The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-22
WINDS
Up WITH THE
HORRORS NOW
Those Awful Written
Examinations.

The School Department is all agog over
the recent order of the Board of Educa-
ton requiring written examinations IN
several of the primary and grammar
grades at the end of the school year, now
near, on which examination promotions
to the next grade are to depend. The
plan is supposed to be mainly Superin-
tendent Webster'S.
Whatever the merits and dement's of
the scheme the teachers of the depart
ment kick, sniff and sheer at it, as rule,
and wag their tongues much about 1t
among themselves. They smile at the
congratulatory observation of a member
of the board that something progressive
and up to date had been done The sud
den and unexpected thing worries them,
and it worries many of the pupils. The
teachers worry because the examination
papers will have to go to the Superln-
tendent's office to be picked over as evil
dence of their teaching abilities, and 1t
worries many of the pupils because they
meet a new condition of promotion and
because written examination is horrld
thing any way. The first practical result
is that a general and hurried review OF
the ground gone over is on and general
examining for a written examination has
begun a minimum percentage of so in
every subject and a minimum average or
70 are required for promotion.
The general average of the opinion cur
rent In the department everywhere is well
expressed as follows by on of the oldest
and best-known teachers:
Instead Of being progressive the idea IS
one that has been dropped for years by
progressive educators everywhere. 1t
was dropped in San Francisco some ten
or twelve years ago and there have been
no written examinations for promotion
since Promotions have been made on
the records reports, classroom work and
general proficiency of the child during
the year. They have largely depended on
the teachers knowledge of the child
character. abilities, needs, etc. The judg-
ment of a teacher who has been in the
classroom with the pupil for a year is
deemed a better guide than the written
answers to ten questions. 1t has been my
! observation that about two-thirds of the
pupils are yearly promoted actually by
/ their teachers and in addition some are
advanced conditionally
Where the plan is used at all In the
best Eastern schools the results of the
! examinations are made but part OF the
conditions for promotion, and then only
in the higher grades. The system creates
| teaching for examinations and not for the
| development of the child. which is quite
a different thing. If the teaching is for
| examination the teacher will select what
| is most likely to be covered by the exam
| nation. If you teach for the develop
ment of the child you take into consider
| nations An examination doesn't deter
! mine the character of the child his in
dustry, perseverance, etc.
! when a pupils promotion depends on
! his whole years record he has constant
! incentive to effort and excellence. When
| he knows that he is to be promoted on
examination he is apt to take things easy
| and then cram up for examination. For
| another thing written examinations put
! a premium on dishonesty. 1t is impossible
! to conduct a written examination in a
! crowded classroom without dishonesty.
| They quickly get cheating down to a sci
ence and show great cleverness and in
genuity in it. / have known boy to
! work out whole problem on small bit
! of tissue paper make a pellet of it and
| snap 1t clear across a room. If promotion
depends on getting the answers many will
! not scruple as to how they get them The
! clever boy who cheats may easily make a
better record than one who is greatly his
! superior in scholarship.