Evening star., 1947-02-01
D. {. Committees Gef
School Board 10
Raise Teachers Paw

The Senate and House District
Committees today have before them
the proposed teachers pay increases
recommended by the Board of Eou-
cation.
Presented yesterday by the 'oard
the new pay scale would add about
5000, 900 to teachers salaries. 1t
was sent to Congress in response
to a provision in the temporary
teachers pay act Of last year, which
added $3.50 to each salary, for the
fiscal year ending June 80.
The new bill would raise the 1945
base scale by 500 for teachers, and
would increase the pay ceiling on
the pay of the Superintendent of
Schools from $4,000 to $4,000. All
details of the plan previously had
been made public.
Both District Committees are ex-
pected to take up the report for
consideration sometime next week.
Meanwhile the proposals are to be
drafted in legislative form in the
Office of Corporation Counsel Ver-
non e. West.
Busy on Tax Plan.
Mr.. West said, however, his Of
flee now is busy whipping into final
shape the Districts eight-point tax
program to raise about $19,000,000
new revenue to help balance the
District budget. He cannot draft
the teachers pay bill, he explained
until, after the tax measures are
out Of the way.
The Senate District Committee
will consider the teachers proposal
at Its next regular meeting at 2 pm.
Tuesday.
Chairman Dirksen, of the House
District Committee, plans to confer
with the chairmen of both his fis-
cal, and health and education sub
committees, before making a def
mite assignment of the teachers
pay plan.
The teachers scale went to
Congress with a statement from the
Board of Education that the in
crease is needed to keep this city
in line with other cities in the
Nation and to attract and keep
qualified teachers.
Mrs. Henry Grafton Doyle, presi-
dent of the board, in a letter to
both District Committee chairmen,
said the scale had been care
fully prepared and was heartily
Endorsed" by both the board and
the superintendent of schools.
"They believe" she wrote, "that
it is entirely justified by existing
conditions and that it will be sup
ported by the community"
It was particularly fitting" she
said, "that Congress directed the
board to study the pay scale and
classif1cations Of its educational en-
ployes at this time because the
public's attention has been cen
tered on the Nationwide crisis in
public education brought about by
the low salaries paid to teachers.
Other Cities Acting.
''The, National Education Asso-
citation reports that much progress
has been made in cities in recent
months, and that State legislative
programs promise changes early in
1947. Steps are being taken in the
large cities to raise both the mini
mum and maximum salaries OF
teachers schedules quite material
y."
Problems here, she said, were
similar to those in other communi-
ties. At present, she pointed out
there are about 440 temporary
teachers in the public school system
This is about 13 per cent of the
total number of more than $500
teachers. This and other conditions
she said, made it imperative that
a thorough overall study be made
of the present salary structure, lead
ing to establishment of schedule
that would be credit to the teach
ing profession of Washington"
"It is essential" she told the COM
mittees, that a salary schedule be
approved which has minimum sal
ary enough to attract promising
young people to the profession and
q maximum salary high enough to
retain competent teachers and Of
ficers."