The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-02-27
TO THE RESOLUTIONS ADOP-
TED AT PHILOMATH.
He Explains why There is Delay
in Passing on Examination
Papers-Says Similar De-
lays Occur in Other.
Counties
Local News.

February 23rd, an article from Phi
lomath over the signature of x
giving an account of the work OF
a local parents meeting at that pace
an extract of which is. The ques-
ton of 9Th grade examinations com
ing up for discussion, and it ap-
pearing that pupils of Philomath
had been subjected to long and un'
necessary delays in the past in re-
ceiving returns from examinations.
thus subjecting them to much in
convenience, and the following
resolution was unanimously adopt
ed:
Be it resolved that the county
superintendent be requested to ap-
point an eighth grade examining
board from Philomath to grade pa
pers of applicants from said dis
trict. and that the marking Of said
board be accepted by him.
Kindly permit me TO reply 10 the
same in order that the readers OF
the TIMES and the writer of the
said article may understand the ex-
tent of this work. and what we are
trying to do along this line. This
article says, lit appearing that the
pupils of Philomath had been sub
jected to long and unnecessary de
lays in the past in receiving returns
from examinations, etc" This
sentence might lead one to iufer
that this school has been treated
differently than other schools; that
the papers of the Sth grade appli
cants were graded in way differ
ent from other disteicts 1t also
shows that the writer is not tamil-
lar or has not investigated the ex-
tent of this work to be done, and
the conditions under which it must
be done. He has not considered
the number of applicants through
out the county taking these exam
nations. We admit frankly that
it requires three to four weeks to
grade the papers of each examiu-
alton. The examination last Feb
ruary took three weeks. and the
class was not an unusually large
one. Several county superiu'end-
ents inform US that it takes three to
four weeks to finish their work. 1t,
therefore, takes about the same
time in Benton as other counties.
Whether there is an unnecessary
delay" we will leave it to every
candid person to judge for them
selves. There are from 100 to 125
applicants each year taking these
examinations in our county. Each
applicant last year wrote upon ten
branches. There are from four to
six pages in each branch on legal
cap paper. The 122 applicants at
the examinations last year in this
county, allowing ten branches for
each applicant, had 1920 papers to
be graded. Allowing four pages
to each paper makes 1880 pages of
written matter to be read and grad
ed. rs it any wonder that it re-
quires considerable time to do this
work. Then remember that after
all papers are graded, the work
must be tabulated. The grades Of
each applicant must be added to-
gether and the general average OBJ
tained. Again remember that in
all cases where the applicants fall
below 70 per cent, the papers are re-
examined by the county superin-
tendent to see that no mistakes are
made. Letters or reports must
then be made out either for each ap-
plicant in case the school has been
closed or sent to the teacher. All
this work requires much work and
time TO do it correctly.
Now, how are we trying to han
die this work in our county? The
rule provides that this work must
either be done by the county su-
perintendent or a committee of
teachers selected by him. If the
county superintendent undertook
to do this work for the April and
May examinations. it would re
quire most of the summer TO finish
the work, unless he would stop all
other work which is impracticable.
At some examinations he does the
entire work himself, in order to
lessen the work of our already ov,
ertaxed teachers. These examin-
ations occur in January, April.
May and June of each year. With
the exception of January, these are
the busiest months of the year for
him. Last year therewere S6 apple
ants at the May examinations. This
meant $40 pages of legal cap pa
per to be graded. This examina-
ton occurred on May II to IS. AL
lowing three to four weeks to grade
these papers would take into June
before results could be known, pro.