Evening star., 1924-10-26
.121EMPL0yES'PAy
RAISED IN SCHOOLS
Increases Under RecIassifi-
cation Range From $22 to
$940 Yearly.

One hundred and twenty-one of the
4S6 employees in the District public
| schools whose salaries were adjusted
by the classification act of 1923 re-
ceived increases in pay of from $40
to $S40 a year, Maj. Raymond o.
Wilmarth, business manager of the
school system, revealed in his annual
report which was made public last
night by Supt. Frank w. Ballou. Mai
Wilmarth's report. which deals en-
tirely with the reclassification legisla-
tion as it affects school employees.
forms the third installment of DR.
Ballou's annual report to the Board
of Education.
Two of the 4s6 employees received a
reduction of $50 year. Mai. Wilnarth
| pointed out, while 1913 received no
increase. The adjustments under the
classification act, he said, represent
an increase of 1850 per cent over the
| former basic salaries.
THE success of classification" said
Maj. Wilmarth, depends Unon a
proper cooperation between T.: de-
partment, the Bureau of the Budget
and the Congress in working out OF
| just appropriations which will permit
| the department to secure the most
efficient results. If the appropriations
are kept too low it will be impossible
| to promote those employees whose
| efficiency has warranted increase in
COInpeHSdIlOnI Wnlle II Iney are IN
creased To large amounts there will
| be a tendency to promote employees
| higher within the salary scale of the
grade than the actual performance OF
! such employees warrants. To secure
| the most efficient results there must
| be a proper balance between the re-
| quirements of the department and the
appropriations for its maintenance.
| The most careful review should
| be given efficiency ratings of en-
| ployes, SO that each employe may
| be assured that he will be equitably
and fairly promoted within his grade
| as he becomes more expert Fayorit-
ism should in no way creep in. but, as
| it is possible, Congress has placed
| certain limitations upon promotions
| within the grades under which it is
| impossible to place d large number
| of employees at the higher salaries of
| any grade, and which requires that
| the salaries within the grade shall be
| averaged along the line SO that the
average of all employees in the grade
shall be the midway point of the
grade.
Merit Promotions Urged.
The classification act of 1928
grades positions, and not persons,
| and it is the duty of an administra-
| tive superior to promote the person
| of greater ability to the work re
| quiring that greater ability. An en-
| ploye, therefore, should not be con-
! tented with the grade he is in. He
| should study and become so expert
that he will be lifted out of that
grade into a higher grade of service.
There is far more incentive under
the reclassification TO do good work
and to improve ones education and
skill than there was under the old re-
gime. There will be less transferring
from one office to another and less
opportunity for personal fayoritisr.
The Government has taken a very de-
cided step forward in inauguratinG
this law and with the. cooperation of
the Congress, the Bureau of the Bud
get, the Personnel Classification
Board, the departmental administra-
tors, and the employees it can take
still further steps forward in improv-
ing it, The old employment system
with fixed salaries and little oppor-
tunity for improvement has passed.
The future holds every opportunity
for adequate compensation to the en-
ployes and advancement for those
who increase their value to the serv-
ice"
Some Work Extra Hours.
In considering the grade auoca
. tions of emp Dyes assigned TO the
care of buildings and grounds" con-
| tliuSu -hdJ. w IlHidElllJ tue I SToOilIldI
Classification Board gave careful con-
sideration to the duties performed by
these employees, including the eXces-
sive hours of service required of them
each day and the extra service re-
quired of certain OF these employees
for night use of buildings by the
night schools, the community cen
ters and other school activities For
many years it has been customary
to pay these employees additional
compensation at per diem or per hour
rates for extra services rendered in
connection with the night use OF
buildings. The Personnel Classifca-
tion Board decided that the grade al
location assigned to employees COW
cred all regular service required of
them and that the payment of addI-
tional compensation for services rem
dered for regular night uses of their
buildings should not be continued,
but that those employees who per-
| formed additional services In connec-
tion with regular night uses of build
ings should be assigned advanced
salaries within their grades to cover
such additional service.
COncurred in Decision.
The Bureau of the Budget and
Congress concurred in this decision
of the Personnel Classification Board
and the appropriations for the next
fiscal year do not contain the usual
authorizations making the appropria-
tions for personal services in the
night schools and community centers
available for the payment of addi
tiona1 compensation to these en-
ployes. Unfortunately in certifying
the salaries for these employees under
the new grade ALLEGATIONS the Per
lsonnel Classification Board did not
consider as part of their present COM
penSation the additional compensa-
tion received by them for this ad-
! ditiopal service. The result is that
many of these employees will receive
less, under the Redistribution than
their gross envelope pay for the cur
rent school year.
1.-The salary assignments of these
employees will be appealed to the Per-
sonnel Classification Board for read
justment. Ninety-one employees are
affected The average basic salary
paid these employees during the pres
ent fiscal year was $1,0s0.44, and the
average gross salary was Si,222.O1.
The average salary assigned by the
Personnel Classification Board is
s1,1S352, while an average salary of
S1,269.23 should have been assigned
!, to them"