The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-23
NO PRACTICABLE SUBSTITUTE.
EXAMINATIONS LIKELY TO CON-
TINUE IN SCHOOLS.

Failures and Itnal examinations
Have Been Found Necessity in
Public school SystemS-He Gives a
Variety of Reasons Showing why
This Is so-ExaminatiOnsA Arc Made
Quarterly in the Savannah Schools
and the Pupils Status Is Based on
the General AveraGe-COI. MERGERS
Opin ion of the Examination Plan.
In view Of the fact that the final exam
STATIONS in all the schools are now in
progress the editorial in The Morning
News raising the point whether ex-
aminations at the close Of the school year
FURNISH the best means of determining the
proficiency of the pupil, brings to the
front question of interest to parents and
teachers, and doubtless 10 the children
as well The question is not a new one
and has been frequently discussed in edu-
cational circles, various substitutes for
the examination system having been sug-
gested. but without any determined con-
cluson being reached
President Mercer of the Board of Edu-
cation and Superintendent Ashmore were
both asked about the matter yesterday.
I'm matters like this" said Col. Mercer,
''the board is usually guided by its super
3ntendent and any changes in the inter
nal system of the schools are usually
made upon his recommendation. The
question whether examinations afford the
most satisfactory means of attaining the
desired result has been much discussed in
educational circles and various expert
ments have been made, but so far as !
am aware, without any satisfactory sub
Stitute being discovered. It is true that
we some times hear of children breaking
down under the nervous strain of prepar-
sng for examinations, but such complaints
are not frequent here and / am disposed
to think that in some instances they come
from parents whose children are not as
bright as they would like TO have them
appear and who anticipate on this account
that they will not be able to pass the re-
quired examinations Children doubtless
complain to their parents of The severity
of the examinations, but this is only nat
ural, and the same children are likely to
declare week later that the examina-
lions were very easy l hardly think it
likely thai a movement to substitute some
other system would meet with favor at
present"
1t Is rarely the case that Superintendent
Ashmore is not found well posted on anv
educational topic which may be brought
20 his attention. and it was very evident
that this particular question had already
received serious consideration from him.
The question is one which has been
much discussed at various times in eau
oauonal circles" said the superintendent,
ana leading educators have found much
TO say pro and con on the subject The
system of final examinations has been
criticised by leading educators and efforts
nave been made to provide some Satisfac-
cory substitute The plan most generally
favored by those seeking a change WIS
about as suggested in the Morning News
that the promotion OF the pupil should de-
pend on the general average made
throughout the year as taken daily, week
ty and monthly by the teacher. This
system was put into opera ton in some of
the larger cities, notably in Cincinnati.
The results were decidedly unsatisfactory
and especially 80 in Cincinnati the school
system there becoming so badly democrat
szed that 1t was with great difficulty that
AZ was again gotten into satisfactory
working order The main trouble Law in
the fact of the great difference in judg-
nnent on the part of the teachers, and in
their manner of making estimates School
teachers 1t must be remembered. are very
falhble mortals Not all of them are of
the highest order of intellect and it is fire.
quently the case that very weak material
gets into the schools. One of the main
difficulties which has been met with where
this system has been tried is the very
marked tendency on the part of school
teachers to the exercise of faVoritism and
prejudice. 1t was found to be not infre-
quently the case that teachers would pro-
mote undesirable pupils in order to get rid
of them without regard TO their fitness.
Again, 1t was found that with no eXani-
nations confronting them there was lack
of stimulus 40 sustained effort, resulting
In a general laXneSS on the part of both
teachers and pupils While with few
teachers good results We're doubtless OBJ
xained the general results of this system
have been proven to be decidedly unsatis-
factory"
~ do not say" said Mr. Ashmore, "that
we would have the same experience with
our teachers under such a system but
even with the strictest hotesty and fair
ness exercised by the teachers, there
would be such a difference in the man
ner of making estimates of pupils pro-
ficiency and so many errors of Judgment
honestly made that the satisfactory work
ing of the system would be seriously in
terfered with"
Written examinations are necessary in
determining the status OF the pupil under
our system of education" said Mr.. Ash
more. MANY errors which would pass
unnoticed in oral examinations are easily
detected in manuscript. Among the rea-
sons why examinations are required are
ahe following; L as a basis OF promotion;
2, for che information of the parents as
to the childs progress and standing; 3,
TO enable the superintendent and school
authorities to Judge of the results of the
methods used in the schools and to give
basis for comparative results; a, il Of
tep reveals 10 the teachers themselves de-
fedts in their own work, which they would
mot otherwise discover; 8. it furnishes a
stimulus 10 the pupils who tend to be-
come indifferent when they find they are
not called upon to facs examinations
The children need IL, and, for that mat
ter so do the teachers"
1.-THE idea that the children arc called
upon TO give summary of all the knowl-
edge they have acquired. or were expected
40 acquire during the year, and that 20
sdo so they must cram their brains with
rapid reviews of the work of the year,
IS entirely erroneous" said Mr.. Ashmore
There are three examinations held during
she year. one at the end of each quarter,
each preceded by reviews, and the exam
tnation now in progress is little, If any.
more ditttcult than the two which preceded
st. Tho promotion of the pupil is based
not upon the percentage attain
ed at the final examination, but
upon the general result the nv-
srage of the three examinations be-
Sng taken. In addition TO this the teach
eT's estimate of the pupils ability Is con-
sidered. II sometimes happen, though
very rarely, that a child, through nervous
ness or some other CAUSE, will fail to do
himself Justice at tho examinations ON