Committee would not shorten the period of academic preparation for "research men"-"a still longer period necessary to produce competent investigators.")

The present status of the whole question may be summed up briefly: 1. The study of minimal essentials and of economy in teaching by the Superintendence Committee is fundamental in educational reconstruction. Attention is turning to other essentials: elimination (of duplications and of whole blocks of unnecessary material), objectives of elementary education, adaptation to age, extension of the school year, results of experiments in time economy.

2. The 6-3-3 plan is received with growing favor on the grounds of its flexibility and adaptability and its demonstrated results in time-saving.

3. The view of the form of reorganization presented in the report of 1913 appears to gain strength, and changes in that direction have already been effected or are foreshadowed. This is seen in the establishment of junior high schools and junior colleges and in the standard for admission to professional schools.

4. It is better understood that the plan to secure economy of time means not diminishing but increasing the average age of leaving school, because of greater opportunities for the individual; that it means doing more in the same time and hence earlier entrance to college and university; also that it means not abolishing the college but readjusting the college years.

The demand of the government on the schools in the war period cannot but affect the problem. We believe that the experience of these years and the new insights into social and political questions will influence three things: earlier opportunity to prepare for occupations and more efficient training of skilled hands to supplant the army of the idle and incompetent and unprepared, and earlier entrance to special courses in science and to professional studies in response to increasing practical demands; greater economy and efficiency in the whole field of education; a clearer conception of what is essential in culture to preserve our national ideals and to develop the sentiments which make for democracy, peace, and for the principle to be applied in industrial and international problems and in all human relations-cooperation under justice.

In asking that the Committee be now discharged we wish to express our appreciation to the Council, the United States Bureau of Education, the cooperating committees, and the many institutions and individuals, teachers and others, that have aided generously in our work.

Respectfully submitted,

JAMES H. BAKER, Chairman
JAMES H. VAN SICKLE

WILLIAM H. SMILEY

HENRY SUZZALLO

ALBION W. SMALL

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SALARIES, TENURE, AND PENSIONS

JOSEPH SWAIN, PRESIDENT, SWARTHMORE COLLEGE, SWARTHMORE, PA. RECENT PENSION DEVELOPMENTS

The crisis thru which the country is passing in the matter of the supply of teachers demands the closest analysis and consideration of the conditions to which it is due and of the means by which it may be met. The new demands that are being made and will inevitably continue to be made upon the school only serve to intensify the crisis. But it is idle to speak of raising standards or of increasing the requirements in the training of teachers without considering the bases upon which recruiting for any profession rests. With that percentage who will feel a calling to any profession, no matter what its economic rewards may be, it is impossible to deal. Idealism and the desire for a decent livelihood are not, however, incompatible. The most idealistic and devoted teacher will be unable to perform his task efficiently if the material rewards are so low that living becomes a hardship, if the future holds no prospects of promotion, and if the outlook for old age or the time of physical breakdown is disheartening.

The National Education Association has during the past year undertaken a campaign for the increase of salaries. It cannot, however, afford to neglect at this time of economic readjustment the problem of providing for disability and old age, which is only another part of the problem of salaries. Many teachers' associations thruout the country have recognized this fact and are making an intensive study of the subject of pensions. Properly conceived, a pension must be lookt upon as deferred pay, set aside for the protection against the risk of disability and old age. The opportunity that is afforded by the present crisis of readjusting the economic position of the teacher not merely with reference to the increast cost of living but also in relation to the new openings in other fields of work is the appropriate time for considering every aspect of the problem. of making the profession attractive enough to secure the right kind of material. A calling or profession will attract and hold men of intelligence, ability, and devotion only as far as they realize that the avenue of promotion is open to them, and that security is afforded against the risks of life. The colleges of the country are at present considering simultaneously the questions of increasing salaries and of establishing pension systems. England during the past year has not only bent her efforts to securing the adoption of generous salary scales but has also instituted a national pension system, which, albeit it is open to serious criticism, is at any rate an admission that when the rewards of the teaching profession are being considered protection against the two chief hazards of life must be taken into account. Governor Smith, of New York, in his annual message to the

legislature stated recently that "the efficiency of the school cannot rise above the standard of qualifications set for the teaching service. To bring this about the teachers should be adequately paid and fairly pensioned."

The Committee on Salaries, Tenure, and Pensions of the National Education Association was fortunate during the past year in securing the publication of a Report on Pensions for Public School Teachers, which was made at its request by Dr. Clyde Furst and Dr. I. L. Kandel, of the Carnegie Foundation. The report has received widespread recognition as the most valuable and thorogoing consideration of the problem of pensions that has yet been made. It is especially valuable in dealing in clear and simple language with an intricate technical subject that has too often been involved in unnecessary obscurity. Calls for the report have been made from teachers and educational associations in every state in the Union. It is receiving consideration as the basis for pension legislation in Florida, Georgia, Texas, the District of Columbia, Michigan, Minnesota, Utah, Oregon, and California. An extensive notice of the report appeared in the "Educational Supplement" of the London Times.

The conferences conducted jointly by the Committee on Salaries, Tenure, and Pensions and the Carnegie Foundation at the meetings of the National Education Association and the Department of Superintendence, together with the Report on Pensions for Public School Teachers, have furnisht a sound basis for discussion and have exercised a salutary influence on the development of pension systems. The proposal of wholly unsound. systems is now very rare, and there is more active and intelligent participation by teachers' associations in proposals for pension legislation. A number of state associations are seeking to amend systems created as recently as 1915, while others are making an entirely new start along sound lines. These include New Jersey, Ohio, and Vermont. Each of these represents an increasing advance in the direction of the fundamental principles accepted by the conferences on pensions already referred to. It may in general be said that teachers as a body have begun to recognize the validity of the arguments for sound actuarial principles and of the social philosophy underlying pensions. Legislators have still much to learn. on this subject, but rapid progress is being made. Until the legislators are as ready as teachers to accept the fundamental principles such compromises as are found in the more recently establisht systems are inevitable. The teachers have, however, at this crisis an excellent opportunity thru their existing professional organizations to educate the public at large in the conditions that are essential for the promotion of a strong professional body. Among these salaries and pensions are not the least important.

SALARIES

JOHN W. CARR, WAR CAMP COMMUNITY SERVICE, CHARLESTON, S.C.

In our report in July, 1918, on Teachers' Salaries and the Cost of Living we set forth the economic conditions of the public-school teachers of the United States and demonstrated the fact that the profession of teaching was practically bankrupt, and that radical measures would have to be adopted promptly or there would be a crisis in American education. As far as I know the soundness of the argument presented and the validity of our conclusions have not been questioned. Therefore it is not necessary to spend time discussing the subject in general but to make a brief summary of conditions at present and to inquire relative to the outlook for the future.

If we consider the cost of living we find that prices are about as high as they were a year ago, and that in general they are approximately double what they were in August, 1914: (1) If we consider prices since the signing of the armistice we find that there has been a slight decrease in some articles -food 4.4 per cent, clothing 6.2 per cent-but an actual increase in some other things-shelter 1.7 per cent increase; fuel, heat, and light 1.3 per cent increase. There was a marked increase in prices on June 1 over those prevailing on May 1, 1919. (2) So everything continues sky high, with no prospects for a rapid fall in prices. The latest information from Washington is "that there will not be any immediate reduction in prices, and that the decline will be very gradual." (3) We can therefore make up our minds that the cost of living will remain about as it is now for a long time, and that no "bonuses" or other expedients will solve the problem, but that teachers' salaries must be more than double what they were in 1914, or serious results will follow.

In our report of 1918 we predicted a shortage of teachers-that many competent teachers would leave the profession, and that there would be a markt decrease in the numbers attending normal schools. These predictions have been fulfilled, and the end is not yet. The normal-school attendance for the last year was probably less than 80 per cent of the prewar attendance, with the demand for teachers much above normal. Owing to demobilization we may expect an increase in normal-school attendance next year, but it is too much to expect even prewar attendance at normal schools in the near future.

During the current month the National Education Association has issued a splendid pamphlet entitled Higher Salaries for Teachers. This is the last publisht word on the subject and is interesting even if it is not extremely encouraging. Some extracts follow: "Every state has become actively interested in the problem of teachers' salaries, and twelve have reported the passage of laws materially increasing salaries." Among the states reported as having past such laws are Virginia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, New York, Indiana, and Texas.

"Indiana has increast the salaries of its four classes of teachers 25 to 30 per cent." "New York leads in salary increases. In New York City, with its more than 21,000 teachers, the minimum salary for teachers in kindergarten and first six grades is $1005 and the maximum $2160. In grades 7-9 minimum $1350, maximum $2700." "Among others the following cities have recently establisht minimum salaries of $1000 for elementary teachers: Whiting, Ind.; Bozeman, Mont.; East Chicago, Ind.; Monroe, Mich.; and Pocatello, Idaho." "Twelve cities have median salary for elementary teachers ranging from $1202 to $1421; seventeen cities from $1003 to $1175." So far the report is fairly encouraging. It shows that the leaven is beginning to work in spots.

But what of conditions in general? The report continues: "The average salary paid teachers in the United States has increast from $543.31 in 1915 to $630.64 in 1918, or 17 per cent in three years. In the same period the wholesale price of commodities increast seven times as much." Not very encouraging for the average teacher. Again: "Of 191 cities reporting definite increases for elementary teachers during 1918–19, 86 per cent of them gave increases of $50 or less." "The average wage of 4198 workers in shipyards during 1918 was $1411, or 224 per cent of the average salary paid teachers." "A comparison of the teacher's average salary of $630 with union scale of wages shows that hod carriers earn from one and one-half to twice as much as teachers." The Tribune yesterday said that hod carriers had just been awarded $8.00 a day in Chicago. The same paper recommended that policemen and firemen be given a salary of $2000 per annum. "As a direct result of the low salaries paid teachers, there is a shortage of teachers, many successful teachers are leaving the profession, and fewer students are attending normal schools and teacher-training institutions."

But why multiply illustrations or tax your patience? The fact is that the crisis in the profession is here. The question is, What are we going to do about it?

Unfortunately in many localities there is nothing that can be done until there is appropriate legislation providing more adequate funds for teachers' salaries. In these localities we may expect a markt decline in the efficiency of the schools. Some will have great difficulty in securing properly certificated teachers at all. In about four-fifths of the states the legislatures will not convene, unless called in special session, until 1921. So there is no immediate prospect of relief in thousands of school districts thruout the country.

In our more wealthy communities it is a question of inducing school boards and municipal authorities to levy sufficient money to pay adequate salaries. This will require organization and persistent effort on the part of teachers and other friends of education. It will also require organization for the purpose of securing appropriate state legislation. The teachers of