The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-02-23
PLEADS CAUSEOF
Welded TEACHER
Mrs. Bradford Urges Pub
lie Not to Do Injustice
to Women.
NO RULE POSSIBLE

intendent of the schools of Kenosha
and now in educational work at Will
mington, Del, has given out a very
interesting statement relative to the
nationwide movement to dispense with
the services of married women in the
schools. The statements of Mrs. Brad
ford reflect in large measure the
experience which she had in the
schools of Kenosha and the argument
which she makes in favor of the mar
ried women is one which will appeal
strongly in Kenosha. Her ideas and
ideals were laid out in an article con-
tributed to the current number of the
New England Journal of Education.
She says:
"The World War depleted the teach
ing ranks. Business called and war
beckoned-war service as a patriotic
duty. Superintendents of schools and
boards of education appealed to mar
ried women who had formerly been
teachers to return to the schoolroom
and help keep the schools going. Chill
dren do not stop developing on account
of VIZ and they must be taught each
year as young colts must be fed each
day, if they are to grow up sound in
wind and limb, physically, morally and
mentally. The response of these wom-
en-, so splendidly made, saved thousands
of children from dangerous educa-
tional neglect.
"The after-the-war high tide of in
dustry has become the ebb. The return
from business pursuits to classrooms
has we'll set in and the married woman
question comes to the front. The seri-
GUS point of this question seems to
be women with husbands able to sup
port them. Widows and women with
husbands incompetent, through illness
or otherwise, seem not to. be looked
upon as within the prohibited de-
grees.
Must Forfeit Position.
"To illustrate the attitude: The
school board provides that no mar
ried women shall be employed; any
teacher under contract who marries,
thereby forfeits her position; any
resignation or leave of absence of any
married woman under contract, shall
cancel the contract and permanently
bar her reelection. The term mar
ried women is not to include widows
and women who although married are
dependent entirely on their own re-
sources
at would have been interesting to
hear the discussions Of the committee
that made these rules, and the reasons
which were advanced for them. Since
that cannot be, the reasons usually
given to Justify such a rule deserve
consideration.
"The first reason commonly given
is that since married woman has sup
port provided by her husband, some
young girl who has her own way to
make has a better right to the job.
This is another form of statement for
the opinion too frequently ENTERTAINERS;
that positions in which the salary is
paid from public funds should go to
needy citizens, qualifications being a
secondary consideration. This might
be called political reason.
Not Harder to Manage.
"The second assigned is that married
women are often more difficult to man
age than young women; that there is
danger from the political or social in
fluence Of their husbands, if the teach
err disagrees with the school authori-
ties. If this reason is not political
one, it certainly might be called a
polite reason.
"The third argument named is that
the first business of a married woman
is to make home. If she attends to
her school duties properly, she must
necessarily neglect her home; if she
does not neglect her home, she cannot
do her school work properly. If this
could be proved it would be perhaps
a proper reason.
"The fourth argument sometimes adj
vanced is used by school official who
stated that such rule is good thing
because it might protect well paid
women, especially young women, from
being sought in marriage by impecuni-
GUS men interested to secure someone
to support them. This might be desig-
mated as an amusing reason.
"The first, political reason, is hard
to combat, but shows fundamental lack
of soundness in regard to standards
which ought to prevail in the selec-
ton and retention Of public employees,
Eincluding teachers. The only standard
that should influence the selection of
those to whom we intrust the care of
our children should be merit-ability
for good workmanship. If the young
woman with her own way to make is
better than the married woman she
should be employed; to prefer her be-
cause she needs work, when the mar
ried woman is better, is fundamentally
unsound.
The Appeal to the Community.
"The second, or polite reason, is
often without doubt the result of ex-
perience. Inefficient teachers long in
service, when an attempt is made to
remove them appeal to the community