Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-08-17
Teachers Examinations.


/ As a rule, throughout the State
only about so per cent. OF the candi
dates who attended the examination
for August, held last week, were sue
cessful in obtaining certificates o.
either of the three grades. JUS
where the difficulty rests is a hare
matter to determine. The teachers
complain, of course, that the stringent
conditions are wholly beyond what the
occasion calls for; they assert, indeed
that the State Board of Education j:
steadily raising the standard OF re
quirement in all the common schoo
branches, greatly to the disparage-
ment and lasting injury of the common
school system; that this policy ha:
even now reached point far beyond
what the school law OF the State OIL
General Government ever contemplat-
ed. OF all the printed questions pre-
pared by tae State Board of Educa
ton, those under the head of men
tai" and written" arithmetic seem
to be the most dreaded. The great
burden of complaint, in fact, hinges
upon these two branches OF common
school education. A fair and just
view of the case would seem to be that
the questions should, in all cases, in.
volve only .ust such principles as en-
ter into theactual business concerns oi
life, and thst every question requiring
for its solution recognized experience
In the fidds of scientific research
should be discarded. These remarks
1t Is to be borne in mind, relate only
to second and third grade certificates.
First class certificates, for obvious
reasons, require some knowledge oil
algebra and natural philosophy.
Three of the alleged Objectionable
questions, under the head of Mental
Arithmetic" read as follows:
- digs 2-5 of ditch in s days, and then
eallingih d. they together finished it in days.
In what time could B do it aloner'
"A PRISON being asked the time of day, re.
Piled that hours ago the time past noon was
q of tie time to midnight hours hence. -
Required the time"
"TwOthirds of the cube of a number is 1C
more than the cube OF p of the number.
What is he number"
One Of the Objectionable questions
under the head of Written Arithme-
tic" was as follows:
After ironing a sack fat, it is IS inches
wide and &c inches long. How much grain
will 1t holl."
The second and third problems are
easily and quickly solved by algebraic
means, while by arithmetic they
might present some difficulty to the
average teacher in the first years
experience.
Now il is claimed that these ques.
tons involve principles and circum-
stances that find no practical applica-
ton in any condition of common bust
ness experience, and hence, teachers
employed to render service in the
school-room where youth are to be
taught the 80 ordained common
school branches" only, should not suf-
fer failure If they are not able in every
instance to solve them upon the spur
of the moment, or, which is about the
same thing, in the short and wholly
insufficient time allowed by the rules
and regulations adopted by the board
If we were called upon to pass judg.
ment, it would be unequivocally to
select altogether another class OF
questions, having as the teachers right.
~ urge, more diroot reference to the
real happenings of practical business
life.
The remaining questions under the
heads of mental and written arithme-
tic are in no wise Objectionable; they
having for their aim a thorough drill
of the candidates in such business
principles as are liable at any moment
to come up and require attention and
adjustment in every walk and condi-
ton of life.
There are many impecunious dis.
tricts in the backwoods and sparsely
settled portions of almost every coun-
ty, where the people can afford to pay
q teacher only the lowest living wages
for managing their schools. Many
such districts have less than dozen
children of school age within their
boundaries and the Oldest child may
he under ten years. To teach reading
penmanship, geography, and the very
fret principles Of arithmetic is all that
is required of q teacher, nor do the
people ask anything more.
Now there are hundreds of young
women fully capable of conducting
such schools to the satisfaction of the
parents and school officers who could
not obtain even third grade certifi.
cate under the present iron-clad reg.
ime of the school law. or rather, under
the rules and regulations adopted and
enforced by the State Board of Edu.
cation. Who will rise up in the com.
ing legislature and correct this evils
Speaking Of Whistling-
Whistling is an accompaniment o
rnOI ., . N,~ 81 IA