Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-05-06

EDITOR CHRONICLE:-Since Prof.
Grant has introduced the subject Of
the competitive examinations to the
/ public, and different people see
things differently from their respect
i've standpoints, L wish to give the
impressions which were made upon
my mind concerning the matter.
/ As the Professor has said, / could
not attend the first examination on
account of sickness, and consequent
ly know nothing of it except what
the other members of the class have
told me. i therefore confine my
observations within the limits of
the second day.
The examiners arrived at $50 a.
M, and by 1918 were ready to COM
mence the examination, which con-
tinued with more than an hours
intermission for dinner until twen-
ty minutes to 4 p. M, thus giving
us about four hours to be examined
in arithmetic, surveying. algebra,
astronomy, logic, mental and moral
philosophy, rhetoric and criticism
and listen to two lectures by Prof.
Broadhurst. / leave 1t to any in
telligent, rational mind to decide if
we could possibly have undergone
Thorough, critical and impartial
examination under the circumstan-
ces. 1t could be nothing but a
farce.
Yes, Miss Lieber "kindly con-
sented to be re-examined," but
Prof. Grant omitted to say that the
kindness was to herself and to no
one else; for she was thus taking
two chances where she was entitled
to but one. AS matter of course
this gave her a decided advantage,
which / think every one will ac-
knowledge, Notwithstanding Prof.
Stapp argued that the two exami-
nations was disadvantage. The
force of Prof. Stapp's ponderous ar
gument may be readily destroyed
by proving that Miss Lieber answer
ed a question in arithmetic the
second day that she missed the
first, which, according to the testi-
mOny of the other members of the
class, is the case. $50
The other two ladies did not |
decline to be re-examined because
they felt their Rotations during the
year had been inferior to Miss Lie
ber's and they had no chance for an
honor, but because they felt that
they had each taken a chance and
that it would be unjust to take an
other. One of them told the gentle
men that it was not right for any
of them to be re-examined, but the
idea was derided.
/ think Prof. Grant must have
been mistaken as to the object of
his and Prof. Stapp's coming to ex-
anime us, if indeed there was an
object in their so-dOing. / quote
from his letter: 81 find that it has
been a custom with Prof. Broad
hurst for number of years to call
in a committee of disinterested
teachers to examine his candidates
for graduation and to award the
hOnors of the class !" from a letter
which Prof. Broadhurst wrote my
father very recently, San interme-
liate examination decides nothing
permanently, for if the applicants or
those who are admitted on trial, do
not conduct themselves well and
pass through critical examination,
1t the close of the session, they
would not be entitled to honors, nor
would diplomas be awarded TO
HEM"
Not being satisfied with the decis-
on, feeling that we had passed an
Unequal examination notwithstand-
ng Miss Lieberis advantages, have
entirely from the grad
IatiOn. TALLULAH ATKINS,
One of the competitors.
GAINESVILLE, May l, 1882.