Evening star., 1943-04-21
Teachers Salary
Raise Planned.
Mrs. Doyle Says
Board of Education
President Addresses
WOmenS Press Club
WOmen'S Press Club

The District Board of Education
Is planning to prepare bill to raise
the beginning salary of teachers
from $1.400 to 81 900, it was revealed
Yesterday by Mrs. Henry Grattan
Doyle, president of the board.
Mrs. Doyle indicated that the
board may not seek immediate ac-
ton on the measure, perhaps not
until after the war.
She pointed out, however, that the
present low salary makes it difficult
for the District to employ teachers,
especially now when girls who don't
have even high school diplomas fre-
quently get jobs at $1,440 or 81 1,620
year.
Mrs. Doyle's remarks were made
before the Women's National Press
Club at luncheon which featured
an address by District Commissioner
John Russell Young.
ID. c. Problems Sketched.
Mr.. Young, briefly sketching Dis
trict problems, had pointed out that
contrary to expectation the school
enrolment in the District had not
increased but tended to decrease in
spite of the influx of population here.
In explanation, Mrs. Doyle, who
was a luncheon guest, pointed out
that a large proportion of the war
workers who have come to WASH
ington are young and unmarried.
Many others with families haven't
brought their children with them for
one reason or another, she added.
A decrease in enrolment has been
noted In the high schools, she said,
and can be accounted for in part
by the fact that girls who haven't
graduated are able to get good jobs
easily. In addition, many of the
boys have Joined the armed service
Job Turnover Cited.
Mr.. Young was cheerful in his ap-
praisal of District affairs on the
whole, although he pointed out that
the government is not geared to
meet the present population.
The turnover among District en-
ployes was cited by the Commits
sioner as one of the biggest problems
here. When he first went into Of
f1ce, he recalled, he tried to make
appointments from bona fide Dis
trict residents. But this policy is
impossible to follow now when it is
so dfdcult to find qualified person.
mel, he added.
Housing also was mentioned as a
big problem, but Mr.. Young said
that wartime restrictions on building
makes this largely question for
Federal action.
After the war, however, he pre-
dicted, the District will be faced
with tremendous building program
because very little construction has
been possible In the last year or so.
Commissioner Young had high
praise for members Of Congress
working on District affairs, declar-
ing that he finds them to be really
interested in the District and CO.
operative when they understand the
real needs.
Pleased at Budget Action.
He also expressed the belief that
Washington is fortunate to have so
many public-spirited citizens who
cooperate with the. Commissioners
and also present their case before
members of Congress.
The Commissioner was especially
pleased that relatively small cuts
had been made by the House Ap-
preparations Committee in the Dis
trict budget presented by the Com
missioners to Congress.
Harry Wender, chairman Of the
District of Columbia Recreation
Board, was a guest at the luncheon
at the Willard Hotel The club
president, Christine Sadler, also in
troduced Janet Jones, of The Bos-
ton Globe, who is here on a special
assignment.