The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-20
bALLOU URGES
FIXED PAY FOR
D. c. TEACHERS
Salaries OF Practically All Are
Subject to Passing Whims
Of Congress-"
SCALE HERE RUNS LOW
Figures Show Compensation ls
Better In Most Big Cities Of
United States.

passing whims Of Congress, is asked
BY DR.. Frank w. Ballou. superin-
tendent of schools. in the third Sec
tion Of his annual report. issued yes
tsrday.
This section deals entirely with
school salaries and proposes a new
scale for all employees. bringing in
creased compensation In practically
every class. In asking for legaliza-
ton OF q fixed salary schedule, Super
antendent Ballou says:
Tho present salary of practically
every employee of the Board of Edu-
cation IL subject to a point of order in
Congress because 1t is not provided for
In law. The several increases in COM
pensatfon which teachers and others
nave received are authorized only in
the appropriations bill, and hence are
only legal from year to year. The
salaries of all employees of the Board
SPf Education should be established by
law and should not be left in their
present uncertain state"
In his request for the higher COM
pensation schedule he declares that
IN addition to the necessity for
legalizing the salaries of employees and
Tor new salary schedule to provide
Tor the past and future developments
and extensions of the present school
system, new salary schedule is
necessary In order to correct certain
in5ustices which now exist due to past
salary adjustments. Moreover. in
creased compensation for employees is
necessary II the Washington school
system is to compete successfully
with other school systems in securing
efficient teachers and officers"
ID. g. Salaries Are Low.
He states that the minimum salary
for teachers should be Sufficiently
high to prolhpt competent persons
to fit themselves by study and train
ing to fill such a position" and to
provide "a decent living for those
who receive it." The maximum
should be high enough to bring con-
tentment of mind and a reasonable
satisfaction" and sufficiently high
TO compete successfully with wages
in commerce, industry, and other
I. professions in bidding for the serv-
Wees OF those well qualified to take
up teaching as a life work" The
annual increase in salary for sue
cessful service should be large
enough to provide annually a rea-
sonable reward for increased COM
potency. Moreover, 1t should be large
enough so that a teacher will reach
the maximum salary of her rank by
the time she has reached the maxi
mum of her profession"
He points out that salaries in
Washington are lower than in the
majority of cities of the same siZe
and that this naturally works to the
disadvantage of the District and re-
suits in a lower grade Of employees
here. In forty-eight of the largest
cities OF the country, DIR. Ballou in
dfcates, the minimum salaries paid
teachers in seventeen cases are
more, in sixteenth the same, and in
fourteen less. The maximum sal
aries show forty-five to forty-eight
cities paying more than Washington,
and two paying less.
Under the present uncertain
state" of compensation a number of
teachers are being paid under two
separate ratings for the same work
Teachers serving in the Junior
high schools now serve as either
Glass ga of high school teachers, or
a. class or class of elementary
school teachers. ut Is impossible 10
organize effectively junior high
school under the restrictions thus
imposed" comments DR.. Ballou.
Administrative principalships Of
0iSU1eHthTy sCHOOlS WITH sixteen or
more classes have been created, with
no corresponding salary scale. DR.
Ballou points out. The salaries paid
con,ist of salary as teacher and
additional compensation based upon
the number of session rooms.
The Community Center department,
though recognized by law. has no sal.
airy schedule. lump sum appropria-
lions being made. DR.. Ballou asks
liking of salaries by permanent legis-
lstion in this case.
employees In the local system are paid
below the standards for the majority
of cities of the country is shown in
the report on a survey made Of school
salaries In all cities Of the country
having population Of 100000 or
greater.
Pay In Other Cities.
The minimum salary scale for the
ripper group Of high school teach.
ors shows twelve of the fourteen
krger cities paying more than Wash
ington and only one paying less.
Washington pays principals of ele-
mentary schools less than the mini
mum of thirty-three of forty cities
from which figures were obtained and
more than six. IL the eight-room build.
ing principals salary is considered.
Washington pays less than thirty.six
cities and more than three IL the
twenty-room building principals salary
II considered. Washington is the last
in the list Of forty-three cities from
which salary figures for elementary
school principals were obtained.
The minimum salaries paid high
school principals here are less than
in nineteen of twenty-four cities in.
vestigated and the maximum is less
than any OF the thirty-six cities from
which reports were obtainable.
The present salaries of assistant
superintendents Of schools of cities
exceeding 100, 900 population are higher
in twenty-nine of thirty-nine cities
than In Washington, and only nine
pay less.
Thirty eight Of the fifty-eight largest
cities of the country pay higher sal
aries for the superintendent of schools