The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-19
CIvIL-sERvIcE EXAMINATIONS.
Requirements Applicants for Govern
ment Appointments Must Meet.


experienced persons to reach high depart
mental positions Immediately through the
ciVll-serVIce examination. The practice of
fllng higher grade offices, such as chiefs of
DIVISIONS, by transferring or promoting eX-
| perenced men already IN government en-
| plOy is becoming more ana more the prac-
| ice OF the present administration. Two as
slStant secretaries have already been APP
pointed in this way. Your examination
having been passed, your entrance into the
classlned service will most likely be through
! the lower grades. You will be given no
| choice respecting salary. That of the usual
| entrance grade is $500. y,
Having decided upon the nature of the
examination you desire to take this fall
! you must Immediately state your selection
same time must write to them for APP
! plication blank. This will be furnished you
| promptly. 1t must then be filled out and
| returned to the commission sufficiently
! early for it to be received at least ten days
! in advance of the time Of the examination.
! 1t would be wise to send in the completed
| blank considerable time in advance of
| this ten-day limit. 1t lis very likely that
| 1t Will be returned to you for completion
| or correction. A ticket admitting you to
! the examination will not be issued unless
! the blank in absolutely correct form is re-
! ceived in the time specified. You will be
! notified of the address where the eXamina
| ton is to be held, whittier you must repair
! on time, taking with you typewriter
! and stand if needed, and all necessary in
| struments and stationery. Uncle Sam will
| furnish you only with paper
| Whether you pass or fail, you will not be
| permitted 10 take dHOlIleF eAdLuIIdl iOI III
| the same subject before year has elapsed
or at least, until the next regular eXamina-
| ton occurring In a corresponding season
! of the year. You need not anticipate learn
! ing your marks soon after your eXamlna-
| ton papers have been handed in. Three
| or four months are likely to elapSe before
! you will hear of your averages Bear in
mind once more that unless you make a
very high mark your chances for appoint
| ment will be small, granting even that you
| pass. In all probability your name Will re-
| main upon the list of eligibles until erased
! by eternity. New names will be constantly
| added to this, and many may go above
You must not labor under the delusion
! that the Civil-service Commission can give
| you an appointment 1T cannot appoint. 1t
| simply recommends. After all, it is little
more than an employment agency for the
| government. When a vacancy occurs in a
department. the appointing ofhcer applies
to the Civil-service Commission for the
names of the three highest eligibles, and
he is at liberty to select any one of the
| three he may prefer, regardless OF rank
That is the whole process in nutshell.
| The gauntlet having been run, lucky, indeed,
is he who shall have reached the goal.
AS in the military service, appointments
! in the civil service are being more and
more based upon certain special require
! mentS as to age physique and moral, as
we'll as to intellectual caliber. This is espe-
| skilled occupations, whose pursuers, on be-
| ing examined for government employment,
are marked in physical excellence and have
| their average reduced in proportion to de
| fects which might interfere with their use
| fulneSS. No one below five feet four inches
| in height or under 125 pounds In weight
may become railway mail clerk. The
| Postoffice Department will not accept for
| this service persons suffering from certain
! specified diseases, especially heart disease,
| who have lost an eye, hand or foot or who
| have defective limbs, hearing, sight or
| saving service must be two inches taller
| than The minimum height limit and seven
| pounds heavier than the minimum weight
| limit for railway mail clerks. Life savers
| however, must not weigh over 200 pounds
| Cadets in the revenue cutter service must
| be at least five feet three inches in height
! of good moral character, physically sound
and unmarried. The marriage OF cadet
will be considered equivalent to his resigna-
! ton. Married men are not wanted at ma
rine hospitals and quarantine stations. AT
Southern quarantine. stations preference is
| given also to men immuned against yellow
| fever
The usual minimum. limit of age in the
departments is twenty years: Ap2Gllc 5iflti
trades receive the highest mark as TO age
if between twenty-five and forty-hve Those
older or younger are rated prOportonately
| lower. HonOrably discharged soldiers or
sailors are released from age limitations
and physical requirements. The lowest
minimum limit for age at the ume OF en-
trance into government service is fourteen
years, for pages, messenger boys, appr9n-
tees or students, none OF whom may be
over twenty. The questions as to physical
condition Dropounded in a blank of appli-
cation for a situation included under the
trades and skilled occupations are equal
eNPl.iAN''eAeii'
Considerable ridicule was some time ago
poked at the Civi-serVice COMMISSION be-
cause certain applicants for positions are
required to hop on one foot for four yards
as a part of one of the physical tests: This
exercise is prescribed to stimulate clrcula-
ton lust previous to test of the heart.
An established rule of the commission
states that no one need apply for exam
nation who uses intoxicants to excess or
who is known to be guilty OF crime or
infamous or VIGOROUSLY disgraceful con
duct" Whether guilty OF, innocent, II a
must inciose with his application a copy
of the court proceedings. his apphcauon
will be cancelled. furthermore, if he should
have been discharged from government
service for delinquency or misconduct with
in a year previous. If enlisted IN the army
his department written permission TO take
the examination. OF course no one can
enter the civil service who IS not citizen
of the United States.