West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-12-12
UNIFORM EXAMINATIONS.
An Ex-Teacher Writes Plainly and
Po,ntedly ON the Subject.


This being subIee, of so much importance
not only TO the teacher but to the public
and general educational interests OF the
commonwealth, We think that the agitation
should continue to he pressed with such un.
relen,ing energy that public sentiment shall
demand of OUT law makers such legislation
as shall fully relieve the distressed situation.
| Without noting one 10y one the recommenda-
tons of the paper referred to. we will sim.
| ply state that we heartily concur with the
gentleman aud adopt the whole by our
unanimous consent yet we wish To add a
few recommendations which We will do by
asking and then answering few questions.
First. is the present system of public ex-
animation of teachers deficient II So, in
what docs the deficiency consist Second,
what is the remedy
In answer to the first question we would
emphatically say yes for different reasons
First too much discretion is left to the ex.
aminer or as the case may be to the examin.
ing board. For instance we know of an
examiner who made arithmetic his hobby
| and since the law requires an examination
in that science without any restrictions, he
made thorough knowledge of both Brooks
and Robinsons menlals requisite for
| No. certificate Notwithstanding the former
alone is complete treatise on the subject
for any school or college high or low.
That examiners term having expired his
| successor ignored mental arithmetic Ell.
tirely leaving IL out OF the examinations
but likewise made another branch his hob.
by. Such conditions are very aggravating
to a teacher.
And again examinations In Penmansbip
| and Reading permit the examiner to an
extent to raise or lower the applicants
grade by taking his manuscript as a criter.
ion to grade him In Penmanship and Oral
Reading in Reading. Such cases as these
leave the grading entirely to the discretion
OF the examiner and whether he Is a big
head or a clay brain the teacher or appli.
cant has no recourse from his grading
decisions
IL has been reported of an examiner that
he said he was going to knockout" a Ger.
tain applicant and there being no other
practical way to do this than to grade
him below average on Penmanship. That
was done by giving him per cent. below
the necessary lawful requirement for the
grade which he lawfully deserved.
That INSCRIPTIONS men do sometimes
occupy positions on the examining board
is NOT doubted by many although IL would
be difficult to prove their guilt. Certainly
man who would violate his obligations as
sworn officer OF the county would no
doubt II necessary perjure himself many
more times to vindicate himself
Yet what would you think OF an examiner
who to secure normal students and other
desired assistance would promise In ad.
vance good certificate and even 90 far
enough to secure the questions prematurely
by stealth or otherwise and place chem in
the hands OF applicants in ample time for
preparation for the coming test. Yet we
believe such is the case. We say we be.
lleve such because as aforesaid II would
he difi,ul to prove 1t
That the examiners OF equity should
be required or even permitted to be In.
structors in a county normal under the
present system is a condition 10 be lamen.
ted. How easy IL is while in that position
| to bring before the teachers things not
necessarily important TO a teachers quan.
hcations and then insert the same in the
next examination. thereby making IL i'm
possible for those not attending school to-
get hish grade certificate
II is very easy and just as nonscnsical as
IT is unscrupulous for an examiner to con.
mcncc an examination for instance In the
i ff iii
| Thomas IefeTson's supposed system of
public education2" when What do YOU
know about Dantes Inferno" would have
been about as appropriate.
And again to make out promiscuous
list OF words and ask the teachers to tell
from what languages they were derived
was We think farce Of an examination in
English Grammar
But TO drag politics into the examination
with what is the condition OF the state
since the Democratic handover" is 10 cap
the climax Yet the teacher must answer
in a Republicans view or fail We think
that such questions IRE entirely unreason.
able and out Of place and are only batched
out for the sole purpose OF Keeping the
teachers grade down perhaps with the
view Of rcscrvinR timber for the future
normal schools.
We know Of a teacher Of more than
dozen years experience aud one who has
taught no less than eight years on q first
grade certificate In both graded and un.
graded schools and who recently compIet.
ed the teachers course in a normal college
cnbracing twenty different branches and
received tho degreo cf fr.,sl.t. ~ L..
struc ion and yet failed In the public e1.
animation because OF = few isolated and
unimportant questions gottnn Up by a
| smart Aleck who chanced to get on the
| cxaming board but as Mr.. Grimes has said
boys and girls 70 years Of age With no ex.
/ pchcnce little book learning. totally isno.
/ rant Of professional training are receiving
/ high grade certificates by questions BILE
I means"
Now We are brought TO ask what IS the
I remedy for an these cvils2 Where shall
I the end be or shall this be like Tennyson's
brook. 90 on forever No there isa rem.
| cdy and that Is uniform state examinations
I administered b. tho manner indicated by
/ the writer before referred to.
/ The objections 10 uniform system. that
/ the educational qualifications Of teachers
\ must necessarily be much higher in some
I of thc counties than iu others Is an obiec.
| ton more apparsnt Than real Tor these
/ reasons in those counties where educa.
/ uonal standards are high educational faciI.
/ tiles are Likewise greater. high schools
/ more abundant hence pupils can with lit.
/ ilc dificulty discard the common schools
I when they reach the point who're the la.