Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-05
Virginia Behind
In School Funds,
Says
Teachers Told Stote
Spends Less Than Any
Of Similar Income
By the Associated Press


RICHMOND, Va, Nov. "a
former executive secretary of the
Virginia Education Association de-
clared last night national survey
has shown that Virginia spends
less on its school children than
any State with a comparable
income. +
Francis S. Chase of the Univer-
sity of Chicago, who held the YEA
post until 1945, said the States
present financial program isn't
bringing in enough money to sup
port an educational program Of
the desired quality.
He spoke to the closing session
of the YEAS annual convention on
the results of survey of the
national education scene he has
just made for the Council of State
Governments.
Low Salaries Cited.
Mr.. Chase told the teachers low
salaries are keeping well-qualified
persons out of the teaching pro-
fession and recommended that
$4,000 should be the minimum
annual pay for a trained teacher.
This was considerably above the
YEAS recent request for $780,
600 in State funds to establish
Statewide minimums of from
$4,000 to $4,000 for teachers hold.
ing the proper certif1cation.
The two States nearest Virginia
in ability to pay for an educa.
tlonal program, Arizona and Utah,
each spends more than per
cent OF income for public schools,
he said, while Virginia's expend-
iture amounts to per cent.
He said really superior" schools
throughout the State could be
obtained if Virginia spent S per
cent of its income on public edu-
cation.
Behind West Virginia.
West Virginia. he said, is be-
low Virginia in ability to support
education. but her extra effort
more than compensates for this
difference, so that she outstrips
Virginia in educational provisions
as measured by her pupil cost.
New officers elected for the
trustees association were Edwin
T. Coulbourn of Suffolk, presi-
dent; Mrs. Mary K. Cooley, Hills
vile, vice president. and E. T.
Battan Of Holland, Mrs. j. F. Kin
caid of Leesburg and Randolph
w. Church of Richmond. members
of the Executive Committee.
Teacher Selection Urged.
Another speaker told members
OF the association that a teacher
selection program-"not arecrait-
ment"-is needed despite 1.-The
teacher shortage. Mrs. Sarah
Caldwell, Akron, Ohio, former
president Of the MEAS classroom
teacher department. urged col
leges to screen, applicants for
teacher training in order to train
only superior boys and girls" for
the profession.
There should be a systematic
re-evaluation all through the four
years of college preparation" Mrs.
Caldwell told the classroom
teacher department.
Then the student would have
earned the privilege of teaching
and would be entitled to profess
sional and public respect"
Mrs. Caldwell said I'VE needed
to develop teacher selection pro-
gram, not a recruitment, for ex-
banded needs" ~.-
$4,000 Minimum Sought.
Elsewhere in Richmond, Virgil
MAS Negro school teachers pro-
posed $4,000 Statewide mini
mum teacher salary, $500 higher
than that proposed by white
teachers.
The Virginia Teachers Associa-
ton, composed of the States Ne
gro school teachers, voted to ask
for the minimum. "
The VITA also voted to ask that
annual increments amounting to
not less than 500 year be set
up so that by a period of 10 years
teacher holding a collegiate pro-
fessional certificate shall receive
no less than $4,000 per year."