The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-03-20
A Little Wise
PIonning Would
Be q Good Thing
By Charles d. Rowe

By Charles I'D. Rowe
A year or two ago this column
suggested that it would be a good
thing if Libby had a five year
plan" or something of a similar
nature. The past week a Libby
business man expressed strong APP
proVal of such an idea.
Everyone comedies that Libby IS
enjoying a substantial growth. The
future looks bright. Permanently IS
assured. From all indications, it
Is conservative to estimate that
eventually there should be town
here of from 1000 to 5000 people
within the corporate limits and the
close surrounding district With flu
ture growth assured within certain
probable limits, there are those who
feel that definite plans should be
laid for the gradual improvement
Of our city The developments laid
out under such planning would not
be finished. probably in one or two
years. or even in five years. The
idea is to have a well thought out
design looking to the securing OF
improvements that should be found
in every progressive community OF
the size that Libby will probably
eventually grow into
An example of what might be
done under such a five or ten year
plan" is found in the city's streets.
For the past IS or 30 years the
city has been spending a great deal
of money on street up-keep And
stifl the city hasn't got much in the
way of permanency so far as streets
are concerned. Might it not be bet
ter to lay out plan whereby the
streets in few blocks would be
given a permanent surfacing each
year, and this continued until most
or all of the city would be included?
AS it is, large sums of money have
been spent and the streets are still
IN unsatisfactory condition. A little
wise planning for future years, look
ing to the improvement of the city
as it grows, would be time well
spent
Anyone has only to read the
papers to realize that the schools
of the nation-and also the schools
of Montana-are facing a crisis. We
find schools closed because teachers
are striking for higher pay. And
everyone agrees that most teachers
are poorly paid We find teachers
organizing unions so as to be in bet
ter position to bargain for increased
salaries. We find groups of them
coming out in public statements to
the effect that they will not sign
contracts for the l947 -48 school year
unless certain stated increases are
made in salary schedules.
In connection with this condition,
the nation is confronted with an
alarming shortage of competent in
structors. A very small percentage
of young people are choosing teach
ing as a life work Many normal
and college trained people are not
choosing teaching as a profession
but instead are going into positions
where the pay is much higher.
Many Montana schools are having
to rely on teachers with no more
training than a high school educa-
ton. Officials have been forced to
grant teaching permits to many who
are unqualified to teach our child
rem. That is the situation as pic
tured by educators who have made
a study of conditions, and by the
Montana state board of education
IN an attempt to enact a teach
ers minimum salary law, bill was
iutr oduced i'm the Montana senate
that would have provided a salary
of $1,000 for two-year normal grad
uates, $1,000 for three years of train
ing. $4,000 for Bachelors degree,
and $4,000 for a Masters degree.
This bill was amended IN the House
10 provide only that those holding
"a Bachelors degree in first class
districts were to receive $4,000 and
IN second and third class districts
50, 0Oo. This bill as amended was
so unsatisfactory that it was finally
killed on the recommendations of
the educators themselves
Those opposed to the idea of a
salary for teachers took
the stand that boards of trustees
knew best what their districts can
pay their teachers and that negotia-
lions as to salary schedules should
be left in the hands of the trustees.
Some legislators felt that if mini
mum salaries were set too high,
some of tee poorer districts of the
state would find themselves unable
to pay those minimum salaries, with
the possibility that some schools
might thereby be closed. Perhaps
such fears were unfounded but that
s the position some of the mem
oers took. All of which seems to
tress the real need for a genuine
'ver-hauling of the states primary
md secondary school systems.
In this connection a little further |
ecenf lepisIative history might be