The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-01-15
SK0WHEGAN TEACHERS RAISE
PLEA FOR WAGE PROBLEM

CONTINUED from Page One)
must devise some method to keep the
mischievous lad out of trouble. ard
by the time all this preparation has
been accomplished the so-called six
hour-day has heightened into twelve.
The teacher likes her profession,
she takes pride and pleasure in do
ing her work well. And most OF all
because she loves her boys and girls,
she willingly gives twice as much
time to their service as is required
OF her.
Not alone in Skowhegan, but thru
out the entire country, people are
realizing that a crisis is at hand, and
most OF the towns and cities are
working to obtain a square deal for
the teachers.
1t Is fast becoming impossible for
teacher to support herself on the
present low wage, even though she
practices the strictest economy and
denies herself many comforts that
are essential.
There is parting of the ways at
hand. Either the public must awake
to the facts and give their teachers
living wage. or the teacher must
leave her profession and enter other
fields. The matter is to be present
ed to the people of Skowhegan at the
annual town meeting.
Already the school board and
many prominent citizens have allied
themselves with the teachers and are
doing all that is possible to aid
their cause. for they realize that it is "A
worthy cause, and that unless the
situation is relieved their boys and
girls will be left in the hands of UNI
trained and unskilled manufacturers
and that in this industry as we'll as
in all others the finished product
will not be as fine under these con-
ditions.
The following clippings are from
articles by DR.. Augustus O. Thomas,
State superintendent of public schools
advocating an increase in the wages
of teachers.
"If present emergencies are not
met at the coming town meetings
there will be 500 schools closed next
autumn at the least calculation, and
many other schools will be opened
by girls Of no training and less than
90 years of age. workmen who must
tumble at their tools said DR..
Thomas.
81 cannot believe that people are
unwilling to properly finance the
schools. All they need Is to find a
way. The people do not begrudge
the keepers of their treasures pro-
per compensation. In time they will
correct the injustice which has re-
ooDt1,, hocOp,, pNiHppt IN them The
press Is right as usual as 1t is cham
pioning the cause of the teacher and
the people win know the facts. 1t
may take a little time to become ac-
customed to the idea of proper COM
pensaton, to overcome the inertia and
to adjust government machinery to
the program.
1--WE are spending at present about
seven hundred million dollars year
on education in the United States. A
little over half Of that goes to teach
ers' wages We need a billion dollar
program. II 1t were consideration
of business enterprise or even of
organized charities a billion dollars
would be raised. A billion dollar
program would put into operation a
$500 minimum wage scale for pre-
pared teachers with sufficient reserve
to pay additional for experience and
unusual ability. There is need of in
creased compensation all Of the way
from the most remote rural teacher
to the superintendent of schools and
the college professor. There Is
shortage of $4,000 teachers in the
United States and many Of the teach