The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-06-22
TEACHERS MINIMUM SALARY
LAW

The Independent believes that every
voter should thoroughly acquaint
himself or herself with both sides of
a question before casting a ballot for
or against any initiated measure. For
this reason we are going to present
few facts regarding the much
talked of but little understood
Teachers Minimum Salary Law. In
the first place, the title Of the present
law is entirely misnomer. 1t is mis-
leading in that it gives the grossly
incorrect impression that the law has
to do with nothing but the salary
feature of the law. On the contrary,
the law was primarily intended to
establish publications standard
which demands certain educational re-
Quirements of those who aspire to be
teachers. On and after August 81,
1923, no one can enter the teaching
profession who is not at least high
school graduate. True a schedule of
wages was Incorporated in the law to
induce better educated persons to be-
come teachers and such course was
entirely iustied in the opinion of the
Independent.
1t, may be contended by some, and
more or less justly, that the passage
'of the law came at an inopportune
time because of poor crop conditions,
but the fact remains that this law is
not in any great degree responsible
for the wages being paid teachers.
Fully eighty per cent of the teachers
of North Dakota are being paid more
money than the law demands shall be
paid them. How then can the law be
held accountable? In fairness, we
must admit that it cannot. The law
of supply and demand is almost en-
tirely responsible. It is true that
teachers were more plentiful this last
year than they have been for several
years past but the better qualified
teachers, for whom there has been an
ever increasing demand. were not of
a sufficient number to fill all schools
where their services were desired.
Hence school boards were compelled
to pay wages which were higher than
they would perhaps have been and
which in a large majority Of cases
exceeded the requirements of the sal
ary law.
It is to be said to the credit of the
teachers of the state that they are
not making any strenuous effort to
uphold the present law in it's entirety
but thew do feel that it should not he
repealed as that act would kill the
only law ever enacted by the state Of
North Dakota exacting educational
qualifications of teachers. In addition
to this. the teachers in all the meet
ings of the State Teachers Associa-
ton have passed resolutions favoring
an amendment to the law touching
the salary portion and authorizing the
appointment Of legislative commit
tee to wait upon the next session Of
our legislature and recommend the
passage of such an amendment. What
could be fairer than this attitude of
the teachers? Would the repeal of
the Teachers Minimum Salary Law
ct the hands of the voters at the pri-
mary election to be held next week
Re fair to the members of a profess
sion which has shown itself to be
willing to meet the taxpayers more
than half way? The Independent
thinks not. In fact. we consider that
the repeal Of the law would be a de-
cidedly backward step in our educa-
tional development and believe that
every reader of this editorial will see
tho m ttor in tho canoa 1ioht