Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-04-20
TEACHERS DEMAND
SALARY INCREASES
Only s Public School Teacher. In
Willmar Out Of Corps Of Al
f. 7. : Sign 1921 Contracts

, -. = = e
teachers for our city schools con-
fronts our school board and Supt. Geo.
Brohaugh again this year. This gen.
eral situation has been met and mast
cred in past years with some difficulty.
At this time the task seems even
more perplexing. Fully thirty-nine of
our forty-seven teachers in the grades
and High School have returned their
contracts, minus their signatures. On
ly three of the sixteen High School
instructors have signed the agree.
ments. In the Junior High but two
of the eight teachers have agreed to
teach here next year while Of the
tWenty-three teachers in the, grades,
only three returned the contracts
bearing their signed names. This
means that eighty-three per cent of
the entire teaching corps in our pub
lie school are at this time considering
contracts with other schools. The
situation is indeed somewhat grave.
The reason given by the teachers
for rejecting the contracts is primari-
ly that of salaries. 1t appears, ac-
cording to the statements made by
some Of the teachers, that far more
attractive and higher salaries are Of
fered experienced teachers in other
schools in the state. The demand for
teachers has not diminished this year
as was expected. There is a shortage
of teaching talent. Consequently the
salaries for this profession have not
decreased but in many instances have
been slightly on the incline. The
Willmar teachers, it is understood,
are being offered contracts at figures
more acceptable than the ones offer
ed by our city.
A survey Of salaries offered teach
ers in group of &c cities Of the popu-
lation of Willmar in the state shows
that our city is below the average in
it's teachers contracts. Our minimum
salary for grade teacher is $1,000 a
year and the maximum is $1102.50 a
year. The minimum here is notice
ably lower than the average of the
cities enumerated and the maximum
here is not what experienced grade
teachers are commanding in salaries
at other schools.
In our High School we are below
salary averages in seven courses in
the curriculum and only slightly above
in three Twelve teachers in the
High School are below the average in
| salaries.
Not one teacher in the Central, Lin
coin and Garfield schools have signed
for next year at the present salaries.
It is said that the increases requested
are not great but will bring the stand
ing of salaries in our school some
where near the average offered at
other schools.
| The condition sof affairs here are
plain. There being lack of teachers
in the state and higher salaries being
offered in other cities, the PROPOSE
ton is simply this-that Willmar
must work overtime to obtain good
material at our salaries below the av-
erage We are informed that inexper-
fenced teachers can be secured at the
present salaries but the uncertainty
entailed in engaging these is only too
apparent.
While the thirty nine of the forty
seven are seriously contemplating the
acceptance of other positions steps
must be taken, either to raise their
salaries or examine applications from
unframed and inexperienced Students
/ from the normal schools and colleges
Supt. Brohaugh states that Willmar
will lose a competent teaching staff
next year which cannot be replaced
at present salaries. Undeveloped ma
terial must then be taken. The stu.
alton is indeed fraught with much re-
! sponsibility and unpleas.ntness