Lord Burnham's further award in regard to the salaries of
elementary and secondary school teachers was given last week, and came into force on April 1st. It has about it the inevitable air of compromise, but it has been well received on all sides. It is intended to prevail for six years, and is assured of a fair trial, since most Education Authorities and bodies of teachers agreed beforehand to abide by it, and in this spirit exchanged in January ;formal and friendly notices terminating their agreements. To begin with, no teacher's salary is reduced now (a very effective point psychologically), though increases will be reached more slowly by those who keep a salary beyond the new scale. The 5 per cent. deduction for the pension scheme remains, but the full reductions suggested by the Authorities are not made. The maximum and minimum salaries are slightly raised ; adjustments are made in between them, and also between urban and rural areas. The principle that women should receive about 15 per cent. less than men for parallel work is retained, and will cause disappointment in some quarters. Lord Burnham deserves everyone's gratitude for another piece • of hard work done with great ability ; but one of the merits of arbitrators is that they serve without the expectation of thanks.
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