The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-05-20

with larger enrolment and three
subjects then taught have since
been cut out. The curriculum has
been changed TO that extent at least.
For the year now closing the su-
perintendent has drawn u salary Of
x2 900 and the four teachers In the
high school with him $4,S60. These
teachers are not employed throughout
the day for which they are hired TO
teach, at ieasA mot IN teaching. but
have numerou} idle periods during
the school day. The superintendent
himself finds Il necessary 10 teach
two periods only during school hours,
one Of his teachers the same number
Of periods and the rest are idle as 10
teaching from one 10 two periods
each.
Or the other hand all the grade
teachers exesp. as To the lowest
grades where the ye.. small children
are cared for are kept busy through
out the entire school day OF six rout.a
Six OF these teachers carry on their
rolls upward of fifty pupils each di-
vided into two grades. For their inn
po-tant work the entire staff OF grade
teachers received this year or will re-
&
about S25 for each pupil aS against
SS,sto received for the high school
teachers or about 500 per capita for
their pupils. In other words Ii costs
about four times as much to teach d
high school pupil as "A grade pupil. |
respectfully submit that there Is
something radically wrons in the sys-
tern that permits such difference in
costs of education. II would seem 10
suggest that with all the high school
staff with the superintendent diligent-
ly employed just as the grade teach
iers are kept busy the figures might
be changed 10 the advantage OF all
concerned, taxpayers as well as pu-
pills. One or two less teachers in the
high school might do the work Of that
department IL they be steadily en-
plosed.
The law requires the schools TO be
/ run at least nine months a year. That
III supposed to be what we are getting
/ in Salmon, but We are not coming up
to requirements in that respect. Ac-
tuaily the schools have been taught
only l6l full days for this year. The
pay goes on for $50 days Of actual
teaching. II would seem that nine
months OF school would mean more
than l6l or even is0 days. We lose
the best part of the school year By
this arrangement.
Something Ii certainly amiss when
& il Is ascertained that the per capita
cost of our high school education il
n hundred dollars year for teaching
alone when other towns in this state
find half that sum sufficient for the
same work. IL appears to me that
there Is waste of time in this depart
ment. Waste of money is the result.
With one or two teachers less in the
high school there would still be only
25 pupils per teacher in the high
+ school against nearly 80 pupils per
/ teacher in the grades. | believe that
the Salmon schools may very well get
along without superintendent By
substituting for him . principal
to take his place at an adequate but
smaller salary. There Is certainly an
unmistekable demand for less ex-
pense for the high school.
Z For this reason beg TO ask that
your board defer any further action
/ looking 20 the appointment Of SUI
perintendent or principal till full in
fhFHdtiDn may nc nUtAinfn a. 10
wha; may be done withou, de,rinent
TO schools in the line of my sugges-
tions.
Very respectfully yours,
j. Y. MELVIN,
=. S.-0ne of your lower grade
teachers, whose pupils are dismissed
IN the afternoon for the last regular
period. might very well put in the
time thus made idle for her in
teaching music. She Is compet~gt in
that line. Another teacher aizo idle
for part Of the school day might
very well take up some other subject.
and 80 on throughout the school day +.
we might have business training and
other branches Of useful knowledge
Impaired and still have less teachers
on the payroll. In this connection |
particularly refer 20 the domestic
science teacher who could use her va
cant periods in giving this useful in
strnction Throughout; the grades.
j. r.. NJ.