Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-05-26
Former Pocomoke Editor
Writes Interesting Letter

Writes Interesting Letter
Continued from Page 81
latter receiving my diploma from the
California Commercial College, I ex-
pected to have stenographic work. For
a while ! was private secretary to DR..
Wilson, principal Of the school. How
ever, it was the first year of free text
books in the high schools of Califor-
MIA. When the book depository was
opened there was no one to take
charge. DR.. Wilson decided to draw
on the commercial students for his
work, giving them office, practice, and
placed me in complete charge of the
book room. Everything was in a
chaotic state, out Of which had to be
evolved systematic regularly organ
lied book room. for the issuing and
receiving of from $4,000 to 10000
books. The work was so hard at first
that I don't care to think about it.
DR.. Wilson said he had spent many
sleepless nights trying to solve the
problem of handling the situation.
Suffice it to say, we have things down
to pretty fine point now. DR.. Will
son praises my work and supports me
in every way, and the association with
the teachers, of whom there are about
120, and also with the student body
IS very pleasant, but I never did want
u is kind of work. Even Mrs. Dorsey,
City Superintendent of Schools, has
given me special recognition, and
when I told Mr.. Gould, assistant SUI
perintendent, that I wished to take
the city high school teachers exami-
nations, he made special arrange
ments for me to do so without inter-
fering with the summer school work.
Examinations are given twice year;
just before the Easter vacation and
early in July. One must make appli-
cation to take examinations to the
Board of Education a month in ad-
vance. If permission is granted, an
entrance card is sent to you. No one
is admitted without this card. About
1900 teachers took the first examina-
ton last year, and nearly as many
took the July examination. Although
you may pass in the written examina-
ton, the committee before whom you
must take the oral examinations may
pass unfavorably on you and cause
you to be turned down. Moreover,
there is disposition to turn down
all applicants over 45 years Of age.
Even though you pass the examina-
tons, you may not be able to secure
a State certificate, without which, of
course, you cannot draw salary.
One of our teachers told me that she
nearly "sweat blood" before she sue
ceeded in getting a State certificate;
and she had University training,
taught ten years and been a Super
visor in her own State. So you see
how hard they make it for one to
teach in Los Angeles. l passed all the
examinations, both general and spec
ial, as it was typewriting and short
hand that wanted to teach, and was
placed ON the city list of eligible
teachers, but because I lacked one
year college training the State would
not grant certificate. Then, I sent
all Of my credentials over to Arizona,
with the result that I was promptly
granted special certificate to teach
shorthand and typewriting in that
State. It was then too late in the
year, however, to secure position, so
I am still in my secretarial position
at Manual Arts. DR.. Wilson has held
as an inducement to keep me here the
possibility of library work, which
would give the same salary and hours
as teachers have, but there is no OPP
ening yet. In the meantime, he has
recommended to the Board that our
salaries be raised.
Arizona salaries are nearly, if not
quite as good as California salaries.
California schools are so terribly ov-
ercrowded that conditions under which
teachers have to work are sometimes
very hard. But, understand it is the
same way in the East. The school
year in California is ten months in
duration. In Arizona it is only nine
months, and teachers are paid every
month in the year. Salaries here
range from $1,000 or $500 to $4,000;
the former amount to first and second
TWICE PROVEN