Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-06-18
5000 BONUS GRANTED CITY
TEACHERS BY EDUCATION
BOARD FOR 7 COMING YEAR
Should Any Teacher Neglect
Duty, Bonus Will be With
Held, Resolution Says.
PASSED AT BOARD MEETING
President Sheehy Says Board
is Working for Welfare of
Teachers Despite Feeling

The following resolution passed by
the Board of Education at a special
meeting last night, makes effective
the 5000 bonus for which the grade
teachers have been fighting so hard.
"A bonus of 5000, payable in ten
monthly installmentS be given the
teachers of the city provided however
that should any teacher be charged
with wilful neglect of duty or unpro-
fessional conduct said bonus shall be
withheld from such teacher for the
month in which the offense occurs.
Any deduction of bonus is to be rec
ommended by the principal of the
school to which the teacher is assign
ed and shall be confirmed and ap-
provevd by superintendent after full
investigation. In case any teacher so
penalized may feel that such deduc-
tion of the bonus is unfair he or she
may appeal to the board of education
for final decision"
The meeting was attended by the
principals of the schools of the city,
one representative from each school
and the entire board.
John X. Sheehy president OF the
board, opened the meeting with an In
formal talk to the teachers. Mr..
Sheehy said that the board has felt
that for some time past there has been
some feeling among the teachers that
the Board of Education has not been
entirely interested in the welfare Of
the teachers. Mr.. Sheehy. insisted
however. that the body is at all times
working In the interest of the teach
ers and the schools of the city and 1t
was manifest throughout by the att
tude of the members that this has
been the policy of the board. The
meeting was called, however MIR.
Sheehy said to decide what is the
right thing to do in several cases most
especially in the case of the bonus
which 1t had already been decided
should be granted the teachers. In a
conference with the Board of School
Estimate, the question had arisen,
that should the bonus be granted The
teachers. what would they give In re-
turn and 1t was to discuss just how
the teachers and the board is to work
together on this. that the meeting was
called. Mr.. Sheehy asked for some
suggestion as TO the method of dis
tribution of this bonus. or a mention
of any subject at all which the teacn-
ers would care to bring up with the
board.
1t was then suggested that the bonus
be distributed in the way that was
later passed upon In the resolution.
1t was about this one point that most
of the arguments of the evening CEN
tered.
1t was with the idea of helping the
teachers, that this proposal was made.
1t was thought that the $40 bonus
each month would be an incentive to
better work on the part of the teach
. erS who might be inclined 10 lay
down on the job"
Miss Katherine Mccormick asked
if there was a larger proportion OF
poor teachers in Perth Amboy, than
there were poor employees In other
callings, and stated that it hurt the
teachers who had given many years OF
good work to Perth Amboy to have
a bonus given only with the stipula-
tion that they were at all times on the
job. Mr. Shee11y answered that the
teachers who were at all times con-
scientious need have no fear and II
was the opinion of Edgar H. Klein
hans principal of the high school, that
If the poorer teacher knew. that she
might not get the bonus for the month,
she would make every effort to I'M
prove herself.
The contention of some of the |
teachers was that the bonus was asked
for only because it was considered alb
solutely necessary for a living wage
and that no teacher should have any
part of the Salary that was absolutely
essential taken away from her. Z
A. C. Clark tried to show the teach
ers that not one of them who did /
her duty would be deprived of the !
bonus, and that only in extreme cases
where a teacher shows the lack of
professional dignity and etiquette |
would the principal see fit to report
her to the superintendent.
The question arose from the teach
ers, whether or not there might not be |
a little partially shown on the part |
of the principals or a danger in the |
conflicting with other
teachers.
This evoked the opinion of the |
principals present. Royal Predmore. |
speaking for himself only, said that |
he did not think that there would be |
a single principal who would deprive |
a teacher of her bonus without suffi- |
cient cause. The bonus should be /
endeavor. not ability was Mr.. Pred
more's idea.
Continued on page p
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