Evening star., 1945-07-10
DC. Committee
Acts tomorrow
|0n teacher Pay
BiIbo Is Seeking
To Speed Measure
| Through Senate
By DON 5. WARREN.

BY DON S. WARREN.
Seeking to speed final action on
the teachers pay bill, Chairman
Bilbo of the Senate District Com
mittee today scheduled a meeting
of his committee for 10:30 am. to-
morrow to act on the measure,
passed yesterday by the House with
but on dissenting vote.
Senator Bilbo already had given
a general Endorsement of the bill
and announced he wished TO expe-
dite its presentation to the Senate
for action. In scheduling tomor-
rows meeting he said he hoped the
bill would be reported favorably.
The District Committee session
will be open to the public and sew
eral representatives of school teach
ers and officers are expected to at
tend, but a protracted hearing was
not planned, because of extensive
hearings held on the House side.
A copy Of the hearings before the
House subcommittee and the min
utes of the House District Commit
tee are being Elade available to the
Senate group, along with copies OF
the House report.
First Basic Raise In Years.
The measure, sponsored in the
House by Chairman Randolph Of
the House District Committee, would
give ,3,400 teachers and school
officials their first basic pay raise
In II years. It was passed by
the House exactly in the form rec
commended by the committee.
Under a change from the original
plan recommended by the Board of
Education and the Commissioners,
and written into the bill at the in
stance OF Chairman Randolph, all
teachers and officers will receive this
year an increase Of at least $500
over their present basic pay. or $i0o
above. the now-expired temporary
wartime $500 bonus.
During House consideration of the
bill yesterday, Representative Feigh-
an Democrat, of Ohio, chairman OF
the District Education Subcomnit-
tee, sought to amend the bill to as
sure all teachers In classes / to! IL
an immediate boost of 5000 instead
Of 500 above present pay, but it
was voted down.
The Feighan proposal also would
have deferred for year some Of ths
increments for officers and super.
Wsory officials of the schools sys-
tenn. Objection to his plan was
voiced by Representative Grifiths,
Republican, of Ohio, also a member
of the District Committee, who
said he feared it would throw the
pay bill completely out of line"
All Levels Stepped Up.
The Randolph bill proposes a new
basic scale In which entrance sal
aries for various grades of teachers
and officers are raised by $500 to
$4,000 and increases In top pay
levels range from $500 to $2,3oo.
For teachers alone, increases in
the minima of the scales range from
$500 to $700 and in the maxima from
$500 to $700.,
Mr. Randolph explained to thu
House that District teacher pay
scales now were far below those
of many other large cities but that
the new plan makes them more or
less comparable.
Other Cities Compared.
The Randolph Committee report
shows that enactment of the pend
ing bill would advance Washington,
as to minimum pay for elementary
school teachers, from 10th to first
place among 20 or more cities OF
800 900 or more population. As to
the average for IA and &c junior
high teachers, the District would
go from ninth to third place, and
for senior high teachers from 10th
to fourth place. The ranking for
first assistant superintendents Of
schools would be advanced from
25th to 10th place and for the SUI
perintendent-who would be given
a $4,000 pay boost-from 22d to 18th
place.
Somewhat similar changes are
shown as to the proposed new
maxima salaries for various grades.
AS to elementary teachers, Washing
to would advance from Goth to 9Th
place, for superintendent from 18th
to llth place.
Mr.. Randolph explained that while
elementary school teachers consti-
tute but 48 per cent of the total
teaching staffs, they are to receive
81 per cent Of the total increase.
The estimated additional cost this
fiscal year Is 81 ,326, 100 over present
basic pay levels, not counting the
bonus. OF this increase 81 ,213 900 is
for teachers. Librarians, research as
sistants, instructors, assistant pro-
fessors and professors. The remain
ing $112,So0 is for administrative
and supervisory officials and for
employees Of the department Of
school attendance and work permits.
The 1946 increase over present
basic pay plus the old $500 bonus is
estimated at but $288, 700, but this
will increase In the next four years
as more employees reach their new
maxiYna.
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