The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-09
SHOCKED
IRE People Who Read Senator Mcck's
Testimony in School investigation.
STAR CHAMBER SESSION PROPOSED
In Bill introduced for Appointment OF
Another State commission--some
Interesting Gossip About ohIo's
School Affairs.

Another State Commission-Som
Interesting Gossip About ohio's
School Affairs.
Columbus. O..-(Specla) - Parents
and educators who have looked upon
the school system OF Ohio as a model
can hardly help being shocked at the
admissions of Senator William II.
Meek, made before the investigating
committee OF the legislature.
Many teachers entrusted with the
training of the boys and girls Of Ohio
have been granted certificates to
teach not because Of merit, but be.
cause the state examiners, for rea.
sons known only to themselves. have
seen fit to issue certificates when the
applicants fell below the required per-
Centages in examinations. Teachers
who stood as low as 20, 10 and even
zero in some studies have been given
certificates to teach in those studies.
1t is a condition that appeals strongly
TO every father and mother.
Senator Meek. himself an examiner
for ten years, confessed that had taken
part in these gross Irregularities and
announced that the examinations
were worthless The investigators
will hold another session Monday. Up
to date the following facts have been
brought out by the testimony of SEN
ator Neck, and they show the people of
Ohio, who are interested in the edu.
cation Of their children, the condition
as II actually exists:
He told the committee that many
persons who had fallen below the
minimum had been granted certifi-
Gates. In the 1900 examination G7
per cent Of the applicants fell below
the minimum and that was an average
examination.
How did they get above It them"
asked Judge Miner. attorney for the
investigation committee.
Neck said that an applicant must
average so per cent or higher in all
the studies and must not fall below
co in any one study.
w Hdl WOuiu IS lHt btiIbe III HdVlnR
2 GO per cent rule. II the average is
to determine?" asked Judge Dever, OF
the committee.
Judge, to he honest with you, while
we have written rules we never fol-
low any rules at all. II Is always
fixed up to correspond to the rules"
"And you Joined with the rest in
fixin5 It rp?"
81 could not help myself We al
ways raised them to 60 per cent or
more. II would mean a personal
break between the examiner and my
self II ! did not do It,"
Senator Beatty inquired about
pull" and Senator Meek answered:
"The state examination has been so
conductes that we might just as well
have gone over the list OF applicants
on. the first evening before the exami-
nation and picked out what men were
considered good, Indifferent and bad
and so on. The closeup pretty near
ly corresponds with the first evenings
talk about the applicants. Many OF
those grades that gave so in were
20 or 30"
In answer to question OF Mr.. Lit
tie, of the committee, he said:
1--WE go over the list and mark
some o. X. and some NJ o. X. means
not that they are going to get Ger.
tifcate, but that there is nothing
against them. M. means we do not
know anything about them and there
fore they must go upon merit"
Suppose an applicant is examined"
asked Judge Miner, and you are
satisfied from the grades he makes
before you that he ought not to have
a certificate isn't 1t your sworn duty
to simply refuse to sign his certif.
cate?"
well, explained the other day"
"Just answer the question: Isn't II
your dutyT"
81 suspect II is true"
"What is the object OF the examina.
ton II your examination does not cor.
respond with the work." asked Judge
Miner.
I'VE might just rs we'll not go
through the examination"
"You learned they were doing this
as early az 1900 and yet you have
continued to mark them so when they
were low, right up to the present
timer"
"Yes."
When you suspected others were
boosting grades. why did you not
eave them exactly where they were?"
asked Judge Bever.
"The average was over So"
There would not be the same LA
bility OF the average being above 80,
II II were down In your branch, as
there would be II you marked them
80 or So"
IF you had been sitting on the ex-
board for ten years you
would change your mind on that" re.
'ponded Senator Meek.
but isn't that mathematical fact?
You say your speciality is mathemat.
|cs?"
THAT is true. There Is no way TO
stop the passing OF an applicant very
we'll, II they are determined to raise
he grades"
Judge Miner asked: did II ever
'ccur In the examination OF a man
n the last ten years that you did not