Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-08-14

OF any kind are brought by them into he .x
animation room, except lcgariihuic al les or. when
papers cannot b. painted ios she occasion Ell, h |
books rs are without noie or comment, These
the text books In the several Languages. from wi.
The written usnslaiionS are made without any as-
si>,ance from books OF reference IL add tion 20
Tue visitors who may happen TO be present, one
Professor besides the examiner, IL required to be
IN the ROOM - his duty is TO assist the examiner
IN preserving good order, aud preventing any con-
municauon among the students.
The questions are printed. or in some eases writ.
ten on a large black bosid (; wi'b respect 10 the
length oi the exercises the number OF guest ions
that is regulated by the examiners idea of what il
reasonable when the questions merely, pr obem,
are proposed on the black board, or in any other
manner, the numerical value due to each complete
answer or solution, (Which is proportionsie of
couise To the difficulty Of The question or problem
Is marked al the end of the question:) the student
can then select those which he feels bes, pfepae,
TO answer, or for which he will receive most credi
u he finds that he is unable To perform the whole -
FROM all that we have said it will appear manifest
'a' an examiner Is enabled 10 judge with great
cuIacy OF the merits Of the respective exercise
ana ans" eTs he can read the siudenps papers If
douot arises IN hi mind, be can refer 10 them
second time he can compare one exercise with
another and he tan after careful deliberaon ASSIGN
20 each exercise or answer, tie numerical value
due 10 IL.
1t now remains fo' Us TO speak abou, the pus!ic,,
her n Tho
mode oil condicIiDg II, or to the results
!he system adopted in the University Of yirsin-
Id 10 81 open 10 INSPECTION and criticism as anv 9TH
er- 1t makes lille display, and probably or, This
account may not be approved at FIRST by those
whose hslits and opinions have been fo,m..I b.
o'her modes' ANY person who chooses may attend
The examinations and inspect the written exsrc;es
Ut answers given In by the students ia much
seVeler 'eet ct the students requirements and the
Professors succers in teaching, than is usually Of
iereu 20 the community
After the examination each P,of.ssor -
The student OF his several classes in divisions %,
ing IN number from one, TO four, Eve or Sly The
students In each division al those, who by the mn
merIcsi estimate, appear to have nearly equal merit
ne ntst division OF course contains the most mer
.O.ouV me 'econd' those who who are next in the
RANK oil merit, and so on
1his appears TO us TO be better method Tia, ~
ranging al the students in the order of merit, from
AFst TO asi-it is not difficult to decide that seve
RAJ students, or occasionally single student, NAV
DE superior to all the es,-or that several students
may be interior in merit to- a certain nu,rber al
! superior also 10 another number Rut !, - -,
possoie 10 decide in every case hat is the xac
place OF each student If it be asce1taine ha,
or ihiee, or more are nearly equal and deserving Of
'be hFst rank,-and that several others are nearly
equal, but } ct inferior to the first set and co - c
| The rest, we thnk that all has been don. ,h;h -
practicable, aud all that is necessary 70 excite rsa
sohatle and proper emulation. It would perhans
De an Improvement, if every Professor would make
Aho"h 10 Inc students and 10 all, the relative nj.
"e'cs' values which ne assigns TO each translation
| solution or answer, When completely performed
and also his mode of forming an estimate of the re-
latiVe merits of the PAPERS
AN examination can have no effect without
publication OF the results AS there is
OIL opinion as 10 the best mode of doing this though
nohe we presume, as TO the necessity of its being
done In some form, shall first state yb,t VAS
done on The late occasion, and in the ne II Mace W.
shall endeaVoT 20 show, that some atoms Guild
be useful.
The names of few who wee distinguished
above the rest, were published in the pewspaDe,s.
TO determine the number that were 10 e. Nv this
distinction, 1t sgreed that one fifth of The bo
aunoer In class and two added 10 the result,
should be thus published, in their respective divi
sIons, and in alphabetical order Il fpust then. in
many cases. have happened, That belonging TO
division had this distinction, while Others bv the
rule were excluded from il. AS those srrangeJ in
The same division, are considered to have nerj, |
nearly equal, II VIII, we infer, always be found me-
cesssry TO recur 10 very small numerical differences
10 determine who are to be taken and who are TO be
Ien. 10 each paren. or guardian was TO be sent \ |
letter. stating the number of divisions in each class
according TO The result Of the examination anil the
particular division occupied by his son or ward. |
this Information every parent guardian has right
TO expect, and ii 1t wes not given il would be his
duty to call FOR it.
10
to adopt In determining the number who are to en-
Joy the distinction OF newspaper publication would
DC 10 publish the naG.-J OF all who in their respec
i've classes, have undergone cIeditabe examioa-
uon. Ahe rest would be well satisfied to be passed
over In silence. Their want of diligence and con-
sf4uent Ignorance, nigh be mmuncated 10 thei. I
enas Tor the purpose Of preventing their return 10
Tue University, or stimulating them to more exer |
ION 10 probable that in the present constitution
OF the University, there may be objections 10 The
adoption OF this principle, with which " G are no,
acquainted WE see then nothing Iest'but to make
known the classes entire, the students being arrans
ed 80 we have before mentioned in divisions of one
lwo,thTee, or more. 1t would occssionIy happen
That one student would have the enyable dis,p cion
ol oeIne pointed out as superior 10 all the rest OF
MS Glass; his, neither an advantage or not il the
case at present also. But it would very seldom be |
Inc case lhat one udent would be pointed out as
Inc last OF his GLASS; lie would be one of division
PROBABLY as large as any in the class and frequently
larger The classes so srrarged, ID ght be posted
in some Part of the University, for dsv' or a |
week, or at any time longer or shorter They |
might also be recorded among the Other proceedings
oil the = aculiy. Newspaper publication might then |
either be dispensed with altogether, or regHlat ed by
some convenient and equitable rule All that ~. |
insist upon IS This, that the results should he well
known IN the University at least; that no scheme
combines so many advantages with 80 few ii adj !
Vantagss ~ complies publication of some kind: /
and that without ihis publication, the examination
Is Imperfect, sad not adapted to produce all that
might or ought 10 be effec.eI
Every thing that tends to impair the effect OF The
examination, we consider likely TO weaken the dis.
clpne and TO disturb the tranquility Of the Uniyer
sly FROM the declarations Of many students them