Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-27

CH H$;::;::::: :?s::;:: ::?:::;:;:. :; ;::: s:: 5:
 NN excited now ln-
 H. s. THOMPSON, terest in tho com
 CIVIL SERVICE CON- mission and in
 MISSIONER. tho work it per forms. For several months there has been but one commissioner, and upon Mr. Lyman has devolved tho duty of conducting all the examinations, of look ing after all the correspondence. and of being responsible for all the details of the work of the government which de- volved upon the civil service eommis- sion.
 It has been suggested that one man was not commission and that single individual could not properly perform the duties that the law provides should be delegated to three men; consequently all the examinations and recommenda- tions of the commission that have been made by Mir. Lyman alone can hardly be said to have been made in due conformity with law.
 This Soint has been suggested, but has never been actually raised because no disappointed applicant has had the nerve to ''kick," but 1t is believed that even MT. Lyman himself is somewhat doubt ful of tho legality of his acts as a com mission of one.
 While q certain amount of interest at taches to tho local examinations which are held at various points throughout this country at stated intervals, the ex- aminations which are held In this city under the direct eye and conduct of the commission, afford the best means oftest- ing the workings of the civil service sys- tenn. Here come the greatest number of applicants, and here are received to appear for examination either in this city or at some other point convenient to their homes.
 tions for the railway mail service, which has just been placed under tho civil service rule, and they are coming in to the commissioner at the rate of nearly three hundred day. The num- Der of vacancies In this service will be comparatively small, so that not one twentieth of those who apply will ever stand a chance of appointment.
 The examination room here Is in the second story of the west wing of tho City hall and was formerly occupied by the court in general term. It Is large and nearly square and capable of holding about a hundred candidates. With It's desks and chairs neatly arranged In rows with aisles between, 1t looks like a large school-room, and in fact these examina- tions are not unlike those conducted in duS luISS 6NuCdlloudl luSllbullou T ol- lowing out the simile, the three commits sioners may be considered the faculty or governing board of the great national school-houSe, while tho chief examiner and tho board of examiners are the prln- cipal and subordinate instructors. Frequently all the desks are occupied at once, and sometimes the number ap- bearing for examination Is so great that they put the overflow into ante-rooms and int nfhep hpilJipr Tho old 1not,, | room in the Columbia law building across the street has been utilized for this pur- | pose, and the largest number ever exam | ined at one timo was 213.
 Even when the regular room of the commission is filled 1t makes pretty | good-siZed school, and u stranger glanc | ing around during an examination might | take the candidates for the pupils of ar 1 academy If 1t were not for their ages and the expression of care and anxiety that rests upon many of their faces. | Most of those who desire to enter 1 the departmental service proper prefer coming to Washington for examination because they think that their presence on the ground will perhaps have some influence in hastening. their appointment. provided they should successfully pass the examination and bo placed on the list of eligibles. And yet, theoretically, at least, the fact that they are in ths city does not weigh the least in theil favor.
 X young lady who came here and passed successfully, was placed on thu list of eligibles and waited until that lis, of eligibles became obsolete without re ceiving an appointment. Then she took another examination with the same ex perience, and finally was examined. ( third time and then got an appointment, at $75 per month.
 Speaking of women, 1t Is 0 fact that they pass tho best examinations and re ceive the highest general average. The highest percentage ever given, 97, was made by O. woman. The women, too appear better at examination. They pay more attention to their attire, and come neatly but generally plainly dressed. Il is rare that a woman, whether she be young or more mature, goes to an exam ination with flashy costume. Nor dc they affect poverty, no matter how strait ened may be their actual circumstances With true feminine tact they seem to i'm agino that their personal appearance has something to do in the computation O their average.
 Such Is not the fact, however. Tn, reason why women mako better genera '