The evening times., 1900-04-14

tion books were gathered up and brought
to the District Committee room.
An arrangement was made with the
chief examiner OF the Census Bureau and
the chief examiner OF the Civil Service
Commission to have the books marked aud
graded upon a plan agreed upon.
After the marking was completed the
books were returned to the committee; and
inasmuch as each book bears a distinctive
number besides the name of the pupil and
he schools. the markings are subject to
Verincation-"
The arithmetic examination paper is
printed in ful, in the report and the follow
ing comment upon the results Of the eX-
animation is made:
The paper was done in twenty minutes;
81 contains only such problems as occur in
everyday business life. and it is clearly
within the instruction given in the seventh
grade. OF the i,lSS pupils examined, hf-
teen did all the problems correctly; OF this
number eleven were in the Business High
School. two were in the Central. and one
was in each the colored and Eastern High
Schools. OF this number twelve were pu-
pills Of the Business Hjgh School (whiteD.
While I per cent Of the pupils made 100 per
cent in arithmetic, 60 per cent Of those oN-
amined made 90 or above; 81 per cent Of
the pupils made 20 per cent and above. The
average per cent attained by the l.lSS pu-
pills was 0S.S2.
1t is entirely safe to say that less than
a third OF the High School pupils could
pass the ordinary arithmetic examinations
for clerical positions as set by the Census
Bureau or the Civil Service Commission,
Notwithstanding the fact that these pupils
have finished their instruction in arith-
metic This might be an argument
against the severity of those examinations
were it not for the fact that both the Cen
sus Bureau and the Civil Service Commis-
sion have no lack Of persons on their eli
gible rolls"
After quoting the history examination
paper the report says:
Here again the questions were not only
we'll within the instruction received. but
no definite amount Of work was required.
All that was specified was the pupil should
possess. in the language OF the report Of
the School Trustees. a clear. connected,
sequential view Of the whole subject
subject which they had been studying for
Ave years. The markings were based sim
ply on the excellence OF the work each pu
pil did The average number Of words
written was less than 500
The history paper was taken also as
The basis OF the examination in spelling
grammar. and penmanship. and here again
the test favored the pupils, because they
were using their own vocabulary, and II
they were in doubt as to the spelling Of
one word they were at liberty to use i
synonym.
no pupil made 100 per cent in history;
and of the 1.1SS pupils but Sc per cent
made 30 or over; and but 10 per cent made
20 or over The average per cent attained
by the /. .1SS pupils in history was $50
Lists are next given of the words often
misspslled by the pupils. and Of large
number Of meaningless or radically wrong
answers given TO various questions sum
ming up the results Of the examination
the report says:
Grading of Books.
The following is a statement Of .Jct:
noticeable to the examiners in the grading
OF the books as TO history. syntactical er.
rors. misspeIled words. errors in punctua-
tIon, errors in use Of words, and penman
ship;
Il Incorrect use Of hyphen-
"tal Misdiyision Of words at end Of line
as. Mississippi. Pilgrim. between.
"lbl \ tendency 20 use Of hypheu il
compound words which should be writer
as a solid word. Manufactured compoun'
words.
"tcl Use Of hyphon between root Of worD
and prefix or suiiiV: as. return, failed
2. Misspelling Of simrlo ordinary word
OF one ard two syllables-
"A tendency to use the comma g. to
frequently Failure in a number Of in
stances to use the period o. at the end q
"A sentence and after an abbreviatiou.
q. Incorrect use of the parenthCsis. Pu
pills use the parcnthesiS 10 enclose matte
which they desire cancelled. this is wrong
and leads the pupil TO have a false concep
tiGn OF the use Of the parenthesis.
- Peumanship very poor. large per
ccutsge writing backhand, This was par
ticuIsrly noticeable in the Central Hig
school books.
a large percentage wrote mixture q
four or more styles OF penmausbip. wi
backward. vertical. Spencerian. etc. Til
was observable in a number Of cases in
single line Of penmanship.
"6. In marking the history it vas appl
reut that a very large percentage OF th
pupils lacked the ability 10 express them
selves intelligently in simple choice. con
else. and correct English. style and matte
being particularly poor. Their answer
betrayed crude ideas and cOnceDtiOns O
historical facts concerning their country
and were expressed in very crude Ian
Euage. The questions in history weT
simple and not misleading or technica
Pupils displayed a lack of knowledge o
essential elementary facts in relation