The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-11-04
T H ESE D A Y S
-. 3 p
GEORGE E. SOKCISKY
THE SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS

THE SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS
The teaching profession is run
ming down, although teachers are
comparatively well paid for pro-
fesSional group. To the monetary
payments must be added the short
year, the short day and the OPP
portunities to earn additional pay.
These used to be regarded favor
ably until the 40-hour week for in
dustrial workers equalized the ad-
vantage of a short day for teach
ers. The steady income and tenure
used to be a great advantage for
teachers, but with full employment
and even wartime employment, in
dustry can provide steady work
and seniority is similar to tenure
in some respects.
Teachers go into industry for
higher pay. 1t is a matter OF
| money. The preparation for school
teachers has become sitter; the
examinations tougher; and If a
teacher really wants to advance,
he or she has to take summer work,
leading to an NJ A. or Phi. D.
1t is cheaper to join union and
get a job in factory.
There was a time when the posi-
ton of schoolteacher stood in the
community as post of great dig
nifty and Importance. The school,
teacher was among the leaders of
men. Public esteem and leader
ship are often compensations in
themselves. The leveling of COM
munal life has removed these ad-
vantages and has left the teacher
in the position of just another
government worker, often regarded
as particularly unsatisfactory
worker because the school system
in many communities is no longer
favorably accepted by parents who
wonder why their wonderful child
rem come out of the schools such
queer creatures. Non-parents won
der at the costs.
The number of children going
to school is on the increase. Shifts
of population influence school costs
and activities. For instance, large
new building projects throw upon
communities new burdens of tax
alton beyond their strength. Thous-
andS of children are being born
to veterans who in from four to
six years hence will need schools
in these new areas. Local budgets
rarely make provisions long enough
in advance not to send the tax
rate up to heights that actually
endanger home ownership.
! In some communities, teachers
are changed often to avoid tenure,
thus preventing that continuity of
, personality which builds an insti-
tuition. In rural communities that
is particularly growing vice, the
idea being that the community does
not want to be tied to teacher
it cannot fire.
1t is expected that by 1857, ele-
mentary school enrolment will
reach 29,5OO,OO0 and high school
enrolment will be 100000. This
will mean an increase by about
100000 children over a period of
10 years, and provision must be
made for them, not only in build
ings but teachers.
The real dilemma for local COM
munities is that money is getting
to be harder to find. The thing
called welfare" eats up so much
of a municipalities budget. Even
rural townships find old age relief
and similar welfare funds encroach-
| ing on school and road money.
Real estate in cities cannot carry
much more of tax load without
raising rents, and whenever Chat
is tried, for whatever reason, a
howl goes up on the general as
sumption that the landlord is a
usurper per Sc.
If parents were happier about
the schools, the teachers would,
nevertheless, have greater public
support for increases. The fact is
that quite generally parents Won
der what the children learn at
school. The fault is not altogether
/ the teachers. il iS &c much the