Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1943-10-09
About The Rate OF Pay For Negro
School Teachers

According to a recent daily press report, Mr. J. S.
Vandver, State Superintendent of Education has set
forth four million, in addition to the two million dollars
already pledge by Governor Johnson needed to meet
the needs of the schools of the state In making
his estimate with respects to the salaries that should be
paid the teachers of the state Mr. Vandver sets forth
figure for teachers in white schools which nearly doubles
that to be paid teachers in Negro schools.
Over in the state of Louisiana where the conditions of
Negro education the same if not in some instances
worse than in Mississippi the problem of the equalization
of teachers salaries has been adjusted to the satisfaction
all concerned circumstance which drew forth the fol-
lowing editorial from Catholic Action the South official
organ of the Diocese of Natchez, Miss:
at is pleasure any instance of civic fairness
especially at time when the democratic way of life i'm
pered from abroad needs to be at its best and brightest
here at home The latest evidence of fair play hereabouts
the step which the Orleans parish school board has the
distinction of being the first in the state of Louisiana
take From on regardless of color pubcschool teach
ers Will be paid equal salaries for equal services
at strange that since there has never been much
agitation about Coored workngman being paid much
white worker for the work of similar kind and guam
tty, substantial dferentia has existed from the very
start in the of intellectual service True this has
been effective of holding down the pubcschool
budget but economy at the cost of justice and in i'm
portant matter the training of youth is always in the
long rum very expensive to the community.
"The education is needed the better the educa
tors should be- On their hitherto sharply limited salaries
Coored teachers did not always find easy to express
their best That they accomplished much with little
is endless credit them That they certainly tried to
give nothing less than their all is evident ANYBODY who
has observngy visited their schools and studied their
achievements
ut well for white people who foster the idea that
the Colored get along practically nothing to face
few facts There has been color line in the of
food and clothing And the poor, forced to buy in
small quantities. usually have to pay much for the
necessities of life than the rich Eggs bought one two at
time higher than when taken by the dozen. Sleazy
materia-he only kind that poverty don-has to be
replaced often that finally it entails dollars than
a single outfit of finest stuff.
Again the Colored aspirant to the teaching profess
sion has usually paid far for higher education than
the white Like all things es expense relative The
widows mite exceeds the rich mans gold Anyone who
knows the struggle and sacrifice that the average Coored
teacher had to undergo in order to attain the dignity
training young minds in admiration at the effort and
spirit and cannot but rejoice that at last financial ap-
probation is the way.
I'VE cannot help but point out at the same time, that
justice will come to the Negro by degrees if only pursued
in camness and patience We still insist that listening
and acting the advice overzeaous and impatient lead
ers will not hasten the day of complete fairness
Until such an editorial be written concerning Ne
gro education Mississippi the education of the entire
state reflected in the operation the draft law will
continue to be found down the lower submargna depths
OF that of the entire nation while Negro teachers and Ne
gro citizens alike find themselves increasingly burdened
In spirit and morale while hoping for the triumph the
principals of christian democracy in Mississippi.