Evening star., 1947-04-16
Teachers Pay

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| Teachers Pay
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school officials, members of the
Board of Education and representa-.
tives Of teacher groups.
Mr.. Mason told the committee he
had not studied the bill in detail
enough to form an opinion whether
the exact scales specified for diff.
ferent teaching positions are sound
This drew a sharp rebuke from
Representative Bates, Republican
of Massachusetts, who said he con.
sidered the matter of grave i'm,
portance and one of the commits.
sioners' responsibility.
Prepared Directly for Congress.
District Budget Officer Walter L
Fowler attempted to explain tha'
the bill was prepared directly fol
Congress by the school board ant
had not processed through the city
heads. Mr.. Bates stopped him with
the observation that he was aware
! Of this.
Superintendent of Schools Hobart
Corning told the committee the bill
was sent to the Commissioners al
the same time it was forwarded tt
Congress. He also pointed out thai
school officials and board members
had met with the Commissioners on
the issue.
The teachers this year are receiv-
ing a temporary $3.50 increase over
their basic pay, which expires June
80. The new bill would make perma-
nent that increase, plus an addi-
tional $3.50 or total of $7o0 above
old basic pay schedules.
Other features include new salary
schedules to be established for all
teachers, research assistants, libra
|rians, counsellors and instructors In
the teachers colleges. One provision
would raise DR.. Corning's salary to
$1,000 year. He now receives
So Recess Until Saturday.
Asked by Chairman Cain whether
the Commissioners would support
continuation of the present $3.50 in
crease, Mr.. Mason said they would
so actually we are talking about
the difference, $3.50" observed SEN
ator Cain.
After hearing the testimony of
MIR. Mason and board spokesmen
until noon. the hearings were ad-
journed until Saturday at 10 am.
The first witness today, Mrs. Hen
ry Grattan Doyle, president OF the
Board Of Education, told the COM
mittee the pay increases are neces-
sary to keep qualified personnel now
in the system and to obtain new
teachers.
She pointed out that the board is
charged with responsibility for edu-
eating the city's children and not
with the financial question involved.
Mr.. Mason told the committee
the proposed increases would place
teacher pay here higher than any
city in the country except New York.
With the present $3.50 increase, he
said, they are below the scales in
some important American cities and
not much above the average.
Committee Head Testifies.
Adelbert w. Lee, chairman of the
boards Committee on Legislation,
told the committee this bill is a
composite of teacher though. He
added that the proposal to raise DR.
Corning's salary was not in the orig
inal report, but was added by Mr.
Lees committee. Mr.. Lee said the
salary now paid the superintendent
is very out of line" the salaries paid
superintendents elsewhere.
Case of Vanishing Teacher"
After reviewing the history of the
present and proposed pay increases,
DR.. Corning presented to the COM
mittee "the case of the vanishing
teacher"
He said teacher training schools
now are depopulated and few ap-
plicants are appearing to take teach
er examinations, largely because of
the salaries paid.
High school graduates just are
not interested" he said.
He said the new salary schedule
has a dual purpose of benef1tting
the individual teacher and the pub
lie. He said 1t would give the indi-
vidual adequate compensation for
the standard of living he is forced
to meet, and for the skills and
preraration he is required to have.
The benefit to the public, he con-
tinued, comes through the stating
of schools with good people In a
highly competitive market.
Comparison of Salaries.
He placed into the record a COM
parison of salaries paid teachers
and school officers here as compared
to salaries paid in, 10 other large
cities based on information from
the National Education Association.
The comparison covered both
minimum and maximum salaries for
teachers and officers. In no case
did the District rank higher than
fourth. In the case of maximum
paid senior high school principals
it ranked sixteenth.
DR.. Corning asked permission to
examine schedule made up by the
District budget Office which differed
from the school exhibits In evalu-
ating the boost here with salaries
paid elsewhere.
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