The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-04

frame every recommendation in such a
way as 10 encourage growth.
I'VE hear today a gOcG deal OF COM
paint about examinations. We all
know that many things cannot be de-
termined by an examination, we all
recognize that an examination Is not
an exact test for selecting or promoting
teachers. We use examinations, how
ever, as am auxiliary in this work. and
there seems to be no special reason why
they are less effective in the work of
selecting or promoting teachers than In
selecting OF promoting other public
servants. An examination will. how
ever, test ones accuracy. the fulness
OF ones memory and ones power of
concentration. You can find out from
set OF papers whether q man knows
his own mind or not.
knowledge and Power.
ut seems fair to assume that there
Is some relation between knowledge
and power. We unconsciously assume
that the man who knows is the man
who can do, and we believe that the
only reason why people need to know
is that they may be able TO do. An eX-
animation, however, in many cases de-
termines not so much the applicants
ability 10 do the thing desired as his
ability TO tell how It should be done.
1t is. however. fair to assume that the
person who has knowledge is interested
i'm doing the thing, that there is q rela-
ton between knowledge and interest,
knowledge OF n particular kind of work
and interest in doing it. The man who
has the best sort Of knowledge about a
particular piece of work is, other things
being equal, the more interested and
the best prepared to do IT,
Teaching, too. calls for ability TO
state clearly what one knows. 1t is a
part Of the equipment of a teacher 70
be able 10 talk, TO explain, TO interpret.
The teacher who is dumb i'm the pres
ence of a problem demanding solution,
who lacks the power of expressing her
self directly and accurately, is i'm a de-
gree untitled for the work she is at
tempting to do. An exanination will
test this.
Right Sort of Stuff.
I'VE hear a good deal today about
'Cramming' for examination. study as
preparation for an examination is
called cram by persons who wish
to condemn what they do not approve
of. / believe that the man or woman
who has the ability to prepare thor
oughly for an examination has in him
the right sort of stuff 10 make a teach
ti- Inc NtttNbSE lilASb DoSStSS Nilt PVWNl
to go To the right place for material
and To use this material when she gets
il. 'Cramming' means simply ability
to so To the sources of information ard
select the proper material for the sit
uatiOn. The power to cram is the
power that everyone should wish for,
none more so than the teacher who
must prepare for every lesson every
day of her life.
Examinations, however, do compar-
atively little to test the moral quail
ties. They do not accurately test such
qualities as diligence, patience, sense of
duty, or interest iii the work we are
doing. although they do SO to a degree.
An examination will not test the SYM
pathy. the power of working with or in
fIuenciug others; in other WORDS. an eX-
animation cannot DC a complete test.
Somehow we are compelled to estimate
the power of people, whether by writ
ten examinations or by personal esti-
mates.