Evening star., 1924-03-08
TEACHER PAY BILL
ORDERED REPORTED
BIanton Fails in Fight Against
Proposed Increase for
Superintendent.


of salaries for teachers and oficials
OF the school system in the District
of Columbia, as originally agreed to
in conferences between the school
board and representatives OF the
teachers associations, was ordered IA
vorably reported to the House today
by the House District committee.
Failing to get the proposed salary
for the superintendent of schools re-
duced from a basic salary of $4,000
with a maximum of $4,000, as pro-
posed in the Keller bill. to base sal
AIRY of $4,000 with a $500 a year in
crease for three years, making the
maximum salary $500, Representa-
tive Thomas l.. Blanton, democrat. Of
Texas, reserved the right to make
minority report and said he had other
amendments which he proposed to
offer.
Representative Blanton. however.
emphatically registered his support
of the increases in salary provided
for the teachers.
A minor amendment in the bill
places a basic salary Of $4,000 for
the first assistant superintendent in
stead OF $4,000, with an annual in
crease OF $500 instead of 500 for five
years or until maximum salary of
Representative Underhill of Mass
achusettS offered the motion for
favorable report to be made by Rep
reSentat!ve Lampert of Wisconsin,
who was chairman of the subcom-
mittee which recently conducted
hearings on the Keller and Reed bill
for a new schedule of salaries for the
school department.
Representative Blanton said that
the bill. as it stands. would mean that
" Sal
diately receive IA salary of $4,000.
because he has already served two
years in the District. He pointed out
that the present law fixes the salary
of the superintendent of schools at
$4,000, but that action of the appro-
priations committee. which is always
subject to a point of order, carries a
$4,000 salary. so that, he argued, the
Keller bill proposes Immediately to-
double the salary allowed by law for
the superintendent of schools
Protest by Blanton.
He protested vigorously that the
superintendent of schools in the Dis
trict should not receive $4,000 a year
more than the House leader or the
chairman of the House appropriations
committee or members of the Senate
and House, and that he should not
receive double the salary paid to
bureau chiefs in the government de-
partmentS.
He also pointed out that DR.. Ballou
receives other moneys for lecture
courses.
Representative Keller, republican,
of Minnesota. asked Mr.. Blanton how
the salary of the superintendent in
the District compared with that paid
in other large cities, and this led to
lengthy discussion.
Representative Gasque, a lifelong
educator in South Carolina. said that
superintendent the District schools
have now or what kind of teachers
they have now, but for the commit
tee in conscience to take action which
would make it possible for the city to
have the best teaching force in the
country for the future. THE teach
ers. not only in Washington. but all
over the country, are not receiving
anything like proper salaries" he
said. declaring this to be 1.-The poorest
paid profession, while making the
most eXacting requirements"
Weakness In Schools.
The greatest asset that this coun-
try has is its children, and the weak
ness in our country is due to the fact
tention to the teaching of our chill
dren," Representative Gasque said
He told his colleagues that the people
in the states are becoming more and
L
ting moral, Christian. well-trained
Vigorous men and women in charge
of the schools.
During the discussion it was en-
phasized that there are 200 teach
ers and more than 10000 children in
the schools in the District of Column
bia.
Representative Underhill of Massa-
chusetts read into the Record a list
of cities that pay double the salary
paid the superintendent of schools in
Washington and a list of smaller cit
les that pay the same as Washington,
Representative Keller, speaking
from his own experience in admins
tration of municipal affairs, said that
to get good teachers and good ad-
ministrative officers in Washington,
Inducements at least equal to those
offered by other large cities must be
given. He declared that any of the
states would be better off if they
paid $4,000 a year to their superin-
tendent of instruction than If they
paid $4,000 or less.
Supporting this argument Of Rep
resentative Keller. Representative
Hammer of North Carolina told of the
education made in his home state,
and declared that education and
good roads are contributing wonder
fully to the prosperity and progress
of North Carolina"
The proposed amendment of Rep
resentative Blanton was voted down,
but he indicated that he will make a
fight against it on the floor of the
House.
Acting Chairman Zihlman congrat-
ulated the subcommittee on it's work
in considering the teachers salary
pay bill and getting it before the
House with a favorable report at
such an early date.