BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-10-27
IelgIe[S Examinations.
October "a, 1902
To the Supervisors.

You are hereby informed that on
Saturday, April IS, 1908, an examina-
ion in English will be held in all the
owns where there is an English tea
cher.
In order to give the Porto Rican
.eachers a fair opportunity to prepare
for this examination the English tea
chers are hereby directed to teach
English three times week during the
last hour of the school board of the vi
cinity. Where there is more than one
English teacher in a town the work
shall be equally divided by the super
visor of the district. If teachers desire
to take lessons outside of the hours
established they must make arrange
ments with the English teacher, or any
other person, as a private teacher at
their own expense.
There will be there grades of exami-
nation: Rural, Graded, and Principal.
The examination for Rural Teachers
will include exercises in translation
from English into Spanish and from
Spanish into English; questions in gram
mar selected from Lecciones de Len
guaje, Ingles-Espafiol published by the
American Book Company; in addition
to which Rural Teachers will be requ1-
red to write dictation excessive from
the Standard First Reader.
The examination for Graded Tea
chers cover, in addition the foregoing.
First, dictation exercise from the
Standard Second Reader.
Second, the writing of composition
of not less than $50 words, on a theme
selected from list of five familiar to-
pics relating to the geography of the
United States, using Frye's Geogratia
Elemental in preparation for this work.
The examination for Principals will
include:
First, the writing of an exercise die
tated from the Standard Third Reader.
Second, questions IN grammar and
the use of words in English, basing the
words on Welsh's English grammar from
Lesson So to Lesson I2I inclusive.
Third, translations from Spanish into
English of an exercise selected from
Ell Lector Moderno No. I.
Fourth. translation from English into
Spanish of an exercise selected from
the Standard Fourth Reader up to page
.23I.
Fifth, composition in English OF
not less than 200 words on one to five
given topics on the geography of the
Unites States, using Frye's Grammar
School Geography in English in pre-
paration.
Ali exercises for translation shall be
taken from prose.
Supervisors will place copy of the
books mentioned in the hands Of tea
cheers requiring them for study. Where
teachers do not have these books they
should make requisition for them to
their district supervisors.
In this examination all teachers are
expected to attend unles previously ex-
cused by the Department, on applica-
tion through the supervisor. Teachers
who fail to attend, or who fall below 50
percent, will have this fact recorded and
taken into consideration as part of the
teachers record, governing the appro-
val or disapproval by the Department
of his application for the renewal Of his
following year.
Teachers are required to take the
examination corresponding to the grade
of the certificate which they now old
The last examinations in English
were not satisfactory, and certain prizes
which the Department intended to offer
from a small private fund, contributed
by friends in the United States who are
interested in the progress of Porto Ri
can schools, were not awarded.
The following prizes are offered for
excellence in this examination:
First, first prize of SIS in cash and
a certificate of attainment in English,
attested by the seal of the Department
for the best examination in each grade.
A first prize may be divided in case
two or more teachers of any grade rank
exactly alike, in which case each would
receive certificate.
Second, a second prize consisting of a
silver medal, with an appropriate ms
cription, for the second best examination
in each Of the three grades; additional
medals heing awarded in case two or
more teachers rank exactly alike.
All teachers having standing of 50
per cent or over will have their stand
ing recorded on their certificates for
next year.
No prize will be awarded in either
class where the first and second best
examinations are not of sufficient excel
lence, in the judgment Of the commits
sioner Of education, to justify the award
ing of the respective prize.
Teachers who have had special op-
porlunities for the study of English,
such as a period of residence of one
year or over in the United States, can
not be awarded prizes. In cases where
there are difficulties in determining
whether teacher has had special OPP
portunities, the commissioner of educa-
ion shall be the final judge.
Respectfully yours,
Samuel Mcclure Lindsay.
Commissioner.