The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-07
Teachers Sustain
Loss as Result of
Drop i'm Warrants

The warrants being issued to the
teachers in Blackfoot and perhaps
in some of the other districts will be
subject to the per cent discount be
ing made now on county warrants,
The reason for this is that the dis
trict and county are not on a cash
basis. The money that was paid in
for taxes in December, 1920 was to
redeem the warrants issued in the
earlier part of the year 1920. The
county and the Blackfoot school dis
trict are both many months behind
in their payments. The warrants
that are being issued now cannot be
redeemed until the July apportio-
ment of tax money is made, using
the money that is paid into the treas
ury in June. The school officers are
violating the strict letter of law. in
issuing these warrants at all until
the money is ready to redeem them,
but common sense has ruled in the
PAST years and it was considered that
the teachers need their money as
soon as they have earned it and by
common consent the warrants we're
issued and the public credit took
care of the losses and protected the
teachers.
When the war closed it was eX-
pected that prices would soon come
down and in the summer of 1919
when the teachers signed for the fol-
lowing year everybody supposed the
prices of merchandise would be down
during the year, but they continued
to go up and the teachers salaries
were not as high as they should have
been to cover such contingencies.
Some of the teachers quit their Jobs
and took other positions at betetr
pay. In all cases where they desired
to do this the board of trustees re-
leased them. Prices continued to go
up and at the close of he school
Year of 1890 teachers who had
served thruout the year, we're given
a bonus of SIrU apiec+ This was a
gift in addition to the contract and
IT was right that the teachers should
have it. The school I..lG violated
the strict letter If tic l9u when they
Issued those warrants, but it was
brought about by war conditions and
everything about the war was dis
regard and violation of law. There
was no money in the treasury to re-
:oe1l those bonus warrants when tn,
teachers received them, but thru the
generosity Of the public and the
banks they We /: cashed at 100 cents
o. the dolla.. December the tax
money came in to redeem those
bonus warrants along with the other
salary warrants. The public stands
back of the board in the matter of
The bonus; the teachers accepted the
bonus as their due and were glad to
have it and now the tide is running
The other way, Merchandise has gone
down vastly more than 5 per cent;
The purchasing power of the teachers
salary is greater than II was last
year Notwithstanding the per cent
discount. The board did the best 1t
could by the teachers last year and
t is doing the best it can by them
his year. Last year the teachers
we're hurt and the board repaired the
injury insofar as they could. This |
rear the teachers are hurt, but in a |
esser degree and the board is un-
lble to do anything for them. Their |
will is good, but the trustees have
evied upon the public for every cent
he law would allow them and they |
re still about $4,000 behind in |
heir finances. The public need not
70 alarmed; the taxpayers are still I
N the job and willing to pay and the
'est thing to do is to saw wood, or I
'utting 1t into other words, Don't
ock the boat" 80 ~