Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-28
NO FAME FOR PUPILS.
Names of Scholars Who Win Admis-
sion to the High School
TO BE SHROUDED IN MYSTERY,

TO BE SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.
Central Board Fear Creating Jealousy and
Dissension.
THE NUMBERS OF THE PRIZE WINNERS
The members of the Central Board OF
| Education have this year determined to re,
turn to the mysterious, unsatisfactory and
once abandoned system of designating by
numbers the successful applicant to admis'
sion to the Pittsburg High School. They
will do this instead of publishing the
whole list including the names of the
children whose unceasing efforts fitted
them for the promotion.
An effort was made yesterday by THE
| DISPATCH to secure an alphabetical list OF
the little ones who had passed the rigid
| High~School examination, but Secretary
! Reisfor, of the Central Board, said he was
without authority to give out the list, and
| the members of the Central Board who were
seen said that at recent meeting Of that
body it was positively decided that the list
of names should not be published at least
| for a week or two after the uninteresting
and confusing numbers had been given out
SIS there any possible way Of getting at
the names of the children who have passed
the High School examination?" was asked
William Holmes, Secretary of the Central
Board of Education,
No Names Given Ont This Year.
'I think not" MI. Holmes answered.
seWe have decided not to give out the
names this year"
"Upon what ground do you base that de-
cision?"
"Upon the ground that the publication of
the names created confusion and ugly feel
ing among the various schools and was in
no wav beneficial to the school children or
the school system. The school making the
best showing under the system of pub
fishing the names has always excited
the jealousy and and anger Of the other
schols and to prevent such contentious and
strife we determined to return to the old
system Of numbers. 1t was never the pur-
pose of the Board of Education to adopt
the system of publishing the names of the
successful candidates. That was an inno-
vation brought about some 10 or II years
ago by an enterprising reporter of THE
DISPATCH We allowed it to be con-
tinued until this year, when we found 1t
necessary to suppress the names in the
interests of harmony in our schools.
"Do YOU not consider the publication of
the names as positive incentive to school
children?"
"Well, probably the making public of
the names does prompt the children to
greater efforts, but in my judgment the
publication OF the numbers answers the
same purpose, Mr.. Holmes replied. "The
children can tell by the numbers they hold
whether they have passed the examination.
Their parents are also guided by the num-
bers, and then by the numbering arrange
ment those who do not pass are not SUBJ
jected to the humiliation produced by the
unfortunate notoriety."
Must Wear Their Laurels in Private.
stIs it not the studious children who pass
the examination that deserve popular ap-
plause without regard to the ones who
fail?"
"Well, yes" the gentleman assented,
ssbut it is contended by members of our
board that the number system is the better
and we have returned to it and have de-
cided not to publish the names However,
I will see other members of the board and
if we agree to publish the names I will call
you up at 5 o'clock. If we continue in our
present determination you will not hear
from me-"
Mr.. Holmes was not heard from at
o'clock or any other hour last night.
DR.. w. H. McKelvey, who is also q mem-
Der of the Central Board of Education,
when seen last night was disposed to de-
fend the number system for the successful
applicants for admission to the High School.
He is not sincerely in favor of the system,
however, and in his conversation on the SUBJ
ject it developed that be was content with
the number system only because it had pro-
tected the examination of the pupils which
other members of the board, he said, were
endeavoring to abolish altogether.
"We have had somewhat of struggle to
keep the examinations from being abol-
ished," Dr. McKelvey said. land we COM
promised on publishing only the numbers
of the successful applicants for promo
tion. DR.. Kearns, another member of the
Central Board is bitterly opposed to ex-
aminations He insists that the rivalry
among the children provoked by the publi-
cation of the names is yearly driving
graves and he seems determined to abolish
examinations. He contends the school
principals could pick out of each school
the children who are sufficiently advanced
to enter the High School, but in my judg-
ment his ideas would never do. How can
man tell what horse can do until the
horse is examined and tried? Yut can't
tell bv tine size of a child's head or feet
whether that child is bright, and you can't
tell whether pupil is ripe for promotion
until after that pupil has been subjected to
rigid examination"
Cverstudy Doesn't Kill Children.
'In your experience as a physician, did
you ever treat child for overstudy," was
asked.
"No sir /. did not, the doctor replied.
cdr. Kearns never did either, don't |
care what he says. The trouble with our
children is they don't study enough and it |
Is absolutely necessary to offer some |
to them. If not the ap-
plause they receive by the publication |
of their names then we must offer |
prizes and the prize system cannot |
in my judgment be made satisfactory. |
The publication of the names of the chill |
dren has beyond question created rivalry
and jealousy, and we have this year de-
cided that the publication of the numbers
will be sufficient that will sustain and con-
tinue the examinations The real trouble |
is that parents blame every ailment that
overtakes their children on the schools,
when in truth 1 am only sorry that we have
not cots in the school buildings where the
clean rooms instead of the crowded and un-
rooms of their homes. The
school houses are healthier than most of the
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