The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-11-19
CAll The Year Round.l
A Chapter of BlunderS.

Pass, certificate, and competitive
examinations are, no doubt, all sufi-
GENTLY serious affairs to examines,
and sufficiently trying ones to exam
iners. To the outer public, however,
to those "who have no son or brother
there" such .'exams." are, as rule,
nothing if not source of amusement.
The results aimed at in examina-
tions are, for the most part, admira-
BILE; but in the cou Sc of the process
es, in the answering of examination
questions, the unexpected constantly
happens, and it is the unlooked-for
results, the surprises" of the occa-
sions, that make sport for the Philis-
tines. The situation on this head is
easily explicable. 1t is natural re-
suit of the modern system Of prepara-
ton for examination-the cram sys-
tenn. Examines bent only on get
ting through" will answer questions
on the hit-or-miss principle, while
others, whose brains have become
more or less added under the pressure
of memory work. will evolve from
their unbalanced inner consciousness
replies fearfully and wonderfully
made.
Some of the exam" stories current
in educational circles, though charac-
teristic, and possibly founded on
fact" have an air Of belonging to the
too-good-to-be-true category. A num-
ber Of these are told against if
invented, were invented by-under-
graduates. Thus-so the story goes
an undergraduate was asked to name
the minor prophets, and, not having
'got them up, neatly and politely
replied that he would rather not make
invidious distinctions. Another uni
versity man, called upon to give the
parable Of the Good Samaritan, did so
correctly enough until he came to the
passage where the Samaritan said to
the inn-keeper: when [ come again
I will repay thee" to which he added,
"This he said, knowing that he would
see his face no more" Perhaps, how
ever, the examinee upon this occasion
was a conscious humorist, and had in
mind the worldly-wise saying, that
there are great many people willing
to play the part Of the Good Samari-
tan, less the oil and the twopence.
Something Of the same stamp must
have been the candidate for degree,
who, asked to state the substance Of
St. Paul's sermon at Athens, said that
it was ''crying out for two hours,
Great is Diana of the Ephesians.'
With variations, that is the substance
of great many sermons, and Of other
discourses beside sermons.
Such stories as the above may or
may not be rather broadly illustrative
than strictly true, but in any case
they can be pretty we'll matched by
others, about the truth of which there
is no doubt. Every year certain pro-
portion of the children of the London
board schools enter into competitive
examination in Scriptural knowledge,
for the Peek Prizes, which consist of
handsomely got-up Bibles and Testa-
ments. They are paper work" exam
nations, and the following are few
Of the many curious "hash" answers
that have at various times been put in |
at them.
abraham was the father Of Lot,
auu du lew wives. Oue Was Called
Hishmale and tother Haggar, he kept
wun at home, and he turned tother
into the desert where she became
pillow of salt in the day time, a pillow
of fire by night -
"Joseph wore koat Of many gar
nents. He was chief butler to Faro
md told is dreams. He married Pot
fers dortor, and he led the Gypshans
,ut Of bondage to the land of Kama
n Gallilee, and there fell on his sword
md died in sight of the promised
and"
''Moses was an 3 Egypshion. He
ived in a bark made of bulrushes, and
le kept golden calf and worshipt
'razen snakes, and he het nothing but
wales and manner forty year. He