St. Landry democrat., 1888-01-21
EXAMINATION INCIDENTS.
Students Who Were Unjustly Accused OF
Copying Answers.

EXAMINATION NIiDEN =.
Students Who Were Unjustly Accused Of
Copying Answers.
The solemn nature of an ordination
examination is sufficient to insure Il
happy freedom from all attempts at
untruthfulness or imposition, and con-
sequently an affectionate confidence
takes the place of that suspicion which
usually forms so painful an element in
| examinations Unpleasant incidents
| have. however, been known to cast
| passing shadow upon such occasions
| even in the best regulated dioceses. It
is said that well known Bishop was
| once informed by his examinerst hatthey
had reason to think two of the candi-
dates had been guilty Of collision. The
Bishop looked at the papers and saw
that several of the questions had been
answered by both candidates in identi-
cal words. Feeling convinced that this
was sufficient evidence of copying, he
addressed all the candidates, and told
them with what sorrow he had found
that two gentlemen had been guilty OF
deed so dishonorable as to disqualify
them for holy orders. As, however,
he wished to spare himself and them
the pain of any investigation, he would
leave it, he said to their consciences,
and he trusted that no gentleman who
had copied would present himself again
that afternoon.
In the afternoon, however, it was
found that no candidate was absent,
and the Bishop again addressed them,
saying that he feared he had not made
his meaning clear, and now he would
only say he hoped that the gentlemen
who knew they had copied would
think over what happened, and with
draw from the examination next day.
1t is needless to say that some anxiety
was felt among the candidates that
| night as to the effect of the Bishops
| words, and it was with surprise that
the next morning again it was found
| that all were present. Then the Bishop,
feeling himself unable any longer to
E6iIdILi llOll dSbiOH, Sftlu. L ICSL ~
that my kind intention to show consid-
Grafton to the candidates has not been
appreciated, and my suggestion has not
Been acted upon. It becomes impossi-
BILE for me, therefore, to spare you any
longer. Mr. ard Mr.; -, stand
up.
The two candidates on being named
did stand up, and most Indignantly
protested their entire innocence of such
a charge. On being confronted with
their papers they explained the strange
similarity of their answers by the fact
that both had been taught by the same
tutor, and had been made by him to
| learn by heart certain sentences which
he had dictated for the sake of accu-
| racy, and they had thus incurred sus.
picion most unjustly.
Examiners ought to be very careful
lest they should be tempted to pro-
nounce lightly upon prima.faeae eyi-
dence as to copying. have been as
sured by one of Her Majesty's inspec-
| tors that upon one occasion he was
looking through some papers senfby
candidates in Scotland, when he came
upon very singular answer The ques-
ton was: Describe any remarkable
ruins with which you may be acquaint-
ed, and mention any particulars relat-
ing to their history" To this girl
had answered: 1.-The most remarka-
Bile ruin of which / have heard is that
of the South Sea Bubble, as it was
called, = and she then went ON to give
particulars of it. The examiner was
amused at this, as he thought, Scotch
limitation of the idea of ruin. but went
on with the papers. Presently he came
upon the paper of another girl who had
ans wered the question in exactly the
same words. Here" he exclaimed,
sis q clear case of copying. To his
surprise, however, he found on further
Investigation that one girl had written
her paper in Edinburgh and the other
in Glasgow at the same time. Temple
Bar.
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