Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-17
DEFENDS WAGE
MINIMUM FOR
T|HI H! IL ;
Burchard Says Proposed Re
peal Would Have Small
Effect On Taxes

Repeal oil the teachers minimum
wage law in North Dakota. would not
materially affect school taxes, accord
ing to F. F. $,Burchard, Secretary of
the Grand Forks board of education.
Stating that his %:'attention had been
called to. the publicity being given
the movement to initiate a proposed
repeal of. the law and that he believed
only one. side Of the question seemed
to have been represented" Mr.. Bur
chard ,said: -
In the first place, there seemed a
valid reason for the legislature pass
ing such a law. Any member Of the
last legislature can tell you that an
official investigation before the sem
ate repealed an appalling condition OF
illiteracy in parts of North Dakota,
T~here>are whole townships where the
English language cannot be spoken
by three-fourts- of the population and
80 per cent, cannot read INC write
English. ~
THE members of the legislature
were actuated by the finest motives in
doing what they believed was a real
service to North Dakota.
: "A repeal of the minimum salary
law will not make it possible to re-
duce school. taxes in an appreciable
mount ever if we grant it. for sake
Of argument. that school boards will
attempt to hire school teachers for a
salary that will barely provide for i'm
mediate existence for the teacher,
There may be found communities that
will do this and even communities
that will be willing to have no school,
at all. The state cannot afford to per.
init this condition to come about. !,
Makes Teachers '.Goats."
The proposed repeal win not mate.
rally reduce taxes because the salaries
of teachers are less than one-half OF
the total expense Of running the edu.
cational system Of this state. Further
the law provides that the proceeds OF
the vast state appointments Gin
come from the permanent schoo
fund, fines, penalties. etc. and Tho
2-milll county school fund must be ap'
piled toward payment of teachers
salaries and the balance, if any IL
needed. made up by local taxation. Sc
it is perfectly evident that no grea'
reduction can be made by singing on
one isolated factor-the teachers
and attempting to make them goats
Tin our efforts to reduce the tan bur
den. Progressive communities insis
upon good schools and willlpay decen
wages to competent teachers, law o
no law. AZ repeal of this .law will b,
welcomed in communities wher'
four -fifths of the people can read ane
write in no language and schools ar,
looked upon asa. needless burden.
. There arc some things about thil
new law that should be changed b,
the next legislature: The beginnin,
salary, is too high In some instances
more latitude shouldabe given schoo
boards in deciding whether a teacher
salary should gbe advanced beyond /,
certain amount regardless OF whethe,
she is q good teacher or not. But tn,
law Is ALL right in principle and de
fects can be remedied from time t,
time.
Facc.Powder Argument.
ut lis naturaIsto blame our trouble
tofthe other. feliowsand 1t is especial!
easy to ""hopsGH the schools at tn,
slightest propagation.
tin this feOnnection,. I wonder II 4
would not interest people to hea.
again aacompariAon Of exRenditure
that think Interesting. ForSthe yea
1920 and the school. year 1919-1S20
North Dakota people paid: sse.5
! For teachers salaries, 7. $6,238,l54.7
or1face powdcrsand per-
For soft drinks 1 3.443,98S.0'
These figures are official and TIL
only items incorrect are those Of tn
Eluxuries, which are taken from gov