The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-01-27
TEACHERS ASK
SALARY RAISE
Present Schedule to Board of
Education and City Council
In Joint Session.
Comment Is Favorable

Last Tuesday night a committee of
teachers of the grammar grades and
the High School met with City Coun-
Gil, the Board of Education and Board
of School Estimates to consider the
matter of a raise in salaries. The
committee representing the grammar
grades presented a schedule of a min
imum and maximum salary, asking an
increase each year for five years. For
the High School staff, Emory Helfrich
stated that they had not fixed either a
minimum or maximum amount, but
that the opinion was that High School
teachers should receive a slightly
greater salary than grammar school
teachers. He said that High School
teachers should be rated here the
same as in other New Jersey cities of
about the same size. He presented a
list of cities and the present salaries
paid to High School teachers.
The schedule for grammar grades
presented was as follows: First year
teachers, first to fourth grades, $1,000,
with an annual increase of 500 until
a maximum of $1,000 is reached; from
fourth to eighth grades for first year
teachers, the sum of SLIGO, with an
annual increase of 500 until the max
imum sum of $1,000 is reached. For
special teachers the sum of $1,000
was recommended for first year teach
ers, with an annual increase of 500
until the maximum of 81, 700 is reach
ed.
The matter was fully debated by
those present. Mayor Charles E.
Jackson stated that as a member of
the Board of School Estimates he ia
vored giving the teachers an increas-
ed salary. He stated that there was
no inducement to teachers to work
with no possibility of advancement.
He believed teachers should receive
added compensation each year. Prin-
cipal Wilson stated that it was some
what difficult to retain teachers with
the present salaries paid. He said
that Pleasantville seems to be sort of
a training school for other cities, be-
cause after teachers serve here a year
or two they sometimes are given posi-
items elsewhere at increased salaries
and new ones have to be found here
TO fill their places.
Arthur H. Stiles, President of the
Board of Education, said there was
nothing wrong with the request made
by the teachers at this time for an
increase in salary. He said there had
been no increase granted in four
years, when an increase of only 500
was given. He said it had been quite
a job to fill the roster of the schools,
because of the low salaries paid here.
Pleasantville is about the lowest in
salaries paid of any city in New Jer-
COW oonnrdin0 IN Dpacidonf Cff1nc He
remarked that the Board of Education
was in favor of granting an increase
now.
Councilman Stephenson told the
teachers that Council had nothing to
do with granting a raise in salary to
them until after a recommendation
had been made to Council by the
Board of School Estimates, based on
the request of the Board of Education
as to the amount of money needed
each year for school purposes. He
said Council did not know just how
the money was to be used, as the
items submitted by the Board of
School Estimates were not specially
itemized. Councilman Yates suggest
that this year the several items should
be fully set forth when the Board of
Estimates submits its report to Coun-
ell for money for school purposes.
Councilman Stephenson said that so
far as he could see there should be no
difference in salaries paid to grade.
teachers, unless it would be that the
primary teachers should receive more
than the advanced grade teachers, be-
cause of their arduous duties in train
ing the young pupils. He said he
admired the spirit of the teachers in
coming and asking for living wages.
He also referred to the Leeds Avenue
School building and told the Board of
Education that in his judgment the
present structure should be torn down
and a new building erected there. He
said that if the Board of Education
should make some recommendation
this year there would probably be
something done in that line.
The Budget Committee of the Board
of Education met last night (Friday)
to consider the amount of money
needed this year and the general be-
lief is that they will recommend a
raise in salary for the teachers.