The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-18
THEY WANT TO BE TEACHERS.
SIXTY APPLICANTS STOOD THE AN
NUAL EXAMINATIONS.

Prospective Teachers Worked All
Day at Chatham Aca1emy-Tbirty-
three Were White and Twenty
seven CoIored-Not as Large "A Num-
her as Usual Tried for the Posi-
tions-Beard of Education Com
mittee Was on Hand to Test the
Knowledge OF the Applicants.
some of Them Are Relieved to
Have Made Very Good Marks, But
Others Are known to Have Been
Very Deficient.
AspIrants for the pedagogue's chair were
plentiful around Chatham academy yes
terday. From early in the morning until
late m the afternoon they were there. All
wanted TO become teachers in the city or
county schools, and il was 70 stand the ex-
animation required by the Board OF Edu-
cation that sixty applicants gathered.
The board makes il a point 10, have such
examinations once a year. They are held
under The management of tee committee
OF the body appointed for the special pur-
pose. The committee is comprised Of Col
George \, Mercer, Mr.. j. Z. Saussy, Capt
Henry Blum and Superintendent Olis Ash
more The principals of the schools assist
Thorough tests of the knowledge and fit-
ness of the applicants are made, and those
making the highest averages are we'll
qualified TO iii the positions to which they
aspire.
IS large a crowd as usual did not show
up TO take the examination though there
were sixty soon after the clock struck Q,
and the papers had been handed out 1t
Is not an unusual thing to have as many
as ninety try for the places. OF those
who stood the examination yesterday
thirty-Ihree were white and tweuty-seven
co,ored.
1t was foregone conclusion that many
of those who presented themselves would
not be able to make anything like an
average that would entit.e them to con-
sideration. The annual examination has
Il sort Of clientele that may he counted
upon 10 show up on each occasion. Fall
ures have followed failures, but the hope
of success is/strong and seems TO spring
eternal. One man, a colored applicant,
Was regarded as a particularly unfavor-
abe case. Il took no more than a glance
dor hose in charge 10 see that he was no
seod. When II came 10 the spelling he
came 10 The frontly nooly, however, and
one word correctly spelled Ia the forty
given was the record ne made
Many Of the prospective teachers doubt
less did well Before l o'clock had struck
two or three had finished up Their work.
II is presumed they We're those VINO were
most familiar with their subjects. They
had what they wished 10 say in response
10 the questions at their fingers ends
and no more Than four hours was neces-
eary for them TO tell all they knew. The
majority OF the applicants finished up
between the hours OF 3 and o'clock quite
number hed on even longer, and one
sat solitary ana alone when Z o clock
struck. She then handed in her papers.
Four OF the academy rooms were used.
The races were separated and each APP
picant was supplied with he printed
questions. The white and colored princ-
pals were on hand to help in the conduct
of the examinations. Inc papers were
numbered there being no names TO dis
close the identity OF their owners. BY
that means 1t is expected TO obViaJe any
thought of prejudice having anything to
do with the averages the committee may
give the efforts.
The applicants had been at work an hour
when the committee began TO subject them
TO sort of examination of its own. They
We're invited 10 a separate room one at
time and requested TO read selection.
Their reading, voices, appearance and
health eyre all factors that went 60 make
or mar them in the estimates the commits
tee placed upon their suitability as teach
ers. In some cases the reading and gem
eral appearance were sufficient to satisfy
the committee, but in others questions
We're asked with "A view of arriving a. a
more complete understanding of capabil-
ties
Upon the committee finishing with the
appncants they We're turned over TO the
superintendent Owing to his profession,
10 him fell the duty of ascertaining the
professional training, and also the prae-
teal experience each applicant may have
had. The superintendent asked them
about the character and extent of their
actual experience as teachers and whether
or not they mad ever attended a normal
school. They We're further asked as to
what books relating to teaching they had
read and their visits to the normal class
conducted for the teachers of the Savan-
nah schools. Another point was visits to
the schools themselves, as in them Il Is
believed good opportunity exists for pros
pective teachers 10 famiiarize themselves
with the methods employed. A number Of
other questions were asked by Mr.. Ash
more, and those examined were graded ac-
cording to their answers.
After The interruption to their work
caused by their appearance before the
committee and the Superintendent, the APP
picants resumed their work on the eX-
animation papers. They worked out ex-
amp.es IN arithmetic, answered questions
IN grammar, geography, history. reading
and writing and tried their hand on a
lot OF words given them to be rightly spell
When the marks are made up the names
corresponding 40 the numbers on the pa
pers that are credited with the highest
nrst on the list of teachers waiting for
places Many of the applicants will fan
by The wayside as their efforts viii not
snow up well enough to admit of their
getting on the list.