Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-04-03
DEPARTMENT.

xAor. JOHN r. GAss, EDsror
Relative Merit or Oral ans
Writes ExasmfnatiOna.
II will be remembered by the teach
ers Of the Institute that this subjec
va assigned m nearly . year ago
e the Institute held at Liberty schoo
house ; and though / had prepared
nothing for that occasion I gave 20,
orally, - best I could, my views oil
this subject 90 far as they related II
monthly aud closing examinations.
Nv position on this subject Is SO vel
understood BY the teachers that al
eesay on any other subject woult
perhaps interest you more than this
but accepting the subject given me by
the committee ] present to you my
best thoughts concerning it, hoping
they may lead the way to a profitable
discussion.
Examinations of all kinds are intend
ed to be ways Of testing the knowi
edge or education and advancement
Of the pupil, also his deficiencies. The
kind OF an examination to which We
subject the pupil should depend alto
gsther on the object to be attained.
In illustrating b relative merit OF
Oral and Written examinations, then,
ii will be necessary for us to first mo-
tice the objects of examinations and
then notice the kind of examination
that will be likely to produce the re-
quired results in each case. In every
recitation we conduct, in one sense,
an examination, the object being to
ascertain what the pupils know of the
lesson that has been assigned them,
that W may give proper instruction
on points that are not so we'll UNDER
stood. In the daily r~ecitations many
questions should be asked on lessons
that have been passed some time be-
fore, SO as to keep the whole subject
constantly before the mind of the
pupil. The school Is in this way
constantly undergoing an *
animation, the object being to find
ont what principles have been forgot
ten and rehearse them that they may
become fixed in the mind more firmly.
The teacher should exercise judge
ment in asking these questions and
ask them in such a way as to keep up
q lively interest in the class. In al
most every branch there is some con-
nection between the various subjects
and topics and as you advance you
can Caily make applications of the
principles previously learned and
thus incidentally introduce the topics
Tor review as you proceed with your
regular lesson.
These examinations then, if exami-
nations they may be called are only for
the purpose of keeping the whole
subject continually before the mind
and this method is one of the most
efectual in use. Even this method
il not best when purely oral for in
this as in every good recitation much
of the work should be written. Every
good teacher knows that a free use of
the blackboard is indispensable in
teaching any branch. Although this
every day examination answers the
purpose which / have stated, it does
not answer every purpose Of al ex-
in the school room. Many
will pass over q branch of
study with q class and still know very
little about it. They manage to drag
themselves through by holding on to
the others.
After taking q class through q
branch Of study or through one text
book, it is necessary for US to find
out in zone way who is thorough
enough in this to be promoted to an
other class and also who should pur
sue this branch longer. To ascertain
these facts some kind Of an examina-
ion is necessary. But some may
ray the teacher can always tell this by
heir daily recitations. and therefore
10 examination is necessary. But it is
J fact well known, q. least to teachers,
hat some pupils will answer questions
promptly and correctly in recitations ;
md then forget the topics almost as
Ioon as they have recited them; and
therefore, know very little about them
when they get through. On the con-
.rary others will pass through their
iaily recitations rather poorly; but
'emember all they learn. An expla-
lation given during recitation makes
lear to their minds points they did
Iot understand before, and csnse-
could not tell. All these
ink down into the memory of many
UGH pupils; and thus they 60 along
vith the class answering but few
Iuestions, but remembering what they
earn. And by reviewing when alone
hese unusually slow pupils often
now more of a branch when they
ave passed through it than those
rho appeared much brighter in
heir daily recitations. An examine
ion then Of some kind il absolutely
necessary to test the knowledge of
he pupils. And this should he such
n examination as would give each a
air chan ce subjecting each TO precise
the same test. The teacher FER 9,
o arrange his work thai aad retard ii
Is will eo@P'ifa Ell k,,oHs..,a%1na!y ma,
HEs$k.szAA~Severa Gas
studies or special
pof studies at the same time,
Znen he can conduct examinations,
make promotions and form new
classes all ut once ; and proceed with
his regular work again for . time
without interruption. These facts
have given rise to the system Of
monthly examinations in all our
schools, and by these we may tell the
advancement of each pupil in his