The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-06-20
FOURTHCLASS POSTMASTERS
What They Must Know to Pass Civil
Service Examination.

!
gress have little to do in connection
with the filling of fourth-class post
offices.
Civil Service examinations will be
held for the filling of each fourth
class office, and these examinations
will be open to all. including the
present postmasters.
1t would not appear from the copy
of the Civil Service Commissions in
structions to applicants for the 4th
class postmaster examinations that
the tests are very severe, and yet
experience shows there not a few
who fail to pass. The subjects COW
cred by the examination and the
credits given are:
l. Elementary arithmetic and ac-
counts (simple tests in addition, sub
traction, multiplication and division
OF whole numbers and common and
decimal fractions and statements of
a postmaster's accounts,) forty cred
(; its.
2. Penmanship (the legibility,
neatness, and general appearance of
the competitors handwriting in the
subject of letter writing.f 10 cred
| its.
3. Letter writing Ca letter of not
less than 125 words on one of two
subjects furnished,) ten credits.
A. Copying manuscript addresses
| Ga simple test in copying accurately
addresses given,) ten credits.
5. Facilities for transacting pos
tai business (based ON the location
of the postoffice site; the conyen-
Hence of office arrangements, etc.,
thirty credits; total 100 credits.
The examination in the first sub
| ject consists of five questions along
1.-THE following lines:
In question one the competitor Is
given eight whole numbers to add
and from their sum he Is required
to. subtract another given whole
number.
In question two the competitor is
given the value of the stamps can
lceled at certain postoffice; the
Iamount of money received for news
paper and periodical postage, and
from the sale of waste paper, twine,
ETC., also the box rents collected. He
is required to enter the figures in a
given form, and to compute the SAL
airy of the postmaster for the quar-
ter in accordance with the directions
given in the form.
Question three consists of multi
plieation and division of decimals,
and also the reduction of a fraction
to decimal.
Question four is practical appli-
cation of measurements, such as
finding how many postoffice boxes
of given size can be put in a GER
tain space, or how many yards of IL
noleum of a given width are requir-
ed to cover a floor of given size,
etc.
In question five the competitor is
given the amount and fee of each
money order issued and the amount
of each money order paid at a CIV
en- office for a certain month. From
this data he is to make state
ment of the postmasters account
with the government in prescribed
form and to balance the statement.
All persons securing an average of
seventy will get their names on the
eligible list, and from the three high
est the postmaster general will; se-
lect the postmaster. In the case of
persons honorabiy discharged from
the military or naval service by rea-
son of disability from wounds receiv-
ed or sickness incurred in the line
of duty, an average of sixty-five will
be sufficient and such applicant will
be given preference over all others
in appointment.
Where the office pays more than
$500 persons over sixty-five years
of age are made ineligible. Where
women are declared by statute of
full age for all purposes at eighteen,
they are eligible to examination and
appointment. The examination in
each case viii be held at the most
convenient point and will be con-
Quoted when possible, by local ex-
amining boards. Marking of the pa
pers will be- done by the commits
sion.
1t will be necessary for every APP
plicant to fill out an application
blank which may be obtained from
the postmaster, and notice of time
of the examination will be served a
few days before II is held In every
case the character and record of
the applicant must be good and the
applicant be vouched for by at least
five persons