TEACTHERS' SALARIES—FROM A WOMAN'S STANDPOINT.

Evening Star, Issue 11666, 28 September 1901, Page 8

TEACTHERS' SALARIES—FROM A WOMAN'S STANDPOINT.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —I shall take it as a favor if you will publish a few remarks from a woman teacher concerning the cokmial scale of staffs and salaries drawn up by the Royal Commission on salaries. It seems to be the widespread idea that this proposed scale confers such great advantages on women teachers that one might think it had been the sole aim of tho Commission to see how richly they could endow the women at the expense of the men. Ido not at all wonder that this report has gained ground, fanned as it has been by tho persuasive eloquence of a certain section of male teachers to whose benefit it is to make the public believe that they ate badly treated. I can well believe it disappointing to those gentlemen who eighteen months ago had decided that "under a properly thought-out scheme for a colonial scale certain schools and certain positions in the larger schools will be allotted to men and women respectively," when they find the women of New Zealand do not at once bow to their bidding and retire. I can quite believe also that the scale is a little better in its treatment of woroeii than they intended it to be. It is not owing to them that "if the Education Boards consider it in the best interests of education to staff a school with women this could be done," nor will it be done where such as they hare any influence. A great many statistics have lately heen quoted, showing how well women teachers are to bo treated. It has been stated, for instance, that in 811 schools in New Zealaud equal pay for equal work will be recognised (these are the schols with an average attendance of less than thirty). Of the 811 teachers employed in these schools 553 arc women. Only ninety-five of these women can get a salary of £125 or over, and not one gets more than £l4O. Such schools are for vie most part, in lonely, isolated spots ; tlic work is hard, as it embraces the teaching of all tho Standards; and it is a well-known fact that in most of these schools women do better work than men. Yet, 428 out of the 553 women go employed will get less than £125 per year, and 335 will receive less than £IOO. The prizes for women teachers are evidently not in this group, nor is it at all singular that men should be willing to pillow women equal pay for equal work where the work is distasteful to themselves and thev do not want it.

Then wc are told that 635 " first female M positions are absolutely and especially reserved for women at. salaries from £BS to £2lO. It sounds well, certainly, but when we come to the fact that 561 of these positions are worth less than £125 and only two are worth £2lO one really wonders how the department will bear the cost of such a reserve. To take Otago alone, only ten women will receive a salary of £l5O or over, only one receiving £IBO, while 143 men win "receive £l5O or over, and out of tliese seventy-nine will receive £2OO or over. So 79.8 per cent, of the men teachers in t otago wiU receive £l5O «r over, and yet

"wo hear it stated that the men may -md say " Where do we come in? "

Those who cry out most loudly against ►Paying women well urge it as a reason that more women retire from the profession than men. Docs it not seem strange to punish those who remain in the profession for those who leave.it? Would it be any argument for paymg the men teachers in Otago less • ru ln ° tllCr P rovinces because more men m Otago have gone from scholastic work mto commercial life? If the argument does hold good that women should bo paid less because they more frequently drop out, then the scale i s not consistent with this. Women teachers drop ont most frequently during tho first ten years of service, and we find the scale pays them equal, or nearly equal, during this early stage of their career. It is when they are older, and may be expected to remain in the service, that tho scale more widely differentiates between the salaries of" men and women. Another reason urged is that women require more frequent leave of absence than men. Hero, again, .there is want of consistency. The privations that some women teachers have in the rough country places, the poor lodgings and hardships cause tho heaviest losses under the heading "Lea ve of Absence," but in the suburbs and towns, where the conditions of me are favorable, the women require as little leave of absence as the men, and yet it is in these places that the ififcn are to be so much better paid than the women. i\ext, we are told that women should be hZ j , b A CanS< l ia ctxMn Positions it is demanded that the male teacher should be not made the great differences in salary in these schools, and not between town assistants where there can be no such stipulation.' Another reason urged is that the average wage-earning man Ims to provide loi three members of the community for every one provided for by tho average wage-earning women. Now, sir, if the quesbon of those dependent on a man is in any way to determine his salary. I mh , tarn that a man who has a family of ten children should certainly be paid mUthS a man who has only himself and wife to Keep. i 0 grv e a man wjth no chi]dnJU the same salary as the man with ten is simply to encourage the former in selfish- ? M £' ?Pl., t0 severd y handicap the latter. I should like very much to see a return prepared of all the old folk in tho colony, with particulars as to who looks after and keeps them. Ihe sou? In some cases " Yes." m many cases "No." He is obliged to fulfil his duty to the State, and marry the minute he is on his own feet. Who keeps the old home going? Oh, the spinsters who remain. They struggle along on their poor salaries, content if they can only keep thmgs going merrily for the old folk," with a very, very few shillings in the bank every year towards the solitary old age of spinsterhood. Very unromantic—very. Old maids —merely. They take irp uncomplainingly the responsibilities the men leave, Thev fulfil them on half the salary. I have noticed that the greatest exponents of this scale talk largely of fixing the scale on averages averaging wives, children, sickness, marriages, etc I believe these same folk advocate largely that the first assistant master should be paid nearly double the salary of any other assistant because he takes the place of the head-master when absent. Can you tell me, sir, what is the " average " leave of absence for head-masters in this colony daring any year? I think this return would show another alarming want of consistency in the scale. The alleged 31-hcalth of the head-masters is likely to cost the department a goodly sum, and will be a mere serious menace to the finances of the State than that of women teachers, for the latter only require a substitute when ill, whereas the head-masters are to be provided with a standing army of well-paid substitutes, whether they need them or not. —I am, etc, Justice. September 26.