OCR Text |
Show PLEA FOR HIGHER COMPENSATION Normal Graduate Thinks Teachers arc Underpaid. JUDGES SALARIES TOO HIGH. Teachers Alust Keep Clear of Southern South-ern Utah Unless They Wnnt to Work for Starvation Wages. Fredonin, Arizonu, Doc. 21, 1001. Wo wntoh .with interest tho col-umiiB col-umiiB of tho local pupor, us they aro our main sourco of kuowledgo of afrairn at homo. Anil wo aro cspoo-inlly cspoo-inlly iiloaHcd to lcnru of tho where-ahoutu where-ahoutu and doings of otir old friondri who aro Bcattorod throughout tho country, whoro thoir dulos and laborH enll thoin. Naturally wo aro iutor cstod In our Eohool friends, teachers, aB woll aa olnBB-niuteB, and noto with plcufltiro any advancing stops in thoir lives. Somo of us, thru ohoico or necessity, havo ventured outside tho hordors of our uativo stuto and aro cousoquontly hoard of loss frequently frequent-ly than thoso who roinnin in our homo 1 country. mi. !i -. Al 1 , XI liio wruor, mora tnru cnoico uian nocoBsity, holds tho present position as principal of tho schools here, although al-though tho latter oleinont outorod into tho moking of that ohoico. It may bo taken for granted that most honest men's purposo now-n-duys, is to do ad mucli good and innko as much monoy legitimately, in as short a ' tlnioand witli tho oxpondituro of tho least amount of oncrgy, aB possible. Hut to oxecuto such a purpose, tho ordinary school, toaohor must Hteor door of southorn Utali. IIo may expend ex-pend a great amount of onorgy and do a great deal of good, hut tho llunuuinl part of his purposo is almost entirely lacking. It may safely bo said that, at heart, tho school teaohor of this I country is a most philanthropic sort lit of porson; and it cau bo said, also, 1 3 as eafoly, that thoro aVo too mnay lft--s"i who follow this honorablo vocation, Wti who aro starving thomsolvcs and thoir fff follow toaohors to death as a result of u faleo idea of philanthropy. In- j stead of n public bonoilt, thoy uro a J public nulsunco. Thoy aro contont !f - t to oKO ou' n njleorablrroxistonco in jg nutoio sort of way and feed thoir j I child ron on such friod-nvor stufr aB Ixjet suits thoir purpose, because thoy aro financially unable, oveu if thoy had tho inclination, to equip thoinsolvos of a hotter training. Onoo boliiud tho dosk thoy can go no fnrthor. Vet tho poor school toachor is not altogether to blame. IIo is simply obeying counsol of thoso who ho .-v thinks "ought to know." IIo is tod dling around to tho tuno of thoso opon (?) hearted philanthropists (?) who mnko our lawn and dictate tho policy of our public schools, universities and colleges. Tho writ-j writ-j or distinctly romoinbors ono promiu- l out educator in addressing a normal f graduating olnss say that thoy must not oxpoct to bo paid for thoir work ; "i that thoirs would bo a labor of lovo; that tlioy should toaoh for tho lovo of teaching. Yet thnt very educator was breathing comfortably under a i salary ociual to sovon times that of tho ordinary school toachor. Suoh teaching is much after tho ninnnor of I tho ancient priosts who kopt tho j mnsscs in ignoranco in ordor that thoir power might bo rondorod more soouro. Hut uftor all tho pooplo of I any republic aro rosponsiblo for itB 1 laws. TJioro is no equalization of salaries. Wo should mako it so. ( j No 'ono donics that tho occupation of tho toachor is second to uouo in re sponsibility, yot there is no occupation occupa-tion so poorly paid. If tho salaries -., of supromo judges, who.su legal de cisions fairly jiuglo, wore cut and tho dilforonco placed to tho credit of tho teaching fund and other govorntnon-, govorntnon-, tal salarios cut in proportion for ho sumo purposo, tho Btatus of teaching ' would bo materially raised becaubo ,i, bottor teachers could bo omployod, '( and would be less conuption in pol- ' , ' itlcH as a result of oilloo-sooking. A It must not bo understood that i' competency is not to bo rownrdod. P "Ayo, there's tho rub. " Tho Hilary is not Buflloiont to promoto cumpo-i cumpo-i tency. Those who might bo compo- ' ' ' tout tenohors must hoek u more ro- v munorativo occupation. There is a great doal of immorality practiced in . tho matter of certificates. Tho luw '' j require toaohors to puss a legitimate 'it examination, and yot it oompolB tho h? breaking of that law. How? Hy i M. compelling superintendents and ttrufitooa to employ toaohors who aro .i not euunl to the lequiroments. Hut r how may this condition bo romedied? Not by ' tho .present loose polioy. Tq overcomo this dofeot tho llnauclal onticomeiU mu'fct' bo .materially 'in orcaeod and tho present, btandard of mental equipment insisted upon and maintained. Jlist as long us an unqualified un-qualified toucher can sccuro ns romu-uoratlvo romu-uoratlvo positions as thoso who hold normal certificates or their equivul-onts, equivul-onts, just so long do wo compel incompetent in-competent toacliors to remain so. Hut do not tho normal graduatos got the llnst chanco nt tho positions? Yes, iu somo cases. But it is like getting tho first chanco to sturvo to death. Tho Bularicu uro about uniform, uni-form, making ono chanco as good as nnothor. Tho public socniB to be blinded to tho condition of school hlfuirs. Appropriations Ap-propriations uro continually boing raado to institutions of hlghor learning, learn-ing, which is propor enough, but tho structuio is boing built from tho top. Tho foundation is decidedly weak. If tho same amount of money wore spout iu tho rovorsn ordor, it sebms that conditions would bo changed for tho bettor. Bring tho public schools on a high lovol and thoro will bo loss need for lurgo appropriations to universities. un-iversities. It is up to tho public to adopt measures that will unify salarios sal-arios and raise tho standard of teaching. teach-ing. Iluild a foundation of rook on u rock and let tho winds blow. ERASTUS H. DALLEY. |