Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-03-04
THINKS TEACHERS ARE
FAIRLY WE'LL PAID
Editor NewS-Budget !:

| AS the schools of our land seem to
draw the heaviest upon our taxes. |
wish to again ask you for space in
| your valuable paper.
AS clerk of a school, | receive many
| letters circulars and suggestions to the
effect that teachers should receive high
or salaries. The cry of the teacher is
for so-called living wage. The state
| superintendent and the school inspect
ors continually urge school boards to
| raise the salaries of teachers.
The last time Inspector Anderson
inspected our schools. the very first
words he spoke to me were: the as
Sistant teacher i'll our highSchOOl
would like more pay My answer
was that the teachers all would like
more pay.
Mr.. Anderson then told me that he
had two different schools in the cOun-
ty either Of which would pay $1,000
per month to this teacher more than
she was being paid by our school.
Here we had IA good teacher con-
tracted at 500 per month. perfectly
satisfied. never once had complained.
when along comes school Inspector
Il hired servant Of the people already
OYcr-burdened with excessively high
taxes. and instead of inspecting the
school in the matter of good teachers
sanitary conditions of premises neceS-
>ary. equipment, etc. instead he seems
to be maintaining a teacher agency,
and where school board has succeed
ed in procuring a good teacher at a
fair enough salary, lie inspector
threatens to inform the teacher of Il
better opportunity in some other school.
How long will this nation "Of the
people. by the people. for the people"
submit to this cut-throat propaganda?
Now the living wage for teachers.
From the time the child enters our
public schools. he or she are trans
ported free, have free text books, tab
let's pencils. etc. are under instruction
Of the best teachers money can en-
ploy This free school system takes
them through a tWelvc-year course {;
and also a county training school
This is very good start in life for
amy young man or woman.
If they decide to begin life'S work
as teacher they have made a very
wise choice. because they will be cOnr
tnuOusIy studying, and storing away
knowledge that will be of great value
TO them as they climb the ladder of
success Many of the most eminently
successful people i'll our land were at
one time teachers in schools.
One of the complaints coming from
the teachers is that they have but nine
months in which to draw Il salary.
This at first thought. might seem
unjust and wrong, but when if is
studied from a different viewpoint,
there are two sides TO every question.
soin the teacher has had free schooling
for twelve to fifteen years. They are
given pretty good wages for nine
months in the year. and they have had
an opportunity to lay up fairly good
bank account. then the other three
months of the year opportunities are
given them on every hand to attend
summer schools and Institutes, and
during the very warmest season of the
year, they can visit summer resorts
and have a pleasant vacation. IN
short, Il teacher has at all times. the
best Of opportunities to acquire knowl-
'dge, which is the best passport to the
goal of highest endeavOr.
And while the teacher is employed
IN the public schools their pay is absO-
lutcly sure. They never have to lose
cent Of what is coming to them.
Not 50 with wage earners in other
professions who many times have
Many times also have farmers, who
pay the largest proportion of the taxes,
lost their entire crops of Il years
raising by drouthS. fires. hail storms
etc. or their stock by disease. The
mechanics. brick mas0nS, plasterers,
fniShers etc, had no free schooling in
learning their professions Many a
day was spent in working at appren-
tice jobs. nor do they have positions
| where they draw good salaries for nine
months in the year. as do the teachers.
No. six months is about their limit,
and if they do not work on labor day,
or Thanksgiving. their salaries stop,
| while the teacher who only works
twenty days for a month, is not locked
! for holidays when schools are closed.
Now as to the farmer as a rule. his
start in life is two horny hands," and
| if his father is 'fOrehanded' the boy
is given team and wagon. He has