Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-30
MIR. Edison Fails in Examination, but is
Assigned TO Duty Notwithstanding,


Fridays New York Herald says:-
"a. ". Edison. formerly State Agent OF
Education OF Massachusetts, began work
as an assistant superintendent OF the New
York public schools yesterday. He sat
u ith the board OF superiBtendents in their
office in the Board OF Education Building
at Grand and Elm streets yesterday after
noon. This action OF Mr.. Edison is in face
OF the fact that his appointment to the po-
sition has not been properly approved by
the Civil Service board. lt IL generally
admitted by mem bers Of the Board Of Ed
ucation and he Civil Service board that
Mr.. Edison failed TO pass an examination
on September 10, which Is characterized
by BIN as almost wholly technical Mr.
Edison and the Civil Service board, how
ever, do not say that he failed, but they
say that the examination was not com
pleied.'
The Civil Service board has the power
to cancel any examinations said II. q. Ire
land, the chief examiner. 'The board viii
cancel Mr. Edson's examination and ne
will take a new one when the questions
are prepared. Pending that time he is go
ing ahead with his duties as assistant su
perintendent.'
The peculiarly OF Mr.. Edson's position
is that be was appointed to the Office by
a vote OF eleven to live members of The
solutely without any reference to the re
suits OF the examination which was to fol
low. Several members OF the board sug-
gested that his appointment be condi
tional, but the idea OF his possible failure
was secuted by bis supporters. He is the
first of the superintendent to take the
civil service examination. Heretofore the
board of superintendent has examined
aspirants for such positions"
Into tn hn
the examination was purposely made hard
and unfair to trip him. In an editorial
headed, "a Civil Service Trap" the Bos-
ton Transcript, always conservative pa
per, says:-
at is not to be supposed that man OF
Mr.. EdsCns experience in educational
work is incompetent to fill the position to
which be has been elected, even though he
was unable to pass satisfactory examl'
nation before the civil service board. He
has a career that is irreconcilable with the
idea OF incompetence. He is graduate OF
Dartmouth college and has been principal
OF the Normal school OF Vermont,a super
iutendent of schools in Massachusetts, and
New Jersey, one of the agents OF the Mass
achusetts State Board OF Education for
number of years, and he is and has for
long time been the secretary OF the Mar
tha's Vineyard Summer Institute and the
head OF its School of Methods. He is re-
garded by those who know him and his
services as being not only thoroughly
equipped for his profession, but also as
one OF the most intelligent and energetic
men that are in it. II looks, therefore, as
though the list of questions used at MT.
Edson's examination were prepared with
a purpose to puzzle and entrap rather than
10 test his efficiency. At all events 1t is
quite apparent that the test to which Mr;
Edison was put was largely technical ana
unnecessarily severe. 1t is not possible to
free the mind OF the suspicion that the ex
animation was managed with the intent
that il should keep Mr.. Edison out OF an
office that was wanted for New Yorker"