Evening star., 1948-06-11

loo Low at Hearing
On Pay Raise Bills
The $500 pay raise for teachers,
proposed for next year only. was
criticized today as too low" by
spokesmen for teacher groups be-
fore a House Senate fiscal COM
mittee.
They contended, at hearing
conducted by Chairman Bates OF
the House District Committee, that
any pay raise for teachers should be
in line with any granted to Federal
and District government workers.
The hearing on two separate
teacher bills was designed, Repre-
sentative Bates, Republican, OF
Massachusetts said, to lead to ap-
proval by the full House District
Committee meeting later today.
One-Year Raise Suggested.
Complications developed, however
One of the bills would give . 5000
increase for next year only to all
teachers and officials Of the Dis
trict schools. The other, introduced
by Mr.. Bates at the request Of the
Board of Education. was designed to
correct inequities attributed to the
l947 Teachers Pay Act.
Many witnesses approved the bill
to cure inequities, but insisted thai
many other inequities existed Whtcfi
were not considered by the pendinl
measure.
Representative Smith. Democrat
of Virginia, after listening to many
of their protests, predicted that due
to the pressure OF time with Con.
gress rushing to adjourn 1t woHld be
practically impossible to get through
any complicated legislation on the
inequity problems. He suggested In
stead that the fiat pay raise for all
be considered and that the whole
question of all inequalities be put
over to the next Congress.
Indorsed by DIR. Corning.
DR.. Hobart M. Corning, superin-
tendent of schools, testified that this
was a good idea. He said the Bates
bill had been developed with a view
to correcting outstanding inequities
But apparently, In view OF testimony
this morning, it would be impossible
to cure the entire situation at this
session of Congress.
The Bates bill had been approved
by the Board of Education which
was represented at the hearing by
C. Melvin Sharp and Adelbert Lee
Vernon E. West. corporation coun.
sci, testified the Commissioners had
approved the Bates bill on inquities
Masters Status Equali1ed.
One of the principal changes pro-
vided by the Bates bill in the present
Teachers Pay Act would provide
that teachers already In the schoo
system here and. holding MASTER
degrees should be given an equal pa!
status with new appointees who alst
have masters degrees.
DR.. Corning and others testified
that a provision in the present Law
discrlminates against teachers hold
ing masters degrees with long serv'
ice in the public schools.
Among the witnesses speaking TO
both the white and colored schools
several insisted that the $500 pro
posed fiat increase was inadequate
They criticized the difference be
tween that figure and the 500 rails
already approved by the House TO
all policemen and firemen.
Also requested by witnesses wa
sick leave for teachers. who are re
Iquired to pay out of their own In
come for substitutes when Ill.
Manual Arts Credit Asked.
Experience in manual arts shoul'
oe accorded credit in cases OF sho
teachers to take the place OF col
llege degrees now required, 1t wa
insisted.
I Among the witnesses were A. "
Heinmiller, assistant superintendent
of schools; Robert Botkin, for tn
Junior high school teachers; Mis-
Helen Samuels, president OF tn
High School Teachers Association
James w. Taylor, president OF tn
Elementary Glass Room Teacher
Association, divisions one to nine
Miss Caroline Manns. president Q
the Elementary Classroom Teach
ers Association, divisions 10 to Is
Dr. Regis Boyle of Eastern Hig
School; Miss Thelma L. Baltimore
teacher at Carver Elementar
School; George H. Murray. presi
! dent of the High School Teacher
Association, divisions 10 to Is. an
Paul Cooks, president Of the Wash
ington local. American Federation
of Teachers.