Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-16
TEACHERS SALARIES
Jacksonville Register-Paj Pajaronian)

(NalSOnNllle keglStSf-PaJa aJaf0nlan)
Efforts are being made now to have
placed on the November ballots an initia-
tive constitutional amendment which pro-
poses to increase the states allotment for
the support of elementary schools from
$50 to $50 for each unit of average daily
attendance.
Watsonville teachers are circulating
petitions, asking registered voters to
assure the proposition place on the
ballot Signatures do not necessarily
mean an endorsement.
We believe the amendment has con-
siderable merit-not the least meritor-
iOus feature being that much of the bur
den and cost of elementary schools would
be shifted from districts to, the state if
the proposition is approved by the cleo
tOrate.
The measure itself does not call for
increasing the amount of money being
spent in schools nor does it call for in
creased teachers salaries.
However, we have noted of late a ris-
ing tide of thought that teachers should
receive more pay and we join in the hope
that districts will be able to see their way
clear in upping salaries in this very vital
profession.
Falling in the so-called white collar
class, teachers have found it increasingly
difficult to make both ends meet, what
with increased income and Victory taxes
and rising costs-of- living.
Or. John C. Almack, professor of edu-
cation at Stanford university, recently
completed survey of teachers salaries
and living costs and he came up with
some eye-opening statistics
He found that living for teach
ers is approximately 37.5 per cent higher
than it was three years ago. Some salary
adjustments have been made, but the sur
vey still indicates that living costs are
up third.
Dr. .Almack's figures show a teacher
who receives salary of $4,000 year now
has only a purchasing power of about
S145450 as compared with the buying
power of the same salary three years
ago On top of this reduction in pur-
chasing power, $500 or thereabOuts is
taken for Victory and withholding taxes,
leaving the net purchasing power of the
$4,000 salary about $11OO or only half
the apparent amount.
No wonder, then, that many teachers
have gone into other industries, attract
ed by better salaries If the best teachers
are to be retained in schools, everyone
connected with education should make
every effort to see that their compensa-
ton is adequate. This is particularly
true when latest statistics reveal that
the pay check of the average factory
worker of today is so to 80 per cent above
the year 1899.
We are doing much talking about the
postwar era-Which may extend over
two decades or more. If we are smart
we will see to it that the children of to-
day, who will be called upon to carry
the burdens of civilization in the years
ahead will not be deprived of their right
full heritage of good teaching.
And if voters of California will ap-
prove the constitutional amendment i'll
November many districts will be in far
better position to give justified pay in
creases to their teachers.
Parents today are certainly not in
their homes where they belong, no mat
ter what soco-econOmic group they come
from. The youngsters feel that their
parents are not primarily interested IN
them but rather in having good time.
Mrs r. Grafton Abbott, educational
consultant American Social Hygiene AS
SOciatiOn