Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-14
SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS.

In an address before the Teachers Asso.
citation of Cook county, Ills, Colonel Fran
cis W. Parker, formerly of Boston, now
Principal of the County Normal School, Sc
verely condemned the prevalent system of
examining in schools. The Popular Sci
ence MONTHLY referring to his address, says:
He believed that none were more faithful
in their efforts than the teachers of to day,
and none were more anxious to do good
than they. He had wondered why prog
ress had not been greater, and had come to
the conclusion that the greatest obstacle
was the examinations. The standard for
the work had powerful influence on the
work ITSELF He believed that examina-
tions was the greatest curse the schools
had, though they might be made the great
est blessing. "What is the true motive of
examinations? Real teaching leads to the
systematic, all. sided, upbuilding of COM
pact body of knowledge in the mind. Ia
this upbuilding or instruction. every fac
ulty of the mind is brought into action
perception, Judgment, classification, rea-
son, Imagination and memory. Examina-
tions, then, should test the condition and
progress of the mind in its development.
Is the common standard of examinations
. Lebb VI Ieht LSaCuluS Ii aLl INV hliS-
taken, the examinations usually given SIM
ply test the pupils power of memOrizing
disconnected facts. The surest way to
effectually kill all desire to study any sub
ject, say history, when the pupil leaves
school, is the memorizing disconnected
facts. A no less sure way of creating an
intense desire to read history is to take one
interesting subject and read from various
= ~ orA
under the guidance of skillful teacher to
put together this information, arranging
events in logical order, and finally writing
out in good English the whole story. 1t Is
very easy for an expert in examinations to
Judge of the true teaching power of the
teacher in such work, by the written pa
pers. IT meaningless words have been
memorized, if there is a lack of research,
investigation and original thought, the re-
suit will be painfully evident. Examina'
tions should not be made the test of fitness
for promotion. Those who understand
children will readily appreciate the excite
ment and strain under which they labor,
when their fate depends upon the correct
answering of ten disconnected questions
1t is well known to you that some OF the
best pupils generally do the poorest work
the CONFUSION EDaL aEEtnuS SUCH nlRull
wrought nervous states. How much bet
ter. then, it is to take the work Of the pu
pil for the whole year, than the results o.
one hour, under such adverse conditions
II the teacher really teaches, and faithfully
watches the mental growth of her pupils
through the work of one or more years
she alone is the best judge Of their fitness
to do the work of the next grade. INT
examination of Superintendent should b.
to ascertain whether the Principals unde
his charge have the requisite ability an(
knowledge to organize, teach and supervls
> large school. The examination OF tn,
Principal should test the teaching power o
his teachers. And, lastly, the teacher
should test by examinations the ments
growth of their pupils. This Is the tru
economical system of responsibility. Flrs
ascertain that Superintendent. Pnncipa
and teacher can be trusted, and then trus
them. The testimony of countless goo,
teachers has been uniform, when asked
Why don't you do better work VIII
don't You use the methods learned in nor
NAL schools, aud educational periodical
and books? We can not doit. Look a
our course of study. In three weeks o
months these children will be examined
We have not one moment of time to spen
in real teaching No wonder that teach
ing is a trade and not an art No wonde
there is little or no demand for books upo
the science and art OF teaching