Show N. N Y Teacher Strike Closes 79 Schools BUFFALO N. N Y Feb 24 2 UP AA jp- jp A complete shutdown of Buffalos Buffalo's I 98 18 public schools appe appeared red Imminent imminent mini nent Monday as the largest teacher strike in U. U S. S history forced 79 schools to close and brought confusion confusion con- con fusion to- to those remaining open Twenty schools were opened Monday morning when nearl nearly 2500 teachers struck for increased of the pay but students at one two high schools opened were sent home raising to about 6 1000 the total number of ot pupils out The city's total pupil enrollment U 11 a There are 2960 teachers A union official said that the I strikers strikers' r. r g observers ener at t Lafayette high school had formed a picket line The other 19 schools operated by teachers were expected expected ex ex- to follow Lafayette's lead leadIn leadIn leadin In shutting down Teachers at Lafayette attempted to organize classes but hundreds of school schoolchildren schoolchildren schoolchildren children milled through the corridors corridors cor cor- while only a few reported for classes classe Raymond J. J Ast president of or the 2000 plus membership federation who asked the striking teachers to carry on with the dignity of ot their profession said he e had urged I Mayor Bernard J. J Dowd and th the See Pa Pare Pace e 2 Column 4 I TEACHER STRIKE Continued from Page One board of education to grant immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate raises out ot of present appropriations appropriations appropriations ap ap- ap- ap and finish the year ear with funds to be raised later The federation demands a 2400 salary scale and an immediate immedi Immedi- ate 1025 annual raise for all teachers The present scale is 1875 2575 for elementary teachers teach teach- ers era and 2975 2174 tor for secondary school teachers plus a state au raise to be spread over 15 months Federation headquarters estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated that close to 2500 teachers stayed out In Albany meanwhile Francis T. T Spaulding state education commissioner commissioner com corn missioner said that neither Gov Deweys Dewey's office nor the governors governor's special education committee which is expected to propose a new permanent permanent permanent per per- manent teachers teachers' pay scale to the legislature Wednesday planned to contact the striking teachers Mon Mon- day All but 20 of the schools had I been ordered closed in advance of ot the strike after a survey indicated that at least two-thirds two of the teachers would be absent |