Evening star., 1947-04-28
Pepper Asks Adoption
|0f National Minimum
20!
For Teachers Pay
BY the Asseeioisd Press

Declaring "the crisis in education
must be solved on a permanent
basis" Senator Pepper, Democrat,
Of Florida advocated today a ma
tional minimum salary for school
teachers.
Senator Pepper urged q Senate
labor-public welfare subcommittee
to approve these three bills:
l. To give school teachers income
tax deductions for expenses of at
tending college courses required for
employment or advancement in
grade.
2. To provide grants to increase
teachers salaries $500 a year above
those they received in 194l, and to
fix salary floors of $2,400 for teach
ers with four years OF college train
ing and $1,000 for those with less
training.
3. To provide grants for scholar
ships and loan funds TO needy STU
dents.
Pepper Is Bills Author.
Senator Pepper is author Of the
first bill: he and Senator Murray,
Democrat, of Montana introduced
the other two Jointly.
Senator Murray also urged favor
able action on the salary increase
bill. He said this Is not Just a
local or State problem-it is a ma
tional hazard" ..,.--. I'VE.
Senator Pepper told the subcom-
mittees that $4,000 teachers have
left the profession since 1910 and
that there are now 14,500 untitled
positions. 14.-- 80 ! -,
Public school teachers in 1946
received an average OF about $4,000
a year in comparison with $2.595 for
Federal Government workers and
$2,185 for factory employees" he
said. Their salaries have failed
to keep pace with the cost of living,
which has risen about IS per cent
since January, 1941,
"In many areas the school teacher
gets less than the head janitor Of
the same school,
He said an $500 salary increase
over 1s41 would give the average
teacher sufficient to meet the in
crease In the cost of living.
Cites Industrial Wage.
"If the United States Senate can
set a national wage for employees
in industry, 1t can readily support
a national minimum for its teach
ers," he declared. Many States have
set minimums of $2,400 a year for
their public school teachers. I do
not see why the United States Gov
ernment cannot do the same"
The League of Women Voters told
the committee that unless this Con-
gress. provides Federal support for
education there will be no way to
undo the damage to this generation
now growing up"
Mrs. Charles E. Heming, direc-
tor of the league, said, "We see no
other possible solution" for a grave
Mrs. Heming Endorsed a bill spon-
sored by Senator Taft, Republican
of Ohio and seven of his colleagues
to authorize S150,000, 900 in Federal
aid next year, 5000 900 900 the fol-
lowing year and 25O,00O 900 in each
year. 1t is designed to
guarantee expenditure of at least
$40 a year for each pupil.
Cost Termed Small.
"The total of $3.50. 0.000, 900 ultim-
ateiy to be expended annually :"
is indeed small compared to the cost
to the community Of illiteracy. de-
and crime" she said. 1T
lis infinitesimal compared to what
We spend for war.
"a minimum OF $40 per child will
not guarantee what should be our
aim for public schools, namely the
kind of education that wise parents
want for their child. It is merely
the first step.
Time is important" Mrs. Heming
continued. I'm the life of a child
a year may be disastrous. If action
on Federal aid is again postponed,
there will be no way to undo the
damage to this generation now
growing up."