Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-24
CiriI seryicc Reform hi Isrnc1ico.
New York correspondent of the Springfield


A New York correspondent of the Springfield
Republican writes:
The new machinery provided for by the new
civil service rules has been put into operation at
fine custom house here during the last fortnight
and the results have been such as to promise
most favorahlY, and to WIN the approval of
many who have been disposed to dislike the
whole thing an incept0, or TO regard ii as farce
1t must be understood that the different officers
in any department Of the civil service are d.
vided into "groups," and any advance to
higher post and salary in a group NAV be com.
peted for by all the individuals composing it,
For instance: In the naval Office, group A
CONSISTS consists OF az deputies, ~ CLERKS of salary
| OF S25OO or more; ~ those Of $1,000 or more
but less than S25O0 l4) those Of $500 or more
| but less than $1,000; (jl those of $1,000 or more
| out less Than $3.50; (6) those Of S1400 or more
| but less than $1,000; ~ those of $1,000 or more
| nut less than S14U0. Group b consists
| OF clerks whose salary is less than $1,000
| Now, il vacancy occur in a clerkshlp of s22OO,
| AL in group A drawing a less salary can com
| pete for the place, aud the vac 4ncy Occasioued
by promotion is filled by a competition of lower
grade 10 that group, until vacancy in The 1920
range is reached. Here the clerks of uroup b
and outside applicants have their chance 10
compete, and when a promotion from that group
opens a gap, the competition therefor is from
outsiders alone, the places Of least pay beinu
the only doors Of lawful entrance to the latter
The examination for beginners include pen
manshIp, copying, the elements of English gram
mar, chiefly orthography and syntaX, and the
fundamental rules Of arithmetic For promo
ton they embrace besides the above, writing and
briefng letters, more knowledge of arithmetic
the elements of accounts aud book keeping. his
tory and geography, chiefly OF the United States,
and the prominent features Of the governmental OF
our own country. The candidates occupy room
expressly ted up for the purpose Each has
the questions in a printed form before him and
being furnished with proper materials, he rs re-
qured, unalded, TO write his answers under each
question. Only one day is allowed for this pur
pose. Having finished, the result is subscribed
and placed in the GandS Of the board OF exam
liners, some or all Of whom mnst be present dur
ing the whole procedure. The work of each
candidate is then subjected TO a standard on
which entire accuracy is marked 100 on a scale
VI merit and his average standard is determined.
All VINO lall below the minimum of 80 are re-
jeeted, and the remainder reported according TO
their relative order Of merit Ii only one yacan-
| ey is TO be filed, the three highest are named,
| from whom the selection is to be made by the
| mead OF the department In which it occurs II
more places are to be filed the second, third
| and fourth on the scale are reported for choice
| Tor the second place; the third, fourth and filth
| tor the third, and SO on. General fitness and an.
| uiude, as well as attanments, are taken into
account by the board in their selections
| lwentY-seven men, between the apes of 2I and
| go, appeared last week as COMPETITORS for two
lnspectorshlps and one clerkship in the collect
| oTs department, three Of whom witbdrew In
| disgust when they learned that political in.
huence would have no bearing in Their aDooint
ment, and that they must stand upon merit
alone Every one who looked upon the scene
was favofaby impressed by the earnest il gave
Of prospeciively fitting men for the biarps
sought for. Mr. George William Curtis was moi
the least interested, nor an ungratelu spectator
of lis FIRST practical workings and the public
will doubtless ere long be favored with his view
upon it from bis own pen. Eighteen OF the
number stood above the grade oil 90, the highest
marking 81. The most prominent lack in the
candidates was found to be that Of historical and
geographical knowledge Of our own Country
1t Is sad and humiliatng to see so much ignor
ance on these topics inhering with very respecta.
| pie attallments on other snblecIs.