Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-01
NEARLY $4,000 TRIED FOR PLACES
Women in the Government En-
pIoy Discussed.
PROPOSED NEW REGISTRY

re.Iuir4.i the preparation of tests for de-
t.rrfniug the qualifications Of applicants
IL ~ different kinds of examinations. At
tfcse examinations $500 persons We're eX-
amined for original entrance TO the differ
ent branches Of the service, as follows:
Departmental, 3o.5s5; government printing,
63l; post office. 1850: custom house. 6.121;
internal revenue. 65T. During the same
period ~ persons already in the service
were examined for promotion, and 1+5 for
transfer from one classified position TO an
other, making a total of -. 175 persons ok
awined in order to meet the needs of the
service The number OF persons becoming
eligible for appointment from these eX-
aminati1ns follows: Departmental
service, 25.GOS; government printing, "s9;
pest office. ESQ.,; custom house. AIS; in
terual revenue, 3SS; making a total of 3D.
s33. or I43 per cent, who passed the eN-
aninatiOns. as against 12.GGs. or 2J.I per
cent. who failed to attain passing aver
age. of those examined for promotion in
the classified service. 30. or 20 per cent,
passed, against 80 who were unsuccess-
full OF the persons examined for transfer
1Oi, or III per cent, passed, and II failed
BY comparison with the figures for the
preceding year it viii be noted that 1921
more persons were examined for original
entrance and "a more for transfer during
the past year. while 3:5 less We're examined
FOR promotion. The number who We're sue
CeSSful in the examinations shows an In
crease of 5.731 and the number who failed
shows decrease of 2,26S.
For District Positions.
In addition TO the 1910 persons examined
for the classified service during the past
year. five examinations We're held at the re-
ou, It Of the Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia. in which six persons were
examined for the position of bookkceper
and 70 for policemen, making a grand total
II $3.50 persons examined for all pur-
noses during the
Al the present time there are about 1000
local civil service boards Of examiners.
who are stationed at the different free de-
livery post offices, custom houses. and
other points where necessity for their ser
vices exists.
A strong effort has been made for sew
cral wears 20 secure The consolidation of To-
cal boards where more boards than one
are located AZ the same point in the
same vicinity During the past year sew
erJl pf tines" consultations have been ef-
fesrad. Experience in each case has proven
tbs wisdom OF following this course.
Changes in Examinations.
Several important changes have recently
been made in the examinations. most nota-
bic Of which are the introduction of test
Of physical endurance, with a weight of
=" per cent. in the examination for print
cr's assistant. The addition of the subject
OF experience in the skilled laborer group
OF examinations for the government print
ing Office. ma the change in the method of
giving dictau0n Tests in the stenography
examination Formerly each competitor IN
stenOgraphy was given an individual speed
and accuracy test n dictation. The new
method provides for debating to the as
semb.ed class exercises in etenography.
Appointment of Women.
The report says: That the question of
he employment Of women in the govern
ment service is Of very considerable inter-
est 10 the public is shown by its recent
discussion in the press. For this reason,
and because letters are frequently received
from women complaining that they had
been induced 10 enter the commissions ex-
aminatons without being correctly in
formed as to their prospect OF appoint
ment. if successful (aIthough each edition
of the manual OF examinations issued for
several years past has contained a table
showing for the principal examinations the
number OF both men and women who were
examined. passed, ana received appoint
ments), il has been thought proper TO in
clude statement In this report which will
exhibit the facts as disclosed by the com
missions records.
The following information has been COM
piled from review of these records for
the past ten years for the departmental. and
post office services, the last five years for
the custom house service. and for the four
years since the classification OF the internal
revenue and government printing services
Attention has been given TO the ifty-seven
Ah49 ot examinations in which both men
ana women have competed for appointment
a consolidated statement is presented for
me departmental and government printing
services because so many of the appointees
Of Columbia
For these two services sc. 52T persons
passed the examinations referred TO, of
whom 1l,466 We're women. 5.U23 of those
"no passed Were appointed. of whom
lZ-t5. or 2I.I per cent We're women. How
ever, probably 500 Of the latter number
should not be included. as they were ap-
pointed 10 the positions, of skilled laborer
IN the government printing Office or print
ers assistant in the bu~ eau Of engraving
and printing. positions which are practf-
c&.y c'rnned 10 women After deductIng
these appointments, We find that 78i w0-
men nav" been appointed out OF total of
4,+I4 appointments. In other words, wo-
men We're appointed to III per cent of all
the positions in the departmental and gov
ernment printing branches Of the service
and women.
During the last ten years 4O.G2S persons
passed me examinations for post Office
CORK which Is the only position in that ser
vice for which both sexes may compete
OF This number 500 were women; Il n37
persons Ner7 appointed TO this position az a
L,.ult 1I the examinations, of whom So or
- p"r cent, We're women.
20: the 1,5JS persons who have passed
examinations in the custom house service
open Z" both men and women. during the
past Nv" years, 80 were women. During
that period 6s9 appointments were r,ads,
OF which 10. or not quite per cent, We're
gwen 10 women
During The four years in which examina-
lions have been held for the internal reye-
nue. service. 3,joI persons have successfully
passed them. of whom 13I were women.
During this period 4s3 appointments have
b IN made. OF which A. or 20 per cent
were given 10 women
During the last ten years the highest
percentage Of appointments given to wo-
men in all branches of the service as
result of these examinations Ci3 per cent?,
was during 1895. The rext highest per-
ceNtage Of appointments they received was
II per cent, in 1913 The lowest percentage
OF thes" appointments women have re-
ceived wiz: G.OO4 per cent? was in 1880,
while The next lowest t6.13 per cent? was
in 1se0.
The records show that during these ten
years iI.lP+ persons have passed the ex-
aulnati"ns where both men and women
have competed, of whom 16S32 were wo-
men As result of these examinations
Il, 81 persons have been appointed of
whom Loss. or 9.3 per cent were women
From the foregoing IT will be seen that
WIlIe less than 10 per cent of the women
who passed the examinations were an
pointed. 2i6 per cent OF the male eMgibles