TEACHERS IN 1938

TOP ROW: Lyle Gene Pinkham, Doris Ann Ioerger, Jr. Gauger, Shirley Ioerger, LeRoy Pinkham, Donald Ioerger, Verna (Barth) Weistart- teacher, Ray Baker, Janet Ruth Pinkham. MIDDLE ROW: Phyllis Krug, Lloyd Baker, Betty Lea Kelsey, Rex Pinkham, Duane Guth, Margaret Pinkham. FRONT ROW: Carolyn Ioerger, Jack Yerk, Emerson Guth, Mary Lou Gauger.

Times have changed! My mother's application said 'this is me and this is what I have done'. The information was taken at face value. The application resulted in a job at the Hill Grove School south and east of town during the school years of 1938-1939 and 1939-1940. Refer to the picture above.

Granted, there were far less people in 1938 and most people in this area would have known my mother. Proof of what she said in her letter would have been common knowledge and further proof would not have been needed. The application my daughter gave me consisted of 11 pages, was prepared by the District, and asked questions which the applicant has to answer. The first page is a letter from the executive director telling all to follow instructions and the application will be active for one year from the date of the interview. The second page states that a 'Certified Employment Application" is required. This file must contain official transcripts from all universities, a placement file sent from the university placement office, and a copy of a current Arizona teacher certificate. Out of state applicants and new graduates should note that fingerprint clearance is required.

The personnel section requires the applicants name, address, phone number, etc. (This is probably to check on the same information given on the prior page.) Questions followed: Are you under contract with another district, have you been dismissed from teaching, and what proficiencies do you have in languages other than English. In 1938, the answer to the last question would have been German, Italian, and Polish. Today the answer would be Spanish, Spanish and Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Taiwanese). Three references must be listed. A listing of all colleges and universities attended with fields of study and degrees earned are next. Disclosure of teaching and special certificates are required. Student teaching experience, teaching experience, other work experience is listed with all appropriate addresses and time periods.

A hand written statement is needed. In 1938 the application was hand written so a separate hand written statement would not have been necessary. Now come the questions required because of todays circumstances. HAVE YOU BEEN convicted of a sex or drug offense, convicted of a felony, convicted of a crime against children? If so, give the dates, charges, jurisdiction and disposition. Finally, todays applicant must supply information and agree that the school can request consumer reports or investigative consumer reports. Credit was limited in 1938. If you owed bills everyone in town knew it. Consumer Reports weren't available and not as important. Credit cards and computers would be needed to herald in the age of Consumer Reports.

My mother supplied much of the same information required today but in her own hand written fashion. It worked in 1938 but would not have today.

My mothers baby sister Ruth M. (Barth) Park still had her contract to teach from 1933. It also was a unique document. Aunt Ruth was to preserve in good condition the school house, premises, apparatus and furniture, and books and records provided by the school board. Guess who was the janitor? Your right! The teacher. All items had to be returned to the Clerk of the District at the end of the school year-natural wear and tear excepted. I wonder, was 'kid damage' natural wear and tear. The contract noted that dismissal of the teacher was to be made by the Directors for gross immorality, incompetency, or violation of the contract. The pay was $65 per month for the eight month contract (that is a total of $520 for the school year). Click here to view the original contract

Contracts for today teachers are still simple. The one I looked at was two pages. The teacher agrees to perform the duties assigned and follow the policies, rules, regulations and standards of the District. The School District agrees to pay the teacher $36,900 for the school year in bi-weekly payments. The teacher is notified that Prop #200 funds will be distributed when received. If the legislature decides not to increase the retirement employer contribution, the money will be distributed to the employee. Salaries and performance pay can be made from the Classroom Site Fund. Monies allocated from the Fund are reserved for performance pay and certain maintenance and operations purposes. The contract year will be according to the official calendar adopted by the Governing Board.