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Show TEACHER'S SALARIES We usually get what we pay for, whether we buy teaching services or potatoes. For either article, even when there is a large supply, a fair price has to be paid for the superior goods. We want teachers of superior innate ability, trained, cultured traveled, full of initiative and self-respect, with a broad outlook and understanding of life so that they may interpret life correctly for our boys and girls, says Margaret M. Alltucker in the Journal of the N. E. A. We can have such teachers when we are willing to pay for them. We will pay the necessary price only when we understand the value of the teacher's service to indiyidual and community com-munity life when we appreciate the worth of the teacher. When we buy teaching! services, to a large extent, we buy our children's outlook on life. The teacher who is trained in civic affairs gives more to her pupils than is contained in the civics textbook. The teacher, who reads the best professional books and magazines brings to her classroom invaluable teaching helps so that her pupils learn more in less time. The teacher who has a standard of living which permits her to live in comfortable quarters brings brings to her classroom vigor, enthusiasm, self-respect, and initiative. To succeed, the teacher must have the respect of the community; and it is a part of human nature not to respect that which is purchased pur-chased too cheaply. Professional training, travel, books, and magazines, a standard of living conductive to physical and mental efficiency require money. Teachers possess these only when they are paid adequate salaries. Teachers when dissatisfied, can shift to other lines of work, but the law compells children to stay in school. The welfare of boys and girls should be the motive for increasing teachers' salaries. The important point is this: Our children and society are the losers when teachers are poorly prepared for their work. |
