Evening star., 1952-04-23
Teachers Say
Arlington Board
LET Them Down
Did Not Go to Bot
With County on Pay
Demands, They Soy

DS'ttuIiuSS lucy guy
Arlington teachers have charged
the county School Board with fail
ing to support their demands for
a pay increase.
More than 100 teachers crowded
the small auditorium and adjoin-
ing rooms in the administration
building at a hearing on the pro-
posed budget last night.
They applauded statements that
the board failed to go to bat
for the teachers" in presenting
the proposed budget to the Coun-
ty Board. Some of them cheered
a proposal that the number of
supervisors be reduced.
Supt. William A. Early said the
two boards have conferred on the
budget but he added that no de-
ciSion was announced by the
County Board. The School Board
has submitted budget of approx
imately Sc million, which would
require a 33-cent increase IN the,
real estate tax rate, unless other
revenue is found.
School Board Member Barnard
Joy said the County Board rel
ported public reaction that the
proposed budget is too high.
$100 Boost Recommended.
The School Board had recon-
|mended a $100 increase in teach
|erS' salaries, in addition to legu- }
lar increments of $100 or 5000.
Spokesman for the Arlington
Education Association, the teach
|erS' organization, said last night
that the School Board proposal is
inadequate. They urged a boost
of $237 for beginning teachers and
comparable increases in the rest
of the scale.
Mr.. Joy replied to critics of the
board that it was unfair to imply
that significant progress has not
been made in salaries in the past
four years. He said the average
teacher salary in Arlington has
risen from approximately $2,500
in 1867 to approximately $1,000
in the proposed budget.
Supt. William A. Early said that
the proposed salary would amount
to 500 a week for the 39-week
teaching year.
Hits Attack on Board.
Oscar R. LeBeau of the Citizens
Committee for School Improve
ment told the group that an at
tack on the board was almost
biting the hand that feeds U.S."
Mr.. LeBeau said he was saddened
by the reaction to the speech op-
posing the number of supervisors.
Mr.. Joy said he regretted "the
animosity of one part of our staff
toward another"
James r. Miles, critic of the
core program in county schools,
questioned the boards request for
two additional supervisors in the
proposed budget. He said nearby
areas have fewer supervisors and
urged the board to consider fir
ing IS employees he said were in
that category.
Mr.. Early said that many en-
ployes in the groups named by
Mr.. Miles are teachers, assisting
other teachers in special fields.
He said elimination of the gen.
eral supervisors would bring about
no great saving because the State
pays three-fourths of their SAL
aries up to $4,000.
The superintendent added that
I'VE don't like to be compared
with people who aren't doing as
good job as we are"
Helping Teachers Cited.
Curtis E. Tuthill was acting
chairman in the absence of Erwin
R. Draheim, who was out of town.
Mr.. Tuthill said that if the Ar
lington Education Association
were to propose elimination of the
helping teachers, the board would
seriously consider the proposal.
Association spokesmen said they
planned no such recommendation.
The association speakers were
Simeon P. Taylor. vice president:
John Palmer, chairman of the
salary committee, and Eric
Rhodes, executive secretary.
Mr.. Palmer said the teachers
were looking to the board Ito get
the very best for it's teachers"
Mr.. Palmer said the association
members were aware of salary
gains made in the past. The rec
concentrations made to the board.
however. are considered by the
teachers to be the salaries they
need, Mr.. Palmer said.
Arlington has about 700 teach.
erS.