The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-01-27
Improved Methoils Of Examining Teachers

Improved Methoils Of Examining Teachers.
The following paper, read by Pro
+. J :. Browne. OF Clarendon county, wa
, received with marked appreciation b
. the Association of County SuperintenG
ents of Educator at the meeting recent
| %iy held in Columbia:
;'What Improvement should be mad
! in the methods of conducting Teacher;
sEXaminations:''
The question presupposes the fac
3that there are existing defects in tn
present methods. aud further that way
sand means can Ee found to improve
: upon them.
| desire to point out few thing:
which: according to my opinion. would
be of great benefit. and u decided i'm
provement over the present methods
In the first place, [ would advocate most
strenuous!y, that at least two days time
be given for the examination. Let there
+ oe a greater number of questions on each
/ subject. especially of the leading sub.
/ jects, English. Mathematics, History
! and Geography. Let these questions
/ oe carefully prepared, and with view
of giving every applicant for teachers
/ certificate ample opportunity OF bring
Eship, and general fitness for the teach
fer's profession. The list of questions
as furnished periodically for these ex-
Examinations do not. as q rule, tend to test
the real ability of the candidate, and as
the list must be hurrie6]y taken, the
stime is entirely TOO short to afford much
thought work. hence the more difficult
parts OF the examination are sighted.
and sometimes omitted entirely.
! | would also recommend that an allot-
mentof time be given each subject, and
the amount of time and thought requir-
ed to prepare creditable paper be
based upon what an average candidate
should be capable Of
Let the county Superintendents, as far
as practicable, give out only one subject
at g time, all taking the same subject at
the same time, and at the end of the al
lotved period, let all papers be collect
ed, seeing that each paper is properly
folded, and contains the name and ad
dress OF each candidate, or his proper
number in case that method should be
thought preferable. This plan can be
readily carried out, if the superinEend-
enc will arrange to have clock in view
of the candidates. Let the various sub
jects be detached along the perforated
lines and placed in envelopes and prop
erly labeled, which will greatly facili-
tate the distribution of the questions,
thus giving the candidate the benefit of
q full period of time. This plan IS far
better than the handing out to each
candidate full sheet OF questions, leav-
ing him to go to work on any subject
he desires, and to spend as much time
or as little time as he feels disposed to.
The result frequently is that few ever
hand in complete set of answers.
Each teacher would spend his or her
time on the subjects of his or her choice,
leaving other subjects untouched, or at
best unfinished. This method gives |
rise to various kinds of apologies, or ex-
cuses for poor and incomplete papers.
Comparatively few win first grade
certificates based strictly upon the mer-
its of their papers, if the percentage as
outlined on the examination questions
be strictly followed. In fact, under the
system Of one days examination, it is
hard for the average candidate to win
second grade certificate if the percent
age plan be strictly adhered to: This
has forced upon County Boards the al
most absolute necessity of issuing certi-
fcateS where none where honesty won.
Or in many instances of issuing permits
good until the next examination, simply
to be able to get teachers, the defects
being traceable to large degree to the
lack of sufficient time to stand the ex-
animation.
Another great trouble in conducting
examinations is the lack of the proper
facilities for handling the candidates.
The examinations are generally con-
Quoted in the court houses, and as rule
have very poor accommodations for the
work. AS one of the greatest and most
important Improvements, would sug-
gest that all teachers certificates be IS
sued by the State Board of Education.
In my Judgment, this could be affected
by pursuing the following plan: Let the
State Board of Education appoint an ex-
amining board of specialists for the
worS. This board could be composed of
qualified county superintendents, mem
bers OF county boards whose qualifca-
tons warrant, and from leading school {,
superintendents and teachers of recog
nized ability. In other words,
let the examining board be COM
posed of the best talent to be
had. On the dates appointed for
the examinations, let the county super
conduct them, collect the
papers by subjects, and tie them into
neat packages, seeing that every paper
contains the name or number OF the ap-
plicant, the name of the county, or in
brief, let any form of Identification be
sufficient. Let all papers be forwarded
to the State Superintendent at the close
OF the examination. in similar manner
10 the method employed in conducting
competitive examinations for Winthrop
and Clemson colleges. Let the State
uperintendent get together all papers
by subjects, and send to each examiner
as many papers as are deemed necessary
or eXpediens, parcelling them out to the
specialists on the various subjects. These
experts having onlv one subject to deal
with could do the work more eXpedit-
iously, and better than can be done by
the .arious County Boards. the mem!
ber:; OF which frequently not practical
teachers, and probably never have bea:
and who must necessarily do their work
in an imperfect Or careless manner.
Let these special examiners be paid
reasonable sum for such services. The
State Superintendent as he receives the
reports. tabulates them by counties. and
upon his recommendations, together
with report of grades made, the State
WI rha,, iScpa Stota nnftI fipo
to those who are entitled to them, which
certificates could, and would be a pass
port for the holders thereof all over the
State. The advantages OF such plan
can hardly be overestimated. The hold
er of State certificate would have many
advantages that the present plan can
not afford. It would give them high
standing in the profession, and would