Evening star., 1951-03-03
County Board
Hears Plea for
Teacher Raise
Prince Georges School
Head Says Salaries
Won't Hold Stuffs

Georges County school teachers
today are before the county COM
missioners.
A 20-member committee, made
up of representatives of the
County Teachers Association, the
County Council of Parent Teach
er Associations and the County
Board Of Education, laid the re-
quests before the commissioners
yesterday at their regular meeting
in the Hyattsville County Service
Building. The proposals also cover
principals and school clerks.
Requested is a $300-a-year SAL
ary increase for principals and
teachers and 5000 for clerks. In
addition, the allowances received
by principals would be raised.
The increases would bring the
county salary scale closer in line
with that Of the District and sur
rounding counties, the commits
sioners were told. Under the pro-
posal, the scale for teachers with
out degrees would range from
So 500 to $4,100; for teachers with
bachelor degrees. $2,700 to $4,000,
and for teachers with masters
degrees, $4,000 to $4,000.
Recruiting Difficulty Feared.
Committee Chairman Louis p.
Eberle told the commissioners
that proposed increases in the
District, Montgomery County and
Arlington County had been noted.
Should these salary increases
be made" he declared. "this coun-
tvs ability to recruit teachers
would be made even more diff
cult"
The Prince Georges pay is in
adequate for three reasons, he
and Joseph Brandt, a committee
member. asserted. The salaries
are not sufficient to meet the
present-day cost of living; the
Federal Government salaries for
employees of similar training and
experience are considerably high
er, and the salaries of teachers
in the District and nearby coun-
ties are higher, they said.
Prince Georges County sis at
a distinct disadvantage" in COM
peting with the other areas in
obtaining teachers, the spokes-
men told the board.
School Supt. William S.
Schmidt, a member of the COM
mittee. asserted:
THE situation is rapidly de-
veloping into a crisis like that
of 1923"
Cites Loss of 100 Teachers.
He explained that more than
100 teachers have left the sys-
tenn since September /. He added
that he expects the trend to in
crease in the next few months.
Mr.. Eberle asked that the higher
rate of pay become effective July
l and be retroactive to February
l. He said that the Board Of
Education does not have the
money.
In emphasizing the demand he
declared:
81 honestly believe we will lose
large numbers of teachers unless
we increase salaries"
The commissioners took the re-
quests under advisement, but
Board Counsel Adrian P. Fisher
told the committee that because
the funds are not in the budget
there could be no retroactivity.
The commissioners also indicated
that a supplemental appropria-
ton would not be voted.
Another request concerning
schools was turned down fatty
by the board. This was for audi
toriums in four high schools now
nearing completion. Funds for
the auditoriums had been pro-
posed by school authorities in De-
cember, but the commissioners
said classrooms are more impor-
tant.
Petitions Presented.
The request yesterday was made
by a delegation of about 80 PTA
members from Bladensburg, Chew
erly-T Tuxedo, Landover Hills and
Lanham, who presented petitions
signed by more than 1000 school
patrons. Mayor Andrew Gasch Of
Bladensburg, who also is PTA
president, headed the group.
Commissioners President Thomas
E. Latimer said that until all
children can be put back on full
day attendance, such a luxury as
auditoriums will have to wait.
But Mrs. Allen Young of the
Bladensburg PTA asserted:
IF we're going to have decent
schools we taxpayers will have to
pay for them. We are willing to
do it."
Right t-of-Way Purchased.
On motion of Commissioner Ed
ward j. (Ned) Waters, the board
approved purchase from the Capt.
tai Transit Co. of the abandoned
streetcar right of way from Belts
vile to Branchville for $16,500.
Mr.. Waters and Commissioner H.
Wilson Spicknall negotiated the
purchase, after the transit COM
pany first had asked $4,000. A
two-lane highway will be built
over the 314-mile route.
The commissioners expressed
firm opposition to working out Of
a reciprocal agreement with Dis
trict taxicabs, which would permit
them to carry fares from the
county into the District. Such
agreements are in effect between
the District and Virginia cab COM
panies.
The commissioners made clear
their opposition, after hearing At
torney Ignatius Keane, speaking
on behalf of county cab drivers,
declare there are 80 many Dis
trict cabs they would simply flood