The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-07
MANY WILL TAKE IT
STATE TEACHERS EXAMINATION
Is A VERY BIG
AFFAIR
THOUSANDS OF PAPERS TO REA1
State Departments Busy season
What the New Law Has Done for
Minnesota-Better Teachers,
Higher Wages. ,-tt

The busy season of the state depart
ment of public instruction begins with
the new year. On Feb. 6, and tie
state examination for county teachers is
held, and from new until several months
after that time the department is over
whelmed with work The August and
February examinations for teachers con-
stitute about half of the entire work,
and the most important work of the de-
partment.
The preparatory work for these exam
nations is considerable. The department
has to make out the questions for the
examination. have them printed and dis
tributed to every county in the state. The
superintendent has to prepare letter
of instructions for the county superin-
tendents, and many printed forms have
to be sent out also. In many of the
counties of the state the examinations
are held in as many as six different
places and altogether there will be over
1870 examination points in the eighty-tWo
counties of the state.
In the counties where the examination
is held in more than one place the coun-
ty superintendent has to appoint depu-
ties to conduct the examination. The
department of public instruction will send
out about $1,000 examination questions,
embracing sixteen different subjects.
When the examinations are concluded
the county superintendent ship the pa
pers into the state department, and they
are read by teachers appointed by the
department for that purpose. The num-
Der of papers vary from time to time,
running as high as $4,000. and always be-
ing in excess Of $4,000.
AS many of the teachers who take
the examination must have their certifi-
Gates to begin the spring term with, it
is necessary that the papers be corrected
and the certificates issued before the
teachers begin their work after the
spring vacation In order to get this
vast amount Of work done the depart
ment needs many assistants, and for a
space of about three weeks there are
from fifty to eighty readers busily en-
gagged in reading and marking these ex-
animation papers.
After the reading is completed the GER
tifcates are written out in accordance
with the marks received by the appii-
cantS. In cases where the applicant Is
not satisfied with the departments mark
ings he may appeal for a re-reading Of
the papers, which is done at the state
university. 1t Is notable that Of the very
few appeal cases referred to the univer-
sity none has ever been raised above
the markings of the state department.
Law Passed in 1899.
The law placing these examinations in
the hands Of the state department was
enacted by the legislature of 1899. 1t took
the issuance of first and second-grade
certificates practically out of the hands
of county superintendent, and created a
uniform certificate standard. Previously
the county superintendent issued these
certificates on his own examinations
The result was that there was no uni
formity of certificates, and a first-grade
certificate in one county might be no bet
ter than a second grade in some other
county
But the principal aim Of the legislature
was to remove the county superintendent
| cy, so far as possible, from the influence
of politics. 1t was a common thing for
| political workers to bear down heavily
! upon county superintendent for certia-
Gates for their friends, and the tempta-
ton was always great for the superin-
tendent to grant the favor. The major
| ity Of the county superintendent them
selves were in favor Of changing the law
SO as to free them from the demands OF
political friends.
In addition to this great benefit, the
law has also served to raise the standard
| of state certificates, to increase the eff
| ficiency of the rural school education. and
! to raise the wages of teachers. The first
state examination, held in August. 1899
| played havoc with school teachers. Al
most 90 per cent OF those taking the ex-