New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-03
,lCIvIL SERVICE COACHING.
SCHOOLS TO PREPARE APPLICANTS roR
THE COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS.

THE COMPETITIVE EAAMlNAlIONo
MOST OF THEM ARE HONEST AND DO GOOD
woRK-.FAKE" SCHOOLS THAT PROMISE In
SIDE INFORMATION AND 'rNFLUENcE."
Despite the opposition on the part OF many peopls
who believe that offices should he distributed ~
gardless of the ability OF the applicants. the COM
petitive examinations which are carried on by the
Civil Service Commissioners are becoming more
popular continually and examinations are being
introduced In places where until lately positions
went exclusively by favor. Men who aspire -
positions In the Federal State city civil service
know that they must pass an examination before
board which decides upon their eligibility. ana
much time Is spent In brushing up by candidates
who have become rusty in their general school
knowledge.
Among those who must study and hunt up text.
books which they had put away years ago FOR
good" they thought then, are the physicians
and lawyers who come from other States or from
foreign countries. and who wish to practise their
professions in this State. Before they can do 20
they must receive their license to practise from
the Board OF State Examiners. and many who had
passed brilliant examinations when they were
graduated fail under the questions which are pro-
pounded by the Regents board. Then begins .
course of study to prepare for second trial.
MEETING THE NEW DEMAND.
Besides these classes are the men and women
who are candidates for situations where one OF the
conditions is that the person must have the ordi-
nary public school education. All these educational
requirements the part Of the city, State, Nation
and Individual have created demand for a new
class Of schools In which the various branches -
which applicants for Office or for license TO practise
may be taught and the applicants coached to
undergo the examination ordeal Civil service pre-
paratory schools and schools for coaching candis
dates have sprung up in all parts Of the country.
nd vh have shown good results ana nave
fitted candidates as they agreed to do. others have
simply taken the money Of the credulous aspirant
for preferment and left him poorer by that amount
without the promised Office and sceptcai az to the
honesty Of men.
Some civil service schools have been known 10
| send out circulars in which they promised their
scholars all sorts OF advantages, such as advances
copies of questions. appointments TO office after
certain time and extra good places on the eligible
list The civil service authorities have issued warm
ing circulars In which such institutions were called
by their proper names, but there seems to %
credulity enough in the oiceseeking class TO keep
| the schools in prosperous condition.
FAKE" SCHOOLS AND THEIR OFFERS.
] F. g. Ireland chief examiner OF the New-fork
| Civil Service Board, said: There are several
| schools in New-York where men may go and re-
| ceive instructions In the branches In which they
| expect to be examined and for a comparatively
| small amount they may be benefited considerably.
| But there are other schools where promises are
| made which cannot be carried out. The men at
| the head of these schools profess to know what
i questions will be asked and their dupes believe
| them. They have managed to procure the names
| of men who will come up for examination ana
| have sent circulars to them in which they adver-
| tised their absurd claims but precautions have
| been taken against a repetition Of that practice
We want 1t known that any school which claims 70
have any inside information is. ipso facto, fraud"
The manager OF one OF the schools OF wnicn tne
civil service peoplc speak highly sad I'VE make
promises We charge SIS to prepare ioT , exam mi;
depend upon himself. Among those whom ":
coached in the course Of last year were sspirants
men clerks, prison and other public institution
keepers letter carriers customs inspeStcrs nsPsc.
tory inspectors. In the police examinations alone
records show that an average OF 70 per cent OK
| the candidates prepared at this school were sue
} cessfuI"
The schools set no time for course, but tell the
| candidate that the terms OF study will depend on
| him. I'VE have dismissed student as properly
prepared" said OF the instructors after a
| term of one week. and we nave Kept otners ~
| work for two months
PROMISES OF INFLUENCE"
Among the many inducements which are held out
nv the fake schools one which calls attention
to the that Influence is necessary for appoint
, ment TO a positiorS' but that certificate from
. their school would be worth more than influence
1.-The; promised certificate Is absolutely worth
less" said civil service officer speaking OF thia
, promise and the candidate receives warning TO
that effect when the blank instructions are given
him. One paragraph reads:
There Is no need OF seeking the aid OF any proml'
nent or presumably influential person to secure an
appIicaton paper examination. NO recon-
mendaion or certificate. besides those provided Tor
in the applica ton itself will be received or can bs
of any use I'm securing examination or certin
cation for appointment. Time spent In attempts
TO change the order OF certiicaton will be lost
, Neither the Commission any examiner can help
any one to get appointment, and they nave
nothing do with the selection by the appointing
Off among those ceftlUeu.
A physician who Is well versed In the methods oil
the Regents examinations said: When one sees
. how easily physicians are duped and how little
they know about the examination systems one u
: not astonished that aspirants for places on the
no,ice force for petty clerkships or for posionl
in the postaI service should be imposed upon.
know Instances where physicians have paid Tor a
set ~ questions which were a year old ana then
were surprised when another set was given 10 them
at examination time
, THE NEED OF PREPARATORY SCHOOLS
1.-THE preparatory school is a necessity" was the
oninion recently expressed by civil service omctet
land there will be Of them as competitive ex-
aminations Increase in popularity. but they can
succeed only II conducted fair and busincssliks
: hash. Those schools in which preferment and
: ros,,,ons are promised for pay will so down and
those where candidate may refresh his knowledfe
and he better prepared to stand the ordeal OF rigid
examination will succeed