Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15

The pay OF washington's school
teachers fifty years ago was as un-
certain as
No Pay for mi d sum inner
School Teachers. but the s,be, Of
other cities were not relished by the
local community, particularly az Con-
gress and not the District was re-
sponsible for the condition. In The
Star OF April II. 1873. appears the
following editorial in reply to a dis
patch from Washington in the Phila-
delphta Tribune ridiculing the Ma
tional Capitals treatment of its school
teachers:
THE correspondent OF the Tribune,
who is SO industriously endeavoring
to embarrass the Distinct govern
mont, does not seem to be aware that,
unfortunately, It Is no new thing for
the teachers OF Washington to be
unpaid. and, therefore. that there is
not enough novelty about IL to create
any great excitement however un-
pleasant It may be for the parties
concerned. Here, as in PHILADELPHIA
and many other cities, teachers have
had long and bitter experiences in
the way OF behind-hand salaries.
Only q year or two before the present
District government came into power.
the teachers were Ave months be-
hind in their pay and held q series
OF indignation meetings in conse-
quence. It is a shame that the hard
working teachers should be compelled
to walt for their moderate salaries,
and We had hoped that the evil would
be remedied by the new District gov
eminent. but It seems that it fs tho
old dimculty over again of the want
OF resources to sustain our enor-
mously burdensome school system.
The school fund has not been diverted
to other expenditures. as charged,
but 1t has not proved adequate to
pay for the erection OF new school
buildings and to provide for the
salaries of the teachers and the
other working expenses OF the
schools at the same time.
Instead. however. OF abusing the Dis
correspondent Of the Tribune should
bestow his censure upon Congress
FOR falling to aid In sustaining the
exceptional burdens Of the free school
system in this District
Gen. Walker, superintendent OF
the census. in some remarks at the
Inauguration OF the Seaton School
building. set forth the circumstances
OF exceptional difficulty under which
the city or Washington labors in
the highest demands Of the age. He
presented data showing that tho
school tax OF Chicago for the previous
nscaI year was III cents for each
$loo OF taxable value: Of Boston, 17.s
cents; OF Baltimore. % cents; OF
philadelphia, 20 cents; Of Cincinnati,
80 cents: OF st. Louis and San Fran
cisco, 20 cents: OF Washington. so
cents. The reason for the remark
ape difference to the disadvantage
large amount Of real estate which is
exempt from taxation. as the prop
erty OF the general government. and
the fact that the taxpayers in this
comparatively poor city have had to
shoulder the entire cost OF providing
school accommodations for the chill,
dren OF tho mountaineering element
government employees and the i'm
mense number of 'contrabands' thrown
upon Washington by the war.
ceptional burdens have fallen upon
Washington through its being the
seat OF government. Congress has
failed thus far to grant to this Dis
TIC even ordinary donation OF public
various states and territories for
school purposes. We trust that Con-
gress will do this simple act of
Justice to the District next session,
ana In the meantime that the Dis
trict authorities will take such .tens
as will insure. without fail. the reg
uiar payment Of the teachers"