This  is  in  distinct  contrast  with  the  grade  principals,  who  have  attended
six  summers  out  of  a  possible  fifty-five,  who  in  general  have  very  limited
education,  and  who  have  taken  almost  no  professional  courses.  Where
professional  courses  have  been  taken,  the  work  is  not  recent  enough  to  be  of
great  value  in  helping  the  young  teacher.  The  Alton  grade  principals  have
an  abundance  of  "experience."  The  total  years  taught  by  the  Alton  grade
principals  is  352  years,  or  an  average  of  thirty-two  years;  232  years  of  this
total  was  taught  in  Alton,  or  an  average  of  twenty-one  years.  In  indicating
the  small  amount  of  professional  work,  I  am  stating  a  condition  here  and
am  not  attempting  to  locate  the  blame  for  this  condition.  No  doubt  the  low
salary  paid  to  the  principals  and  the  necessity  of  supplementing  their  earn-
ings by  outside  endeavors  is  partly  responsible.  However,  the  condition  is
no  less  serious  on  this  account.
Salaries

In  order  to  determine  the  condition  of  the  teaching  profession,  it  will
be  necessary  to  examine  the  salary  schedule  and  the  salaries  actually  paid
and,  so  far  as  possible,  compare  them  with  salaries  paid  in  other  cities  of  a
similar  class.  The  salary  schedule  for  grade  and  high  school  teachers  is  as
follows:

1st  2d  3d  4th  5th

Year.        Year.       Year.       Year.         Year.
First  to  Sixth  Grades $450         $500         $550         $600         $    650

Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades 550  600  650  700  750

Supervisor  of  Music 750  850  900  950  1,050

Supervisor  of  Drawing 750  850  900  950  1,050

16


Principals  will  receive  $50  a  year  additional  to  their  scheduled  salaries
for  each  room  under  their  supervision.
1st  2d  3d           4th  5th  6th

Year.  Year.  Year.  Year.  Year.  Year.
