn the opinion of the directors the | time is now at hand when the fore going should be thoroughly discussed. l carefully considered, and fully under i stood by all teachers, by all local [ school committees, and superlhteh- 1 dents, by all welfare organizations,
 and by all the people of the state , For this reason the directors are mak- 1 ing plans for the discussion of these 1 matters at the February meeting Of | the association which will be held in l Hartford. February Is and 14. 1 A Publicity Campaign. 1 If the February meeting is to re- ! suit in definite accomplishment. q ] further program of procedure should l be determined upon which should be 1 followed by a thoroughly organized and actively prosecuted campaign of 1 publicity designed CD to bring these 1 matters tc the people of Connecticut, I CD to enlist general support and CO., 1 operation and (3> to draft and pre-