The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-07

leaders are entirely SubSeTYant to
their masters and receive, what is to
them ample reward, by being pointed
out as leading citizens" 1t is true
that in the smaller towns these men
are elected by the people. But it is
also true that when school elections
come, no one gets out to vote except
the employing class The working
people should be represented on these
boards but it is their own fault that
they are not. They do not take inter-
est enough to get out to vote. Not
only should they be represented but
they should hold the balance of power
for we are over eighty per cent work
ing people.
The boards appointed by the gov
ernor to look after schools represent
more fully their masters than do the
local boards because they are closer
to them and more completely under
the domination of the political ma
chimes. In neither case do the teach
ers have representation.
Wages Paid To Teachers
DR.. Newell Dwight Hills says that a
horse trainer is apt to be paid more
than a trainer of children. As a re-
suit America has dropped rom first
to ninth place in the international
league Of education.
The average rural school teacher
in the year 1921 received the princely
sum of $524 per year, while if we in
clude the town schools the average
salary was $500 per year.
1t must be remembered that when
we speak Of salary of $524 or of
5000 as the case may be, we are speak
ing OF salary for nine months and
yet the teacher must feed, clothe. and
house herself for twelve months.
Usually in addition to this she is
forced by law or fear Of losing her
position to attend summer school.
Is it any wonder that we rank ninth
in education?
The Book Trusts
The wealth of the nation is rapidly
passing into the hands Of the few.
Less than two per cent Of the people
now own over eighty per cent of the
wealth and it is said that the control
ling money power now lies in the
hands Of four persons. The condi-
ton Of the farmers and workers is
Ideplorable. The farmers are bank
rupt and the workers are forced to
subsist on much less than a living
wage. These conditions are the nat
ural result of a system as ours. The
exploiters knew long ago what would
happen but they did not want the
workers to know. They knew that
they could not stop their thinking but
they could rule what they thought If
they secured control of the agencies
OF informatiOn-the pulpit and the
press This they proceeded to do.
Then they were so wen satisfied with
things as they were that they wanted
guarantee that their children might
also rule by the divine right OF nro-
perty. So they took over the schools
and nothing detrimental to this svs-
tenn OF oligarchy is ever permitted to
iiiiu IT'S way INTO the text books.
As a result OF this we have powerful
book trusts whose business it is to see
that nothing but the most reactionary
material ever finds its way into the
school books They dominate this
neid entirely. In some states their
representatives attend meetings Of
committees whose function is to die
tate educational policies for the state.
Just why the book trusts should have
hand in the formation of school mol.
icies is often a mystery to the com.
mitteemen but they accent unoues-
tioningly as their training has Taught
them to do for they sense the author.
ity back of them.
In this connection it is interesting to
follow the Investigations which were
recently made in France, Germany.
England and America to see what. n