⚓ Welcome to Tidal Echoes
Series: “Youth Speaks Its Mind” (A republication of our hometown newspaper, The Suffolk County News, from 65 years ago)
Our history isn't just a timeline; it's a series of waves that shape who we are today. In this series, we revisit the bold voices of Sayville’s past. Today, we listen to J. Jeffrey Miller as he stands up for the dedication and hard work of the teaching profession in 1962.
Originally published in The Suffolk County News on April 19th, 1962. Transcribed for the Sayville Alumni Association.
A Defense of the Teaching Profession
By J. Jeffrey Miller, Sayville High School
It is apparent that the “Overtaxed Parent” (Newsday, Saturday, April 14th, 1962) from Cedarhurst has not done a very thorough job of investigating the teaching profession when he writes such statements as, “They (the teachers) have the shortest work schedules, more months of vacation, absolute security, and plenty of time for extra jobs if they feel they want extra money.” The only fact that “Overtaxed Parent” seems to know about school and the teaching profession is that the classes are held indoors.
Certain facts about teaching must therefore be brought out to “Overtaxed Parent's” attention. Most teachers will agree that their pay looks fine on paper, perhaps as much as \$8,000 per year. However, after deductions — sometimes to the incredible amount of 20 percent of his pay each month — the teacher, like most of Uncle Sam's citizens, has barely enough to get along in this age of the installment plan.
A teacher (if he claims to be a good one) does not have the “shortest work schedule”. For example, in one of the schools in Suffolk County, teachers must get up in the morning at the latest at 5:30 a. m. in order to sign in at the school at 7:15 a. m. School begins at 7:35 a. m. and is over for the students at 2:30 p. m. Teachers may leave around three p. m. However, with extra help classes, extra-curricular activities, private interviews, and an impossible mass of paper work to wade through, the teacher is lucky to get out by four p. m. Teachers give unselfishly of their time in order to instruct the children in sports, dramatics, and hobby clubs. Such supervision often lasts late into the evening and, in the case of dramatics, late into the night. After the teacher does manage to get home, he must grade papers, prepare the next day's lessons, and is expected to attend all school functions — especially the P.T.A. meetings. He must also do “busy-busy” work: rating sheets, attendance registers, collect money and dues for books and clubs, be responsible for all of little Johnny's notes of absences which many parents neglect to send. All this adds up to an appalling 16 or 17 hours a day. I'm sure such a schedule far outweighs the six-hour work day of the New York City electrician who gets \$165 per week.
It is also apparent that “Overtaxed Parent” believes that teachers are merely glorified baby-sitters for his children if he considers that teachers have “months of vacation.” Does he believe that teachers lie around in the sun all summer? Let him investigate. He'll find teachers spending their summer instructing those children who failed the preceding year's work; he'll discover teachers spending what little money they've managed to save on college courses in order to better themselves scholastically for the benefit of “Overtaxed Parent's” children, or taking a second job so that he can afford to do the kind of work he likes — teaching.
⚓ Cast Your Thoughts
How do these words from 1962 land today? Reflecting on J. Jeffrey Miller's insights:
- jeffrey mentions teachers earning \$8,000 a year—a significant sum for 1962! do you remember how sayville teachers were regarded in the community back then?
- he details an intense 16-17 hour workday—which teachers do you remember going that "extra mile" in sports, drama, or after-school clubs?
- the debate over "months of vacation" for teachers is still a hot topic—how do his observations about summer school and professional development resonate with you now?
