Evening star., 1943-04-06
Montgomery
Teacher Bonus
Of $100 Urged
Commissioners
Pledge Earnest
Study Of PIon
BY j. B. ZATMAN.


The Montgomery County Com
missioners today took under con-
sideration a Board of Education
recommendation that each county
teacher be paid a 500 wartime
bonus in five monthly installments,
beginning Immediately.
The Board of Education asked
that the commissioners appropriate
$4,000 in addition to the regular
county levy for the current school
year to provide for the bonus.
A statement adopted unanimously
by the commissioners declared they
would earnestly" study the recon-
mendation and also study the
countys financial ability to fur
nish the emergency increases.
At the same time the commits
sioners suggested that county resi-
dents review the present teacher
salary situation.
Average Sl.672
The average salary of Montgomery
County school teachers for the year
which ended in June. 1941. was
Sl,672, the statement pointed out
This figure. 1t was said was the
highest average teachers salary of
any of the % counties in the State.
This situation" the statement
declared, lis one of the many facts
in the record which proves that
previous boards of county commits
sioners and previous representative
in the State Legislature have voted
most adequate financial support to
the county school system for the
past IS years. 1t is our purpose to
continue such support"
Since the outbreak of war De-
cember 7. 1941. the statement as
serted, the preceding Board of
County Commissioners provided an
average increase of S75 for each
county school teacher for the school
year which ended in June. 1912.
The next year the county COM
mlssioners further provided a $3.50
average incrase for each county
school teacher for the current school
year ending in June These two
figures constitute an average in
crease of 1925 for each county school
teacher since war was declared.
These are continuing increases
by reason of the continuous nature
of the countys plan of regular an
nual increases for continued service
in the county's schools" the state
ment said
ASSon,h1y Actio,, r;taJ
This continuing average increase
of 1925 when added to the sl,672
average salary of June. 1941, pro-
duce figure of ST 897 which is GER
tainly the average salary for the
current year of county teachers who
have continued in the service since
June. l94l."
The commissioners noted that the
Legislature has voted an additional
5000 increase from State funds for
each teacher for the school year
ending June, 1914.
They are prepared to continue for
the coming school year the regular
S75 average increase in teachers
salaries for continued service in the
county school system. the commits
sioners said This total of S275 will
be a further average increase for
county school teachers who. have
been in the school system since De-
cember 7, 1941. When added to the
Sl.897 average teacher salary for
the current year, this figure would
bring the average salary of teachers
to $2,172 for the coming school year.
Increases Explained.
Viewed from this standpoint"
the statement pointed out, lit
should be understood that a teacher
with bachelors degree who started
in the county school system as re-
Gently as September. 194l will re-
ceive a salary of $1,700 for next
year"
The commissioners also expressed
their intention to appropriate S113
a month for each county school
teacher for the school year ending
in June. 1945. so that the State in
crease of $40 a month for 10 months.
authorized for next year. can be
continued for seven additional
months in the school year ending
June, 1945. The county appropria-
ton, however, will be made only if
the present cost of living continues
to increase
1T is with complete determina-
ton to continue to provide adequate
financial support for the county
school system that we will con-
tinue our studies of the entire situa-
tlon,' the commissioners asserted.
"A necessary part of the studies will
be to receive the recommended
budgets of the county Board of
Education and other county depart
ments for the coming year.