The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-30

question is involved in this first, and
shall assume 1t to be this, How shall
the test be applied"
answer as follows: Written ex-
aminations along the whole line, save
where the subject must be dealt with
orally. Such examinations to be ire
quent, never long and never beyond
the scope Of actual acquisition or OF
power. There shall be three objects
In view.
1. To test the memory.
2. To test the apperceptive powers.
8. To. test the ability to use correc'
English.
What win be the result Of the dis
use OF memory? Death Of mental pow
er. Enlarge
/. Some Of the examinations shall
consist of related SUBJECTS and shall
be such as to show facts connected
with other facts.
2. Others shall be on different prob
lens of given subject.
3. Others shall consist of miscella-
neous subjects covering some part Of
the course Of study.
4. A fourth examination shall be a
test Of a knowledge of current events
These examinations shall have as
their object to test the memory or the
power to recall, to recollect. to remem-
Der. These examinations must begin
at home. IL the child has learned to
write, there. If this is not learned
till school life begins then, when 1t Is
able to form sentences, this exercise
should be daily occurrence.
The second object in these examine
tons is to test the power to add re-
lated fact to one already part OF
past personal experience, in order tc
modify such past experience fact, or to
make 1t more secure or to exercise in
ductive reasoning and invent new
idea from such apperception. This
must be Of a light nature at first, since
the facts brought to the young pupil
by the senses are absorbing a large
part of his mental activity. l am not
willing to believe that young children
do no reasoning, draw no conclusions,
! think every sense impression modi-
fies the sense impression status OF
previous moment and that the little
child, a few weeks old, who by reason
of crying when the light is put out re-
ceives the light again, draws conciu-
sions and knows how to have its wants
supplied.
The examinations for this object
should not be put off till the others are
completed Grade such questions to the
ability of the pupil and put them at
the point where reason asserts It's
power. Just as soon as q pupil can
draw conclusion he can be examined
with this object in view, and there
should not pass day In his school life
that he does not have chance to think
and to record his thoughts In writ
ten examination.
This second class of examinations
will be commensurate in result with
the extent of the recorded impressions
in the storehouse Of fact already con-
structed If memory has not been
strengthened by use, if facts have not
been known and labeled and systemati-
cally stored and indexed so that they
can be recalled when wanted the power
to apperceive will be found wanting,
and failure will result.
THIRD OBJECT OF WRITTEN Elk
AMINATIONS.
/ have placed ability to write correct
English as a third object to be attain
ed by written examinations. Nothing
in our experience is more humiliating
than our inability to write good Eng
lish, and yet the fact is that our writ
ing is just as clear as our thinking.
The trouble with US is further back
than the poorly expressed thought. We
did not think the thought clearly. He
who knows a thing can define it. Poor
= frrv, Fl
who sees the relation of ideas can ex-
press such relation in English compost
ton.
I can write what know.
"The record" la written composition
is the criterion. Ignorance is often be-
trayed by the multitude Of words used
in an answer. IS This record must be
consulted, must be owned as one Of
which to be proud, or as milestone so
far back of US as to be the starting
point of our later progress.
In order to- getithe greatest good out
Of written examination as an exer-
else in English composition there must
be repeated writing of the same SUBJ
ject at successive periods of time. Let
the same subject be given at different
times, and let each of the written exer-
cises be kept and at certain times read.
compared. criticized and corrected, but
not by the teacher. No greater wrong
can be done to a pupil as student
of English composition than to correct
his faulty expression. If he cannot OF
himself see the wrong, then the cor
rection is not of him. but for him, and
certainly, there is no education in do
ingfa pupils work for him. The re-
peated writing should not cease till the
thought is clearly and severely express
ed, till what was known Is told, moth
ing omitted, nothing added. 1t is Inn
possible to overestimate the value Of a
written examination as a factor in the
problem of using correct English In
composition"
I am aware that the plan here advo-
Gated is not new, indeed so old is it
that some style it "old fashioned" "out
of date, behind the times" 1t is old
fashioned. it is out Of date, 1t is be-
hind the times. The sense, however.
in which 1t is all of these is not that
in which the reproach is set forth
Certainly tests Of memory are old