Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-21
TEACHERS DEMAND
INCREASES IN PAY
Request as High as 80 Per
Cent Raise and Show Dis
tress Due to Poor Salaries.

increases IN salary commensurate
with their duties were asked by Dis
trict public school, teachers at the
first public hearing last night of the
board of education sitting as a COM
mittee on estimates. High School
teachers requested an so per cent raise
in wages, while those of the ele-
mentary schools, asked for mini
mum wage of $1,000 and maximum
of $4,000.
Besides pleading for increases in
teachers organizations who appeared
before the board. related pathetic
stories of the suffering of teachers
caused by their stringent financial
circumstances. George Jones, repre-
sentative of the High School Teach
ers Association cited a case of one
teacher who had family of six to
support and had only 81 between him
and pay day on October /. This teach
er, he stated, already has borrowed
$500 to meet a payment on his home.
shows Need Of Pay Boost.
r. w. Strawbridge. legislative chair
man of the High School Teachers
Union. depicted the need of increased
salaries by producing a budget kept
teacher, he said, had an income OF
s216. and his expenses amounted to
S22s. making a deficit of s13 for that
month. A detailed account of the ex-
penses of this teacher was given,
showing that no costly foods or
amusements were INDUCED in.
Protest against the bonus plan was
lodged by the teachers on the ground
that it makes salaries uncertain. The
teachers also voiced opposition to
being included in the recommends
tions of the Redistribution commits
sion.,
Allan Davis, representing high
school principals. asked establishment
of a minimum salary of $500. and a
maximum of $4,000 for those school
executives. He recommended INSTALL
ment of assistant principals in all
high schools. At present Mckinley
Manual Training School and Central
High School are the only senior in
situations where such employees are
stationed.
Urge. 80 Per Cent Increase.
Harry English. representing the
High School Teachers Association,
asked an increase of so per cent in
wages. He said that teachers
throughout the country are becoming
more restless because OF low sal
aries.
Protest against the bonus plan was
made by Mrs. E. C. Paul of the High
School Teachers Union. She made a
special plea for wage increases for
librarians OF the high and normal
teachers in the schools: She also
pointed out that the High School
Teachers Union is opposed to being
included in the recommendations of
the Redistribution commission.
Salaries ranging from $2.600 TO
principals by H. W. Draper, represent
ing the Grade Principals Association.
He states that the principals desired
to have their status set as princi-
pals" and paid the wages of princi-
pals. At present. he said. principals
are paid as teachers, despite their adj
ditfonal duties.
what HighefPay Means.
Belief was expressed by Miss Cora
]. McCarty of the Grade Teachers
Union that salary is fundamental in
establishing land maintaining high
standards of education. She gave as
the reasons that it determines the
Kind of people attracted to the work
and regulates their. efficiency after
they are in.
adequate salaries" she said, will
attract best talent. In order to in
duce promising young men and wom-
en- to enter teaching and thereby fur
nish the community an adequate sup
ply of competent. we'll trained teach
ers. there must be higher salary for
trained teachers and reward for
higher professional standards.
Existing salaries paid teachers can
be said to almost place a penalty upon
preparation, since there is no oppor-
tunity for an adequate return upon
the investment of time and money
necessary to the securing of that prep
aration."
The teacher" she added, "to be
a teacher, requires more than food
and lodging. She needs the freedom
from financial stress which makes