Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-19
SIZES NEED IN DOUBLING
EDUCATIONAL BUDGET
Kassell Sagc Director Declares
I That School Teachers Should BE
Paid Twice Pro.War Figures.


ss NEW YORK. Sept. 1S.-Schoo! bud.
sigvtsf in American cities should be
twice ns large rs before the war. ac-
9coSdins to an analysis of public school
statistics just given out by the Russell
4 Saeel Foundation. The report main
tStaira that teachers salaries should
nov BIO double the pre-war figures in
order to obtain the same quality OF
education service. The cost of school
s buildings Is declared to have tsebled
+ In the last Ave years.
s. These findings are made public in a
volume entitled Trends OF Schooi
y Costs The author is Dr.; w. Ran.
dolph Burgess. assistant director o.:
Russer Sage Foundation. The study
is an application TO the field OF edic.l-
z tion OF the method OF the index mum
Der. The voiume is compa a Gn 10
( Systems" b? DIR. Leonard L. -SfeS'
which made u comparison OF the ei-
ficiency of the schoo! systems OF ar
ferent States.
81 DR.. Burgess compares the salaries
paid to teachers with those paid TO
laborcrs and artisans Tor eighty yea
and finds that the wages paid 10
q young women teachers in country
schools have increased from 500 Il
week in 1871 to $3.50 now, an IN
y crease OF 600 per cent. Salaries OF
& $3.50 a week. Men ,eaGhers received
much smaller relative increases.
81 UP to 1915 teachers received per-
centagc increases Ia salary nearly
(, twice rs great as artisans and labor
crs, DIR. Burgess nnds; bu; in spite
of the increases the average pay OF
teachers has never risen as high rs
wages paid to such artisans rs black
Z smiths. carpenters and painters. so.
During the FIVE years since 1878
ca ar 1T nf
creased on the average OF IS per cent
: as compared with 100 per cent III :,
crease in the wages OF laborers ana
artisans" says 4 summary OF the re-
port This lng In teachers salaries
( behind the general rise in prices has
wiped out al! the gain that was made
the States. 4 comparison Of teacn-
crs' salaries and the cost O. the ne
cessities OF life each year for the
E past eighty years. makes II clear tina
n in the past two years the purchasing
power OF the teachers salary has
been less than M any other time since
the War Between the states. The re-
port maintains tina, the only way to
retain efficient teachers in service
and and At the same time attract able
men and women to teaching - 10
ing TO the level OF :hc wages in other
occupations, and the level OF the cost
OF living. This is taken 10 mean
bringing salaries TO point just
Estimating the probable levels OF
school expenditures during the com
= ing few years, The conclusion is
drawn by DIR. Burgess that 10 buy the
= same amount of educational service in
1920 and 1924 rs in 1915 II will be
4 necessary 10 double the school budget.
In the light OF price ANA wage iiuc-
5ltuations in tho past and particularly
i at the time of the War between the
5 States, IL liz predicted that no large
decreases in prices or wages are, to
( be anticipated Immediately, but that
{. expenditures on the enlarged scale
4 Will he necessary for ii number of
4 years.
Considering ways to meet the de-
4 sired Increase in school expenses, Dir.
Burgess says he believes the tax rate
on property and particularly on land
can be further increased without dis
aStcr. The wide range Of tax rates
IN different large cities is cited 20 in
create that there Is lao economic l'm'-
which has been reached IN many
cities.