I enjoyed the article (“Extra-credit work,” Jan. 17), and I agree that teachers work hard and deserve good pay. Before she was married, my mother was a teacher in Parkers Prairie, Minn. True, she had only eight students, but she not only got the wood and stoked the stove every morning, she also shoveled the walkway in the winter and took care of the building.
A lot has changed since then. Most teachers in this area earn $40,000-$80,000. These salaries are for only eight months of work, when you subtract summer, holidays and personal days.
Occupations that require people to work a 35-40 hour week do not offer this luxury of time off to work extra jobs. I do not know of any teacher who works as a waitress to supplement her income. However, I do know many teachers who travel the world on their summers off and live very comfortably.
— Jackie Bruns, Clarendon Hills.
WINTER DOLDRUMS
Barbara Brotman’s column (“If the snow won’t melt down, I’d be happy to,” Feb. 7) on the winter doldrums reflected exactly how I feel. My low point came last week as I was pulling my car out of the garage. As I glanced over my shoulder to see if the coast was clear, I caught a glimpse of a bright light shining in the alley. I was surprised and figured maybe the city had installed some lights for added safety, or maybe some work was being done on the nearby L track that needed extra light.
As I pulled the car out of the garage, I realized the light was the sun. I wanted to cry when I realized it had been so long since I’d seen the sun. I’d forgotten it existed!
Rebecca Labowitz, Chicago
