Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-06-25
COUNTY BOARD OF SCHOOL EX-
AMINERS.

There are 264 county examiners in
the State-Of whom 147 are teachers,
so attorneys, q ministers, IS farmers,
s physicians, and 20 engaged in other
employmeuts. They are appointed
by the probate judges Of their respec-
tive counties, and hold their Office
for two years. The compensation
they receive is small, in comparison
with the responsibilities they are re-
quired to assume; but it is believed
that the duties of no other class OF
school officials are discharged more
faithfully OF more intelligently.
There is not only desire, but de-
| termination manifested, in many
counties, to raise the standard OF
qualifications heretofore required of
teachers. A comparison of the lists
of questions used as examination tests
in 1863 with those used the past year,
will show that, so far as these tests are
concerned, examinations are not more
thorough now than they were three
years ago. 1t is to be hoped that but
few teachers desire the standard indi-
Gated by these tests to be lowered in
the least. The scholastic attainments
necessary for All applicant to possess,
in order to pass a creditable examina-
ton, are. in reality, very negre in
deed. They can be acquired in many
Of our country schools, IN the gram
mar school departments OF most of
our graded schools, and in the pre-
paratory department Of any first class
academy or seminary. A parent will
ling to entrust the intellectual de-
velOpment and training Of his child
to onewho is unable to answer large
proportion OF the questions in any
list published in this repOrt-a larger
proportion, even, than most boards Of
examiners require to be answered
places an exceedingly low estimate
upon the value and Importance of the
teachers work.
1t is not necessary, perhaps not de-
sirable, that examinations be made
more difficult, in theory at least, than
they have been during the past few
years. The standard'can be raised by
requiring of applicants q greater
familiarity with methods of instruc-
tion, a larger percentage Of accurately
expressed answers, correct orthogra-
ply, good penmanship, knowledge Of
principles as well as facility in the ap-
plication of rules, and evidence Of
ability to rouse the dormant energies
OF their pupils 10 healthy, vigorous
action. To these requirements may
be added an acquaintance with some
of the best practical works on mental
and moral science, and intelligence
in matters of general interest. with
out which q teacher will do routine
work only, follow the lead OF fEnciful
theorists, or vainly attempt to initiate
those whose methods he can not use
successfully, being ignorant Of the
philosophy upon which they are
founded, and, consequently, ineapa-
bic of modifying them to answer the
demands of varying circumstances.
A course similar, in many respects,
to the one recommended above, has
doubtless been pursued by those ex-
aminers who have been most success
full in their efforts to drive incompe-
tency and ineffieieney from our public
schools.
The methods employed by different
boards of examiners to determine the
of an applicants merit or
demerit, are far from being uniform.
Hence, applicants rejected by one
BOARD frequently obtain certificates |
from another, although the tests used |
by both boards are nearly or quite |
identical in kind and character. II is
doubtful, however, whether any def |
mite rules can be laid down by which |
generally shall be govern
ed in their criticism Of examination |
papers. The estimates any two indi-
viduals place upon the value of work ]
done, in q given case, and hence upon
the worth of the one performing IL,
are often widely different-that which
0ne considers indispensable to excel
ence being trivial or unimportant in
.he estimation of the other. A gen.
whom the difficult ana often delicate
ask of examination is assigned, is
mis-: Determine the percentage of
merit from the character and not
rom the number of questions ans
Sered or problems solved. and In
crease or diminish this percentage to
express the estimate that should be
placed upon the manner IN which an
applicants work is performed. In a
list of ten questions, it rarely happens
hat any two are equally difficult or
important. One may test the reten-
iveness Of the memory--thei other,
.bility TO use logical processes in reas-
ming. To assign the same value to
ach of these in determining results,
md TO credit each of two applicants
With ten per cent. merit, one of whom ,
nswers the first but is unable to ans
yer the second, the other answering |
he second correctly, but falling to [
nswer the first, is manifestly unjust. {
Percentages estimated in this way are |
early valuless, and those who place
in them are liable to be / /
lisled. An applicant may answer {
light of the ten questions in q given {
st, and still not furnish satisfactory [
Of thorough scholarship 6
allure to answer the other two indi-
ating ignorance of the fundamental
rincIples or leading facts Of the sci
nee to which the whole ten relate G
Ience, an examination paper ought q
} be criticised as a whole, and its I
alue should be determined more from /
$ general character and appearance, Y
s unmistakable evidence Of INTEL a
.ctual training and discipline, OF ae- I
lracy and thoroughness IN scholar '
nip, than from the numb of correct q
nswers or solutions it may contain. o
very conscientious examiner must D
rotest against that ''iron-clad" sys- a
IN which forces him 10 tabulate I,
umbers without discrimination, and e
, execute mercilessly whatever SEN G
nee they pronounce. d
Some examiners may distrust their G
1ility to criticise examination pa n
ers in this manner. To these, the II
flowing method is recommended Il
ssign 10 each question and problem i
certain value, determined by its II
beulty or importance, and distri- 2.
Ite these values in such q manner "
at their sum shall equal one hund- f
d In each list. For instance, in a b
i consisting Of seven questions, the Al
dues assigned are ten, fifteen, saven, d
Tenty-five, thirteen, eighteen, and tc
1elYe, respectively. Correct ans "
ers to any of these entitle an appli- in