New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-02
CONCERNING WRIT7EN EXAMINATIONS

Now that tho colleges aad schools have re-
sumed It is in order to resume the consIdera-
ton OF a question OF no little importance touch
ing q phase OF educational policy. Is the
written examination Of students defensiblc
Does it reveal what IL is intended TO. the men
tai condition, progress and requirements os
those upon whom it j. imposed? Or l. 1t rather
in the nature Of hollow modicIy-a scheme
whose results are misleading? Does II not
render the average young student 30 nervous
and embarrassed 81 "rattled." as the phrase
;s that il is impossible for him 10 do himself
Justice? In the last number OF " The Boston
commonwealth" Edward Everett Hal Addresses
himself to this subject. During his entire
career DR.. Hale has been deeply interested
in educational problems, and hence his views
in reference 70 the point at issue will generally
be regarded as worthy OF careful consideration.
lie il radically opposed to the written cx-
animation. lie goes to the length Of char
acterizing it as nuisance" Quoting re-
mark of Jules Simon: "When | was young
We proparcd students for life, now VIC prepare
them for examinations he remarks that " tho
hitter satire of this statement could be repeated
nv ton thousand teachers in Massachusetts to-
Gav.n ANTICIPATING the criticism upon his posi-
ton. that "unless there Is a system OF me-
chanical examination in the Boston schools no.
body can tell which school is up to the mark
and which school is not" he replies that II does
not serve any vital purpose to tell such a thing.
On this point he inquiries:
M wa really want the Hancock School, for instance.
10 be the precise counterpart OF the Dwight School.
r IN. Dwight school 10 be the precise counterpart OF
the Dudley school1 Do not really want TINT tho
genius Of the teacher In one shall show Itself In biz
way and the genius OF the teacher In another snail
show itself In his way Are we really trying to turn
out City thousand clothes pins OF precisely the same
pattern In tho Boston schools. or are We trying To
make OF each boy and girl the best that can bs made
and to encourage as the particular genius VI
each separate child
Before concluding, DR.. Hale invites half a
dozen teachers to let "The Commonwealth
know what they think about it. The outcome
of this invitation promises to be discussion
which can scarcely fail to prove profitable.
"Thc Springfield Union" is greatly pleased
with DR.. Hales article, saying that he is " ever
lastingly right on written examinations. In
the opinon Of "Thc Union they do not show
what pupil has learned, I" but only what in
an hour of anxiety and trepidaton and nervous
exhaustion he is able to remember" The cham
pions of these examinations now have the floor
and it is only fair to assume that they will be
ready to take it. They can be depended upon
to argue that the objections which arc made
to written examinations apply in some degree
10 any and all examinations and indeed, t.
recitatiOns. Does written examination en-
barrass boy. make him nervous? Then why
will not the same youth become victim OF
embarrassment and nervousness when called
upon to stand up and tell what he knows about
the lesson in the presence OF his fellow
students Besides, UNLESS the class system Is u
be given up, how are teachers to determine
with any degree Of accuracy which scholars
are 70 be enrolled in Class A and which in
Class Is, unless some sort OF an examination
is instituted Conceding the necessity OF al
examination of some sort, what objection car
be urged against the written one, which does
not tend to bring any examination system, nc
matter how nstered. into disrpute? Doc