Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-07-12
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
TUESDAY EVENING, JULY -, 1892.

The Board of Education of Virginia
has made very material alterations in
the matter of examining candidates for
teachers in the public schools. Here
after, city and county superintendent
cannot issue professional certificates,
but are restricted to the granting OF
third grade certificates for one year,
second grade for two years, and first
grade for three years. Teachers now
holding professional certificates can
teach under them until they expire and
then exchange them for first grade GER
tiicates, when, like other certificates OF
that grade, they may be renewed for
two years more, at the end of which
time new examination must be taken.
CITY and county examinations are to be
held this year on the 18th and 9TH OF
August for white and on the 9th and
10th for colored teachers. and will COM
prise spelling, reading. writing, arith-
metic, grammar, geography, history,
physiology and hygeine, with the adj
dition of the theory ard practice Of
teaching for those who desire first and
second grade certificates. lfany other
branches are studied in the school to
which the teacher is to be appointed,
examination in those will also be re-
quired. All professional certificates are
10 be issued by the superintendent of
public instruction, and are to run seven
wears. To obtain one the candidate
must have had at least two years expe-
rience as a teacher and satisfy the State
superintendent of his or her ability to
instruct ard manage school, and must
pass thorough examination in spell
ing. reading, writing, arithmetic, gram
mar. geography, history of the United
States. general history, algebra, physi-
ology, civil government, Virginia school
laws. elementary physics and the theo-
w and practice of teaching. In the
first ten the candidate must make 10
per cent. on each; in the others
an average Of 70 per cent, but not
less than 80 per cent. on any one.
Any holder Of Il professional certificate
can obtain life diploma" from the
superintendent of public instruction by
passing an additional examination in
geometry, chemistry. natural history,
botany. geology, English literature,
composition and rhetoric, and psychol-
osy. This diploma, as well as the pro-
fessional certificate, can be used in any
city or county i'll Virginia, and first
class certificates Of one city or county
NAV hereafter be used in another if en-
dorsed by its superintendent. Life di-
plomas may be cancelled if The holders
iailto teach or DO other professional
business for three years. in all future
examinations city and county superin-
tendents are to consider, besides the
correctness OF the answers to questions
asked ''other evidence Of qualification
appearing from the examination, to-
gether with his information and know
ledge of The applicants successful ex-
perence as teacher" Examinations
for professional certificates and life di-
plomas will take place this year at Bed
ford City ON the 10Th 10th and 9th
inst, and applicants may, if they so de-
sire, take part of their examinations
this year and the rest next. These reg
ulations arc in the direction ola CEN
tralized system, and would seem to
conflict somewhat with the 91st section
of the free school law, which says that
"no teacher ola free school shall receive
any pay from the public funds unless
he or she shall hold certificate of
qualification in full force, given him by
the county superintendent for the
county within which he or she is en-
ployed.'
SOME OF the many northern people
!