The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-05-18
TEACHERS AND JANITORS
Bismarck, N. D.
Nav II. 1893.

e
Editor, Tribune:
The policies Of the school boards
the dictators of the schools, in the
state of North Dakota as we'll as othe,
states seems to definitely point out
to the ordinary lay man that educa-
ton does not pay. The handwriting
on the wall very clearly shows that
these dictatorS regard 1t as q farce
Salaries are being cut to where de-
cent living Is practically impossible.
I ask any business man in Bis
marck, or any person interested, II 1t
is possible for family to live in this
city on q salary of $1,000 or less per
year?
Probably the school board prefers
to have the teacher living in a one
or two room shack without modern
conveniences of any kind. Can q
teacher living with his family on such
a 1neager salary be in proper frame
Of mind to do justice to his work?
Yet they are supposed to. Teachers
are human.
A laborer not given a decent wage
isn't 100 per cent efficient. But the
educator, by custom, shouldn't let
criticism, handicaps, or downright
abuse mar the serenity Of his coun-
tenance.
To illustrate more clearly the above,
let me cite the work OF one school
board. This board has q teaching
force of about IS teachers. Yet only
Is teachers in the entire system re-
ceived as much in the years 1891 and
1882 as the janitorS In the same sys-
tenn. In the years 1882 and 1888 the
salary relations showed still less
number of teachers receiving as much
as the janitors. Isn't the cost Of liv-
ing as great or greater, for the
teacher, than for the janitor?
A SO per cent salary slash was in
flicted on the teachers by the school
board. The janitors did not get this
cut. Were the teachers getting such
q magnificent salary that they could
afford such a drastic reduction and
the janitors not? Most of the teach
ers In the system have been helping
relatives with their finances during
this depression. Take an inventory
Of the financial status Of the teachers
in this city of Bismarck. What will
it show? It will show that number
OF the teachers will now have to Dor
row money to exist before the next
school term commences. Was this
cut justified? Why discriminate in
this fashion II the cut was absolutely
essential?
Taxpayer, was your tax levy for the
cost Of operating the schools slashed?
It was not. The cost Of the operation
of the schools was cut to correspond
with your cut in taxes before this
last salary slash. Why then the so
per cent slash in salaries? Is it be-
cause only about so per cent Of the
taxes have been paid? What is going
to be done with the other so per cent
when 1t comes in? Wasn't q part of
this so per cent levied to pay the
teachers? Then why not give the
teachers an order in the form Of q
warrant SO that they will get what
rightfully belongs to them when it Is
paid.
Or are we living in city having q
government so weak that 1t cannot
collect its taxes? Or Is the city gov
eminent SO generous that it will can
Gel this so per cent of taxes? An
swer these for yourself, taxpayer. Is
the school board going to reimburse
you, taxpayer, after they have been
paid? No! Emphatically mol They
will have this surplus in the treasury,
part Of which rightfully belongs to
the teachers of 1882 and 1893.
vitality interested in education.