Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-11
THE QUESTION OF ANNUAL EXAMGNA-
TIONS

Eds. hECOhD-O MON: Kermit me TO cor
rect possible misapprehension as to the re-
port of Friday nights proceedings of the
Board of Education regarding the plan of
promotion proposed by the Principals. [
have already expressed decided views in IA
vor OF abolishing these annual examinations
and of promoting pupils upon the recon-.
mendatlons OF their teachers, as may be seen
by reference to past issues of the RECORD
UNION. l have been advocating the plan at
teachers Institutes and in conversation with
teachers generally for several years past In
my annual report to the Board of Education
l opposed these annual examinations for pro-
motion, upon the ground, first, that they are
loss OF time to the pupils. for at the close of
the school year from two to three weeks that
might be profi5ably employed by them in
study and review are occupied in conducting
these examinations. Two teachers arer required
to be present In each classroom hence half
the classes are dismissed for ID week pending
the examination Of the other half. Then this
other half Is dismissed fOr week while the
fret half is passing through the exam
nation, and another week is spent in this
examination. Then finally, after the papers
are all credited, the credits summed up, and
the successes and failures OF the various pu.
pills and classes discussed and rediscussed. the
certificates and diplomas are assorted and all
the successful pupils reasonable to receive
them, after which they are dismissed, to be
called IN again IN a week or two to commence
the work OF the next school year. But this
Is not all. 10 this time occupied ia con-
Quoting and closing the examinations must be
added the time devoted to "cremminp for
examinations" which usually commences
with the iual review, and lasts from six to
eight weeks.
l also objected to these annual examina-
lions. because they are a useless expense to
the city. Each Of them entails a needless
outlay for advertising, printing and station
cry, and usually Tor the employment of out
side teachers TO assist in the work of exam
nation. Besides, during the time devoted to
them the payroll amounts to about 81 800,
saying nothing of the time devoted to cram
ming before the commencement of the ex
aminations. Leaving out this last consider
alton We have an average expense chargeable
to each of these examinations for
Seyenty-two reams paper, at - 10........ SI72 80
Thirty-si boxes pens, at 40 cts........... 10 II
Three dozen bottles ink, at - S0......... $50 90
Teachers salaries. '.-.-.'.'-.-......... 1900 90
Total 81 937 92
Another objection that 1 have to these ex-
auainations is that examining and superficial
ity are evils that invariably attend them in a
greater or less degree. They are by many
pupils regarded in the light of dreadful or
deals. Such pupils are in a state Of nervous
agitation for several weeks preceding the ex-
amipation, and not few feign illness, while
others play truant to escape the infiction. A
large number attempt TO recover lost oppor-
tunities and make up for past delinquencies
By devotiug to "stuiipg" the time that
should be occupied in sleep and recreation.
They ara thus kept intensely anxious until
the ordeal is past, when there is a reaction
that nearly prostrates few and leaves many
others 50 worn out that several weeks are
needed to restore them TO the proper condi-
ton for resumins their studies. The restless
ness, frettiag, worrying and undue excite
ment caused by the fear of failure tends more
to exhaust the pupils than does the usual
amount of yearly work imposed upon them.
/ am also opposed TO these examinations,
upon the ground that they are not fair tests of
scholarship or Of the fitness of pupils for
promotion. Notwithstanding perfection has
been aimed at in the conduct of these ex-
aminations, they are so imperfect that they
cannot be, nor have they been, relied upon
to determine the depth OF the pupils knowl-
edge, much less can they be relied upon to
determine the extent to which their minds
have been developed. The examiners, in
crediting papers, are permitted, and in justice
TO pupils, are Obliged to exercise broad dis
erection, and frequently, at the close OF the
examination, the success or failure of classes
becomes o subject of heated discussion be-
tween the teacher and the examiner of the
class. 1t is not infrequently the case that
sluggish, indifferent pupils, lily prepared,
and some Of them totally unprepared for the
work of the next higher grade, succeed, in
some manner known only to themselves, in
answering a sufficient number of questions to
entitle them to promotion, while many timid,
nervous and eXcitable pupils who are quail
fed for promotion, fail in the examination,
and if promoted at all, are promoted upon
the recommendation Of the teacher which is
a humiliation, because of their conscious
superiority to Others who passed up with
eclat.
Then. shortly after the commencement Of
the new school year, there is much complaint
from teachers of the number of disqualified
pupils that have entered their classes. and
numerous are the applications for permission
to drop pupils.
Some of our most competent teachers
freely admit that their pupils are craInrned.
They would gladly abandon the practice
were it not that by so doing there might be
more failures at the examination. Hence
they are encouraged to abandon broad and
comprehensive teaching, and resort to mar
row drill-work; to infiict unnecessary pun
ishments; To violate the rule which limits
the time that pupils may be detained after
school hours to ovegburden them with home
study and TO drop and otherwise discourage
the attendance of dull pupils, for they know
that they must prepare their pupils for the
annual examination"
By all means let us discontinue this fruitful
source of unrest, disquie;ude and agitation
Promote pupils upon the teachers recon-
mendation, or upon the term records of schol-
arships, or take both into consideration but
let us abandon these annual agonies, and
we will have less drill-work and examining,
and more real study and efficient teaching.