Montana labor news., 1935-05-09
BE FAIR TO The SCHOOL
CHILDREN OF DISTRICT NO. one
Single Salary Schedule Provides
The Most Equitable Method of
Compensation and Assures The
Students High Standard of In
struction.

On March 70, 1885, there was initial
ed into the Butte schools one of the
most progressive measures that has
ever been taken in regard to these
schools. On April %, 1885, this mea-
sure was thrown into discard. Not very
long for a forward-looking movement
to prove itself, is it? The measure un-
der discussion is the single salary sch
edule for the teachers of Butte.
We know that the schools of this city
are being conducted for one purpose
only; the education of our children.
These children should be considered
first and last always. But who is res
ponsible for that education? Your
teachers, of course. After all, they are
the backbone Of your school system.
lThey are the ones who cause your
schools to advance or retard. Which
would you choose for your schools, ad-
vancement or retardment? Without
question each and every one Of you
is interested in the advancement Of
your children and your schools. Let
US see just how this single salary sch
edule, if made an active schedule, would
do this.
First of all, it is a single salary sch
edule, which means that if a teacher
has a B. A. degree, for instance, she
would be paid the same salary for
teaching in the grade or elementary
schools as she would receive if she tau
ght in your junior or senior high school.
This is only right, isn't it? Don't your
children have to have the advantage
OF a well-qualified teacher in every
branch of their education? Then, too,
consider the teacher. You may have
a splendid teacher in a certain grade
of your elementary schools. She may
feel that she can do her very best work
in this certain grade. But if she spends
time and money advancing profession
ally she can not advance her financial
status unless she is lucky enough TO
get an appointment in the junior or
senior high. Maybe this teacher would
make a poor junior or senior high tea
cher, but in the work she is doing in
the elementary schools, she is rated
very highly. Is it then fair, to her or
the children she teaches, to force her
out of the place to which she rightfully
belongs and push her into a place which
she cannot fulfill in the same high-grade
manner, but to which she must go if
she wishes to advance financially No.
Keep your good elementary teachers in
the elementary schools, but provide
that they shall advance in salary as
they advance professionally and gain
more years OF experience. They should
advance on the same plan as the jun
ior and senior high teachers. This the
single salary schedule will do.
Second, this new salary schedule
%compensates teachers who spend time
and money lettering themselves pro-
fessionally by attending summer school
or by taking correspondence or ex-
tension work. This also provides an
incentive for teachers to spend time
and money in this way. Heretofore,
the teacher who spent hundreds of dol
lars and months of time trying to bet
ter herself or himself in the profession
received no more in salary, and some
times much less, than the teacher who
Ispent not one cent and no time better
ing herself or himself professionally.
You will all agree that this isn't fair.
Nov, how does this new salary schedule
remedy this unfair condition? 1t pro-
vides that each teacher will receive
Ia $500 a month increment, or $45.OO
a year, for every fifteen credits of ad-
vanced training earned. This is a very
small compensation compared with
what other cities pay, and also COM
pared with the time and money nee
essary to obtain these advanced cred
its. 1t is estimated that the cost Of
these fifteen credits is at least $4,000
lif taken at regular sessions al insti-
buttons OF higher learning; and for this
lyou pay your teacher Just $45.N. That
is surely reasonable enough, isn't it?
Then, of course, teachers are always
compensated for successful teaching
Experience. The scale provides that
Ithey shall be compensated for this ex-
perience at the rate of $1,000 per month
or $4,000 per year for the first seven
years OF successful teaching experience,
and $500 per month, or $500 per year,
for the next three to seven years, de-
Ipending on the classification in which
they fall in the schedule. This, too,
lis a very reasonable figure compared
with other cities.
At present, there are only u teach
ers in the Butte system who have three
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