Evening star., 1920-03-10
DR.. NELL PRESENTS
SCHOOL PAY NEEDS
Tells City Club Use of Pupils
in Charge of Glasses Is
Due to Conditions.

School boys and girls have been
used as substitute teachers when
regular teachers Were ILL., 10th in the
high schools and grade schools of the
District. DR.. Charles u. NELL. mem
ber of the board of education, stated
at the luncheon forum of the city
Club today
This condition is due to the great
lack of teachers. DR. Neili declared.
and lis disgraceful to the last de-
gree" he added DIR. Neill told the
City club members that he was not
going to discuss the school matter
in controversy. These questions, ne
said. are being thTashed out before
the Senate committee. which. he sad.
is the proper tribunal. and which VIII
obtain all the facts
1T is only fair to each $ de of the
controversy" DR.. Neill dee ared. that
Judgment be suspended until the SEN
ate investigating committee MAKE
it's report The sneaker criticised
those who already have passed judg-
'ment in the matter.
"Tenchers Must Stand First
The school teachers are the very
soul of the educational system. pr.
Neil said. and must stand first in all
considerations although the great need
OF school buildings in the District is
a most important matter.
The educa tional system of the conn-
try he said in so far as il is rep
resented by the public schools. is fac
ing critical situation throu@hout the
United States. due in the first place to
the low pay heretofore allowed teach
ers. and in the second place to the
grossly increased inadequacy OF that
pay due to the decrease i'll the pur-
chasing power of the dollar.
,t,t.
loss to the schools OF many OF their
best and most Capa BILE teachers, and
the inability to supply this loss with
BEGINNERS who give promise Of later
taking the aces of thCsa who are now
being lost. The situation is perhaps
as acute. ii not more acute. in Wash
inEton tnan any part of the country.
AT the present time positions open
to young men and women in CONNER
cial and professional life in many
cases pay more TO young man or
young woman who has only finished
high school course-or who has
not even finished high school couAse
than is paid to teachers. who are re-
Quired either to have a college de-
gree or to spend 4 certain number of
years in going through a norma |
school 1t is perfectly fu lie to ex-
pect that with the monetary induce
mentS now offered in business and
professional offices bright young men
and women are going 10 be attrac: ed
TO The teaching profession by the
salaries offered.
Social Estimate aS Factor.
"Even those who may prefer to de-
vote themselves to teaching work and
Tor whom the compensation at the be
ginning of their teaching career
would not be a predominant induce
ment will feel repealed from entering
the service if by grossly Inadequate
salaries low social estimate is
placed upon the Importance of the
profession
The speaker went further into the
practical questions involved in grant
ing an increase in salaries of teach
erS IN the District of Columbia and
urged that the citizens support the
request for increased salaries even
II they have to ask for an increase
In taxes to meet the situation.
Even if raises in teachers salaries
are secured several years from now.
if the system has become filled with
second-rate teachers. according to
Will have been done, and the in
creased salaries will have come too
late.
School classes are universally )
large in the District public schoc,
system, DIR. Neill asserted The men,
ber of the board of education toll
the club members that the question
of too many children to d class was
q question of some children getting
improper instruction.