The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-28
TESTS TO FIT THE OFFICE.
N1gW CIVIL SERVICE EXAMTNA-
TIONS AT ROCHESTER,.
DRIVERS Must show Tina They Can Drive,
Meter Reader That They Can Read
Meters-POIcemen Required to shoot
" BtralKht-PIan Considered q success.

ROCHESTER, Oct PA new system OF
rxnceical examinations has been established
by ttA Municipal Civil Service Commission.
The plan is to make the test At the job.
Raman wants a job at driving afire wagon
he must show the commissioners that he
knows how to drive horses, not that he can
figure out how many quarts OF oats nine
horses will eat in three weeks and three
days II one horse eats four quarts Of osts IN
one day. II he wants a job as meter reader
he must actually read a series Of meters,
and not show that he knows how many mill
ions Of miles away the sun il from the
earth. II il practical knowledge, not book
learning. that counts now.
The first Of the practical tests was for
drivers Of the FIRE department. IT chief
Of the department, Charles Little, one OF the
old school Of fire fighters. had been COM
planning that he was getting poor drivers IN
the department.
Give me some men who can drive he
pleaded.
The commissioners started out 10 comply
with the request. They decided that the
best way 10 find out IL a man could drive was
70 put him behind a team OF spirited fire
horses attached to a fire wagon. The prac-
tical test was to count so per cent. OF the
candidates. entire rating. His physical
rating was TO count IS per cent. and his writ
ten examination. consisting only Of ques-
lions tending TO show his knowledge OF the
care, treatment and diseases of horses, was
figured at only 25 per cent.
As had been expe ted. many OF the men
who had been planning to take the eX-
animation dropped out, but their places
were taken by double the number Of expert
enced drivers who had never thought OF
taking the examination until they learned
that it was real ability to handle the reins
that was to win the appointments.
The result was that the commission had
the largest list Of applicants ever known
for the job. Three Of the most prominent
horsemen in the city consented to act as
Judges Of the driving test.
Forty-two men were declared eligible to
take the test, which was divided into two
days. on each morning thousands OF
spectators lined the roadside watching the
various candidates steering the prancing
Ere team, running them at top speed,
stopping with a short pull up and backing
the big wagon through a barn door. To
IRE sma | boys of the city the exhibition
was as attractive as the street parade Of
Barnum's circus.
AS a result Oh llt COIlttSN NlcIt ~ uOt N
Door driver on the eligible list this time.
All the good drivers may not be at the top
Of the list, but it is certain that all the men
at the top are good drivers.
The test made a convert Of the old fire
chief. There is no more enthusiastic civil
service reformer in Rochester to-day.
Il don't care how much book knowledge
a man has or how clever a penman
L. y ,o;I Nb, ohsaf aftar tho ax-
hibition. Il want men who can drive. I
can tell a driver by the way he picks up
the reins, and so can any other horseman.
What / want TO know is whether the men
who are coming into the department to
drive to fires through crowded streets
can drive. IT they can drive. that's enough.
II they can't, I don't want them on a fire
steamer"
The next test was for meter readers.
The city has just abandoned the fiat rate
and is installing water meters in every
case. The change will double the force
OF meter readers and the COMMISSIONS
Of Public Works was especially anxious
to get good men.
He also complained that the Civil Service
Commission had not given him good men
in every case, and that he had men who could
III ANbA = NAANA ~ IVY
several months to training them.
There are plenty of men working as
Iaborers down in the repair shop who know
how to read meters" said the Commits
sioner, "but they haven't got enough educa-
tion to pass your examination The BUSH
ness Of q meter reader IL to read correctly,
and the only way they can learn TO read
them is by experience. Give me practical
men and cut out the college graduates
Upon investigation it was found that there
were fifteen different kinds OF meters in
use in the city. The commission planned a
practical test.
Five Of the meters were placed on desks
IN a well lighted room. In an adjoining
room, which had been darkened, five more
were placed on desks and the candidate
was provided with a candle to work with.
The last five were placed in a dark room
and on each desk was a box OF matches
There were ninety candidates at the outset
and each had to read the fifteen meters
In practice meter readers are often CON-
PEELED to go into dark cellars to read meters
Thus the test was practical.
Less than 10 per cent. OF the candidates
passed the examination, but the men who
did pass had given convincing proof that
they were capable of doing the work re-
Quired of them.
Another practical test was for chauffeur
for the electric police patrol wagons which
replaced the horse wagons a short time ago
The Public Safety Commissioner at frs
thought it impossible to get competen
chauffeurs through an examination anc
suggested that they be exempted.
But the civil service men reminded hin
that il the way 10 discover whether a MAJ
could drive fire horses was to make hin
drive then the way to discover whether
man could operate an electric AUTOMOBILE
was to make him run it. Tn commissions
then acduiesced and the test was arranged.
The ratings we're based on the usual lines
50 per cent. being given to the praotica
teet, The commission enlisted the aid o
three Of the city's most prominent auto
mobilists to act as judges at the test.
The test took place at the old Driving
Park in the presence Of several hundred
apootators, including city officials, scorchers
AbAAl BOYS and camera tiends. {. r. Mil
liken, president Of the State Civil Servic
Commission, came up to Rochester to se'