Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-28
Civil Service Exarninations.

Civil Service Examinations.
TALK WITH A MEMBER OF THE BoAED OF REVISION
THE QUESTIONS PRACTICAL AND NOT PRDANT1o-
SOME SPECIMEN BRICKS FROM EXAMINATION
PAPERS,
II regarded the examination as practical, and as
well adapted for the purpose arrived at as could
be expected for new system remarked men,
Der OF the committee revision that has recently
completed the work OF examining the papers OF
candidates for appointment in the civil service.
These papers we're sent In from all parts of the
country, and the civil service commission was
aided by the committee In grading them. The
gentleman who made the remark recorded above
was asked by STAR reporter what he thought OF
sion.
''The mere fact of preliminary examination" he
continued, sis nothing more than we have been
accustomed to In the departments. The improve
ments effected by the new system, ii carried out
service possible to all qualified persons and rest
Ing the tenure OF office on merit"
THE 'INs" SATISFIED.
swell, you see, - remarked a felow-cierk, with q
laugh, "there will be nothing gained by putting
US out OF office now, that is to the people who
have the power Of removals, and so the main rea-
son for dismiSsals is eliminated"
"You are, perhaps, surprised" resumed the
nrst speaker, "to near me commend so warmly
the recent examinations. But think it is de-
served. The questions to my mind, were OF such
cnaracIer and SO framed as TO ascertain the gen,
fitness for clerical position You can tell from the
general character OF the answers that person
gives to series OF questions on various topics,
although he may not give the correct answer to
all, what his mental capacity and training is This
Is all an examination OF this sort can develop"
NO ADVANTAGE FOR PERSONS JUST FROM SCHOOL.
"I suppose, though" suggested the reporter,
"that person fresh from school,"
"Has the advantage7" was the quick Interrupt
tion. "Not at all There is just where great
mistake IS made This was no school-boy exami-
nation; and the proof Of it lies In the fact that
the best examinations passed were by those who
had had clerical experience and not by persons
fresh from school and college: This shows that
the examination was practical and so devised as
10 bring out tue qualities which are necessary In
good clerk"
THE BEST EXAMINATIONS IN WASHINGTON.
GAS you have read in the papers, no Doubt" he
went on, ''the best examinations for the whole
country were those passed in Washington,
and the major part of the candidates were former
clerks. Everybody must admit that knowledge
OF grammar and arithmetic Is necessary to be a
good clerk. and the questions were mainly on
these subjects. or course we had a few questions
On geography and American history, but these
were given to test the
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE OF THE CANDIDATE.
Thelr method OF answering them was fair test
OF their acquaintance with these subjects, and
even II they did not answer correctly, you could
tell whether their ignorance was dense or merely
h lack OF accuracy In memory as to particulars.
The candidate was credited with whatever in his
answers exhibited accurate knowledge of the sub
1ect under consideration, whether the answer was
exhaustive or not may say. to put the whole
matter In single remark, that the man who can
been pursued Is not fit for the clerical service ana
u ne does pass them creditably have no doubt
but that he will become capable clerk"
"There is one theory" he went on to say,
that IS, as far as my observation went, the COM
mission and all their assistants manifested con-
scentouS desire to get all the good possible to the
service out OF the execution of the law and In pur-
suit OF this object showed good common sense, an
absence OF anything visionary or smacking OF pc
dantry. and spirit OF justice, tempered with kind
ness and determined courage" s,
SOME CURIOUS ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS
"You seem to have very good opinion OF the
examiners and their work. What do you think
OF the examined as shown by their papers Z" asked
tho reporter.
It's true have good opinion OF them. But
don't think that the most hardened civil service
reform scepter would differ with me- AS to the
examined. there were all kinds, as you might
WHICH made some OF the papers rather humorous
For instance, in answer to the question into what
three branches Is the government divided, one of
the examined wrote down republican democrat
and independents"
"There was also question which called for the
names OF generals who had fought in the revolu-
tiOnary war, and number OF the papers con-
tanned the names OF Grant, Longstreet, Lee and
made such answers are not fit to be intrusted with
government work. But these are merely sample
bricks, and perhaps not to be wondered at in an
examination OF such scope"