Milford chronicle., 1932-09-23
OPPOSES CUTS
IN SALARIES
OF TEACHERS
[Conlinned from Fir,t Paael


follows:
when the last Legislature made
the appropriation for the mainten
ance of the public schools of Della
ware it set up a specific sum to be
used for that purpose. 1t did not say
that so much money shall be apprO
priated and set aside for public
schools or so much thereof as may
be necessary, as in the case of many
other appropriations, but it even
went so far as to say, if there is not
this much money available for school
purposes from the sources set up
for the support of schools the def
ciencies shall be made up from time
to time out of the general fund by
way of advances, etc.
'In substance the injunction of
the Legislature was this: Here is so
much money for public schools. Use
it to the best advantage in their
maintenance. We don't want you to
spend it just because it is available.
but we want you to use your best
judgment and see that the State gets
value received 70 every dollar of it.
1t is appropriated for the sake of the
children, who are children but once.
Suppose the State Board of Educa-
tion or some unit of the State school
system should say to itself, Weabe-
lieve that there is being spent twice
as much for schools as should be
spent, so we will use only One-half of
the money that has been allotted to
us for schools. We will pay our
teachers only one-half as much sal
airy or hire only one-half as many
teachers. We will buy u as many
text books. We will have only one
half as much and as costly janitorial
service. We will buy only one-half
as much coal, etc, etc. What think
you the people of the community
would do with such a board?
1.-THE most fundamental factor in
any school system is the teacher.
"If we desire ability, training, cul-
ture and other outstanding personal
qualities in the teachers of the State
we can get them in one way only
and that is by paying for them. Every
teaching position in the State could !
be filled in two weeks by men and |
women who would be happy to work
or $500 a week. l suspect, however, |
we would not be particularly proud !
of our schools if they were provided |
with such people as teachers.
But you say the. cost of education
is mounting higher and higher. 4 Is |
there to be no end to this increase? |
What is the limit? The end and limit |
will be set only by the desire of the |
majority of the people for services
of the kind that the school is called
upon to render. Costs will continue
to increase just as long as we re-
quire more and better SERVICE
what then shall we say about the |
request for retrenchment
in school costs? To answer that
question we must ask another: Can
retrenchment be made without de-
crease of efficiency? If our answer
Is No, we are bound by Legislative
mandate to lend a deaf ear to his re-
quest. If, on the other hand, we
can cut costs without lessening eff
ficiency. we should do that whether
the Governor asks it or not. In any
case, it behooves us to scrutinizze
every expenditure and satisfy our
SELVES IUdI IL 10 dUDOAulCA9 hCCCDpoA
before recommending or authorizing
the same.
"The biggest item in the school
budget is salaries. 1t amounts to rs !
per cent of the total cost of the
schools.
what will be the effect of the re-
duction of such salaries, in many {
cases now already too low? The first s
effect will be to cheaper the service.
Not that those who have been rem !
1ring the best service of which they i
are capable, will cease to do their /
best, but that teaching will lose its {
attraction for the most capable f
minds. For how many years was I
eaching used as a stepping stone to S
better? There ought now &
o be nothing better. The next effect c
will be to lessen the buying power t
If something less than two thousand d
leople in the State. The present de- I
has come about because of c
decreas in the buying power of d
,ur people. Retrenchment, where S
simply adds to the con- c
lition which the whole country is {
rying to remedy. a
"At the close of the present fiscal d
ear on June 30th last, there was an tl
Unexpected balance in the school e
und of over six and a half million n
Iollars. This was after about mil S
ion decrease in income from the C
ranchise tax and that which result o
d from a so per cent reduction in
ncome tax. In the midst of this the Il
1ost prosperous condition which has p
yer faced the schools in all the his s.
Dry of the commonwealth, and when Il
utside of Wilmington, ClaymOnt, du e.
ont, and Smyrna districts the peO- Il
lie of the State pay no property tax II
1r current school expenses, and g
there even in those districts the tax IL
svied is nominal, there can be no Il
eason, from the taxpayers point of e
Jew, for making reduction in school
xpenditures. p
"When actual necessity for re-
'enchment of school expenses W
rises, that necessity will be met p
ith the same sacrificing spirit which u
as ever been characteristic of men, bl
ers of the teaching profession, but d;
ntil that necessity presents itself, Ii
believe it is the solemn duty of in
lose responsible for carrying on ci
le educational work of the State to lee
sep in mind the welfare of the child tu
I'd of the State, as dependent there pC
l. er
uT,, tbo iotf Of OttY nraeouf fnan- tL