Evening star., 1924-03-31

in an effort to catch fiirtatious
youths in the act. -
from time to time to the employees
of the board of education by success
Sive appropriation acts have been OF
temporary and limited nature.
The committee on the District OF
Columbia is convinced that there IS
urgent need that the salary schedule
thus authorized in appropriation
bills should be revised, extended and
made more permanent. This new
/ Legislation is needed, not only to.
bring assurance to those teachers
now in the service. but to attract
teachers of high qualifications to the
Capital city. where there has been
shortage of teachers because of in
adequate salaries.
There have been many develop
ments and considerable extension
of activities in the school system
since 1906. in so far as the limita-
tions OF the old law would permit
such changes. In order 10 stabilize
what has been accomplished and in
order 10 make possible additional inn
provements in the public schools, the
Keller bill carries certain legislative
, authorization" Repressnta Lam
pert pointed out.
This new Legislation he summarized
as follows: 1t lesalizes and renders
more permanent the salaries of EN-
salaries for activities and positions
which have developed in the public
schools since 1906, such as Junior high
schools. vacation schools, community
icenterS, administrative principals and
assistant principals in high schools.
1T aboiiSheS session room pay and
provides IL better method Of paying
principals of elementary schools. 1t
also abolishes the classified tion of the
! elementary teachers into five salary
groups and provides a uniform basic sal
airy with annual 800 increments for a
limited number of years. 1t authorizes
the employment of temporary teach
ers and the appointment of annual
substitute teachers.
| Report Fnvors Increase.
The report of the subcommittee on
schools and Fairgrounds of the
House and the Senate, submitted to
the Senate by Senator Capper. in
dorses and recommends the passage
| of teachers salary BILL" Represent
ative Lambert pointed out. This sal
airy Legislation undoubtedly repre-
sents one of the most urgent needs of
the public school system of the Dis
trict," he said. This salary legisla-
/ tion will in no way interfere with
the enactment of any other legisla-
| tion suggested, supported or recon-
mended by committees of Congress in
Senator CappeTS report.
"On the contrary this legislation
should be viewed as the first legis-
! lation looking toward reorganization
and rehabilitation of the school sys-
tenn of Washington. This salary list
has been prepared with the exjecta-
ton that subsequent expectation
affecting the general organization of
| the school system will follow
Laying stress upon the necessity
! for passing this bill at once, Rep
| II
ton that, the public school teachers
of Washington are in a precarious
position with regard to salaries If
this bill is not enacted into law be-
These teachers. employed as they
are in the federal district, have re-
ceived the annual bonus of sz4O
along with the federal employees The
federal employees have been provided
for in the recent reclaSsifcation leg
! isla ton and there is not likely to be
any legislation before Congress this
session with respect to continuing
the bonus The teachers are facing
an actual loss Of salary if this bill
does not pass at this session of Con-
gress." Representative Lampert also
laid stress on the fact that this bill
provides for only the educational en-
ployeS Of the board of education. 1t
does not carry salary adjustment
provisions for such groups of en-
\
medical and dental inspectors, school
nurses, engineers, janitorS and other
custodial positions.
'All such employees have been pro-
vided for in the reclassifcation legis-
I lation. This bill proposes to adjust
the teachers and others in the educa-
tional system the same as police and
| firemen have had their pay adjusted
by separate legislation. In it the
teachers are safeguarded against the
a hn
| gevity increase in pay they have
| earned under the provisions of the
present law, and they are given a
rea sonable increase in salary corre-
spending to the increase granted to
I federal employees.
Pay in Other Cities Compared.
After discussing at length the question
! OF teachers salary increases and COM
pairing the salaries paid here with those
paid in other municipalities Of COM
parable size. Representative Lam pert
summarizes his argument in favor Of
| the new schedule as follows:
The American people believe in public
education. AS has been shown, cities of
the country are expending from 80 to
so per cent OF their total revenues for
public education. Justice to the school
| teachers and officials of Washington re-
quires that Congress increase the sal
aries for their services. Unless this
low compensation of teachers in Wash
| ington will be actually reduced
through the loss of the bonus after
June 80, 1924.
Congress is not now appropriating
as much money per pupil for public
education in Washington as are many
large and small cities of the country.
Moreover, most of the cities of the
country are expending a larger pro-
portion of the revenues Of municipal
government for public education than
| Is being expended for public educa-
| tion in Washington.
The Keller bill was prepared by
the board of education after most
painstaking attention and extensive
consideration.
"The testimony presented at the
hear ings on this bill before the House
District committee contained incon-
testable evidence in the support of
the salary schedule and legislation
| contained in the Keller bill.
1.-THE increased expenditures for
| teachers salaries in Washington ne
cessitated by the enactment Of this
| legislation will provide for a corre-
| spending increase in the efficiency
and service of the teachers and off,
GERS in the schools of the Natioual
Capital"
KNICKERB0CKER CASES.