Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-03
FIRST EXAMINATIONS
Testing Candidates for Census Bureau
Positions.
PRACTICAL AND SEARCHING QUERIES
One Applicant Was Overcome and
tainted.
SCOPE OF THE ORDEAL

The long-expected and much-d desired ex-
animation of candidates for appointment In
the census office took place this morning
in the basement of the Maltby building,
opposite the Capitol. Twenty-four appli-
cants had been notified to appear, but only
twsnty-three appeared, and this number
was reduced one by the swooning of one
of the ladies and her subsequent with
drawal
Promptly at o'clock Assistant Director
Wines asked Examiner Powell to call the
roll. At that time twenty-one answered
to their names.
There are three tardy. then. Please
note their nanes,'' said Mr.. Wines, land
the examination will proceed"
There look of anxious expectancy
on the faces of those about the tables as
Examiner Powell took his place at the rear
of the room with the list of questions in
his hand. Only three men were present at
the examination. Assistant Director Wines
interrupted the proceedings long enough to
say few words concerning the examina-
tiCn.
This is the first examination. ladies and
gentleman" he remarked land l want
you to understand that because 1t is the
initial one 1t carries with it no preferment.
1t is held in the District because 1t is the
most convenient place, and thare must be
some starting point. There would be a
great deal of dissatisfaction in other parts
of the country if 1t were known or I'M
derstood that this examination meant pref
erence of any kind. The director Of the
census wants it distinctly understood also
that the passing of the examination does
not mean appointment. The object of this
examination Is to purge the roll or all
these applicants who are incompetent and
to establish a list Of eligibles from which.
when the time comes, we can select en-
ployes.
IF you pass a good examination and the
director of the census wants your services
he will notify you just as you have been
notified to appear here today for examlna-
ton. You all no doubt expect to pass but
blessed are those who expect nothing, they
shall not be disappointed
AS soon as Mr. Wines had finished his
remarks Examiner Powell announced that
he was ready to begin. He explained that
the questions he was about to ask were
practical and not difficult.
But there were many who found them
both impractical and difficult and some
even hopelessly threw down their pens and
gave up the mathematics a bad job.
The examiner started off by requesting
each applicant to write his or her file num-
Der at the top of the page and then e1-
planned that the first task would be little
exercise in simple mathematics. He then
mentioned a number and directed the can
dllates to add, subtract and divide, finally
closing by requesting all to express one
third of the result. For example. he said,
Take q, add ), subtract 6, divide by 2 add
II, subtract 4. add and express one-third
of the result"
This was ratified off at a rapid rate, and
many of the girls got angry and there
were ominous mutterings all over the room,
such as I'm no lightning calculator. me
complaints were 80 numerous that he asked
how many had taken down the example.
and nine responded. He then repeated the
example. going more slowly, and everybody
was satisfied. Following this came an ex-
ample in fractions. Two equations We're
given by dictation and the applicants In
formed that three minutes would be allow
ed in which to find the answer.
One Lady Tainted.
This proved a shock to the nervous sys-
ten of at least of the applicants, and
she slipped from her chair and swooned on
the floor. Medical aid was at hand and In
a short time she was revived and pluckily
insisted upon resuming. DR.. Wines. how
ever thought 1t best that she defer until
another time. The young lady in question
gave great promise during the examination,
and 1t was predicted would give good &C
count of herself when again called.
The equation proved a "sttckler' for
everybody and there were few correct an
swers But if this question was hard 1t
paled into insignificance before the next
one which was simply exercise in per-
centage.
Made the Examiner Sad.
Many of the applicants showed hopeless
ignorance of this branch of mathematics,
and when their papers were examined the
examiner mournfully shook his head. This
was also the case with the exercise in deci-
mails. The examiner stated that he would
give out a number of figures which the ap-
plicants were expected to express decimal
w an a
sandths and ten-thousandths there was
look Of CONSERVATION on some of the faces,
and it was not difficult to imagine who had
failed
Then came an exercise that made every
body smile and breathe easily. 1t was SIM
pie addition with the figures all printed
and representing the population Of the diff
ferent cities divided into races and educa-
tional conditions These were to be added
and tabulated. The object of this exercise
was to get the neat and accurate abilities
of the applicants. This exercise lasted I'M
til lunch time.
Geography and History.
The afternoon session was given up to
practical questions in geography and his
tory and caused a great many Of the appli
ents to scratch their heads and think of
their school days when they were asked
to bound Arizona and give the origin Of the
Mississippi. There were no questions un-
der the subject Of general information that
every American citizen should not know.
yet it is doubtful If one in twenty-five could
answer correctly majority of those asked
at this examination. The applicants were
required to write a letter on any subject
not less than two hundred words In length
and then reply to the same as briefly and
succinctly as they could. The punching
machine was described to them and each
one required to punch thirty cards.
While the examination was in progress
a man appeared with his over-grown
boy to take the examination. The
boy hadn't even filed an application and
the father became indignant when told that
he would be required to do this before he
would even be eligible to an examination
This made the pater very angry and he
expressed himself in no uncertain terms
about the government, red tape, examina-
lions and jobs.
The examination today was by no means
an easy one and the most ardent supporter
of the merit system could OF complain. The
questions, to young man or woman who
had the advantages of a public school ed
ucation. were simple enough, but to the
average applicant for a position they
brought terror with them. 1t was noticed
that the questions in mathematics. espe-
cialiy those in percentage where small
numbers were dealt with, and in the writ
ing of decimals, were the most difficult of
comprehension and solution If this stan.