Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-29

where the salary limit was fixed by State
law and was changed the year following.
In the matter of salaries for high school
teachers, five cities had lower minimum
than Indianapolis, but none had as low
a maximum. At that time teachers in
the grades, were drawing from $500 to
1915 a year while high school teachers
drew from 5000 to 81, 450 a year Other
cities of the same grade were paying
at that time as high as 81, 800 for grade
school teachers and as high as $1,000 for
high school teachers.
The total amount of money paid to
teachers annually at that period was
about S1.2OO,000, or about 66 % per cent
Of the total maintenance budget, exclu-
sive of capital expenditures, such as for
buildings, etc.
Teachers salaries were advanced in
little niggardly jumps of $25 and $50
a year. AS one school official expressed
it in summing up the situation THAT
salary schedule was arranged not for the
purpose Of giving the teachers more
money, but for the express purpose OF
keeping them from getting It."
1t meant that a young woman just
out OF high school and desiring to
take up teaching as a profession would
spend two years at a college preparing
herself and then, after all the expenditure
Of time and money necessary to equip
herself for the teaching profession she
would be given a position at the general
salary of $500 year. which was almost
half as much as a stenographic debutante,
fresh from a three months course in
good business college, could command.
Then If this teacher was faithful to her
trust she had the inspiring outlook OF
being able at some far distant date in
the future TO rise to dizzy financial
heights Of 1915 a year maybe.
OF course under these condition de-
cline in the morale of the teaching force
was inevitable as was a falling off in the
standards OF the schools themselves.
Teachers began to drift away to CO.
Iumbus. Ohio, Denver, Kansas City and
other cities where their ability was more
appreciated and better remunerated than
in Indianapolis.
However, in the last three years that
condition has been remedied to a great
extent Today the school city is spend
ing 100000 a year on its 1850 teachers
as against 81, 100000 on about 1000 teach
ers in 1918
The old $500 minimum for grade school
teachers has been succeeded by a 81 200
Is more lndu the OAU
maximum of 1915 and the maximum sal
airy provided by the schedule, which, by
the way, is being drawn by 1888 teachers,
is now $1,000
The same improvement has been made
in the schedule of high school salaries
where the minimum has been increased
from 5000 to $500 and the maximum
from 81, 600 to $500. Eighty Of the 300
high school teachers are now drawing the
maximum of $500 a year.
By the new schedule adopted by the
board recently teachers in the grades
are entitled to an automatic increase Of
500 a year and high school teachers, $3.50
until a certain limit is reached.
indianapolis now ranks. in point Of
salaries paid its teachers. at the top of
the list of Indiana schools and compares
very favorably with other cities OF its
class throughout the United States, al
though there still is room for improve
ment in certain special instances.
TEACHERS APPLY
FOR JOBS HERE.
AS the result of this increase in teach
ers' salaries school officials of the city
are enjoying the novel sensation of hav-
ing teachers of high standing in other
cities applying fer positions in our
nations every year from among the best
Of the teaching stan at the close Of every
school year.
The result inevitably will be a better
standard Of scholarship In the schools.
In some quarters there has been a marked
tendency to criticize the board for these
increases on the ground that it neces-
states additional expenditures. OF this
there is no question, but the answer is
so plain that even the blindest opponent
Of school expenditures must be able to
see IL, and that is the object Of the pub
lie schools to instruct, and in order to
instruct there must be instruction, aud
high grade instruction cannot be obtained
unless the instructors are paid salaries
commensurate with their ability.
Had the old policy Of ridiculously low
salaries been pursued a few years longer
it would have resulted In nothing less
than disaster for the public school sys-
TEN Of indianapolis.
Now that the salaries have been in
creased the board of school commission
ers is perfectly willing to assume all the
credit for 1t. AS a matter Of fact, how
ever. the teachers themselves waged a
long, hard, bitter fight, in which they
did not at all times have the support
Of the board for these increases.
Teachers who for years have looked
forward and fought for better salaries
point out that at various times during
the struggle teachers taking too active
a part In the movement found them
selves out of jobs The fasco Of last
year, when one of the most popular
teachers at Arsenal Technical High
school, both among the teaching STAFF
and the student body, was turned out
without any reason or explanation, al
though the school board spent several
highly entertaining but non productive
evenings trying to convince the League
of Women Voters that an '''answer" was
a reason" is pointed out by many as
an example Of this character. The teacher
in question had been an officer IN the
World War and came out with a splendid
record for handling men. But he also
was an ardent supporter of the teachers
organization and higher salary movement.
A number Of his most active friends on