Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-17
TEACHERS PAY VICTORY"
is FAINT LIGHT IN A MIDDLE
Comprehensive and Generous Reform 10
Needed to Render the Public School
system Worthy Of This CITY


System Worthy Of This City
THE school loan has failed again.
l. The underpaid employees of the Board
of Education are to receive some small
monetary aid.
This apparent conflict Of results is thor:
oughly typical of the clumsiness, the inde-
csion, the wrangling, the cross-purposes
revealed in what has been Hstteringly called
teachers of Philadelphia.
Mr.. Tite Barnace, of the circumlocu
tion office, has undergone most remark
able series of manifestations. He has sym
bolically appeared as the Board of Educa-
ton, conservative often to the point of
inanition. He has personifed the public
loath to assume financial responsibilities.
He has even in some degree paralyzed
progress by groups of teachers unable to
agree upon the nature of measures for their
own relief. And at an earlier stage his
warped soul inspired the conventional do
nothing policy in the Legislature of Penn
sylvania.
The tange of errors is indeed so intricate
that the apportionment of blame in any ex
elusive direction is vulnerable to the charge
of injustice and bias. The meager and
temporary assistance at last in prospect for
the teachers touches only the edge of stu
alton stupidity muddled and thickencd with
neglect.
At the top of the school system Of Penn
sylvania there stands, 1t is true, compe
tent official. a broad minded and energetic
executive, Doctor Finncgan. But to a con-
siderable extent he is n workman without
tools. In view of the enormous upward
drive of costs of living and, indeed. a com
plcte revolution in the economic scale the
state appropriations for the schools are mis-
crably insufficient.
In Philadelphia alone many schoolhouses
are hopelessly inadequate; some are insani-
tary; others unsafe Csable structures are
overcrowded building on large scale is
necessary to bring the physical conditions
of the school system in this city up to date.
Doctor CARRIER has resigned as superin-
tcndent of schools here. No successor has
been appointed. Doctor IIaney's incumb-
ency of the presidency of the Central High
School is temporary and the case is compli
Gated by DIR. Robert Ellis Thompson's suit
in protest of the retirement rule.
Scores of teachers have resigned since
September | to secure positions paying
fairer wages. Had not the state and city
health authorities threatened to intervene
the system of annual physical inspection of
the school pupils would be in chaos. Doc
tor Furbush and Doctor Martin were
needed only after their warnings were about
to assume practical shape
The Board of Education can quite truth.
fully retaliate that it is poor. that it has
been asked to accomplish impossibilties to
buy school books to accommodate thousands
of new pupils. TO take decent care of the
schoolhouses, to build new ones, to pay
tnn nd 70
simultaneously. Under existing conditions
such comprehensive reform is. of course,
impossible however badly needed.
The fundamental responsibility and the
fundamental duty rest upon the dispensers
of state funds at Harrisburg. There will
come before the session in January no more
important obligation than the restoration
of the school system of this city and the
whole commonwealth to health and the
paths of progress.
Half measures will no longer suffice. Not
only should the appropriations be generous
and cOnsOnant with new conditions of life
and labor, but administrative revision must
ensue. Despite the weaknesses obvious to
any one the school system of PENNSYLVANIA
has until lately been u credit to the com
monwealth. But the structure is in many
ways worn out. The reconstruction will be
spurious unless every unsafe beam is re-
moved.
Meanwhile the teachers of Phiadelphia
after a struggle so confused as to weary
the stOutest hearted, seem assured of an
amount of increased compensation. Just
how much the rise will be is left in doubt
BY September % definite figure will, it is
said. be announced. If such should not
be the case public patience will indeed have
reached the breaking point.
The present snarl Is directly due to
disagreement between the Board of Educa-
tiOn, which protests that it desires to help
the teachers and the citizens committee in.
spired by similar purpose. 1t is conflict
over method-the rock on which 20 many
otherwise laudable enterprises here split
that is responsible for the delay.
SO quietly that the public had scant
knowledge of its intentions the Board of
Education some months ago made two sep
arate attempts to float loan enabling it to
finance pay increases for its employees
Many Of the teachers took the position that
although a comprehensive wage scale re-
vision was impossible, the board could, if
il chose, grant bonuses of S4OO. SubSe-
Qucntly it was proved that by no method of
bookkeeping and by no manipulation Of
available financial assets could this sum be
paid to each employe.
The board, which had long postponed
definite action the wage question, did,
however, eventually point out the way by
which a sum sufficient to cover distribu-
tions of $500 each could be raised. 1t was
suggested that certain properties be sold,
certain funds rearranged and that the So
called Parents Loan" be publicly sold over
the counter. But summer vacations inter
vened and the board had difficulty in Sc
curing a quorum. The proposal Jagged.
When action was finally taken it was
unaccompanied by any effective program ot
publicity such az has carried many less
worthy undertaking over the top. The
bonds were placed on sale. Buyers were
slow At the end of the specified week II
was announced that the loan had failed
Aroused, If somewhat belatedly, to seri.
BUSINESS of the situation, the Board of Edr-
cation yesterday decided to extend the Ss,a