The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-08-15

According to an interesting story
in the New York Evening Sun, the
concentration Of newspaper adVertls-
ing and a new system of practical eX-
aminations have worked wonders Tor
civil service in New York city.
These changed and more efficient
methods of hiring labor are put into
practice at the very beginning OF the
nrocess. with the insertion OF adVer-
tisements and notices of the eXamlna-
lions. According to Burns Gillian,
member of the board of examiners,
the direct saving to the city through
the more efficient methods OF adVef-
Using has been tremendous. Ana
this saving has been not merely
saving of dollars, but q narrowing
down of the applicants before the IL
raj examination, so that the cost OIL
time. money, and labor has been ap-
nreciablv diminished. In the ola
! Gays advertising for an examination
was a simple and automatic feat. The
notice was inserted into whatever pa
ners-dailies, weeklies, trade Joufn-
als-happened to be in favor at the
time, and very little regard was palu
to makeup, to the circulation OF the
papers. or to the possibility OF reach
ing a desirable class of applicants
Through the readers of the adyertls-
ing medium. Under suchsa system
advertisements for firemen were prln-
tied in trade journals and in peda-
eogical magazines at which a fireman
would be ashamed to be seen look
ing. Notices of examinations Tor I'M
portant, skilled positions went
broadcast into the daily papers, but
buried from the light under some
"Public Notice" column.
The specialized advertising that
has been developed under this COM
mission has resulted in a reduced
cost for advertising for each position,
in a decrease in the number OF lines
of advertising for each test, and IN
an increase in the number OF appll-
lcants. And the higher type OF the
average applicant who takes the hnal
examination iS shown by the smaller
number of failures of candidates I'M
der the new system. The reduction
in the average cost of advertising for
each examination is startling. In
1913 the cost was $409.7S, and in
1914 it was reduced to $9O.67. In
1915 the average cost was S8O.32
For the first three months of 1916
the average cost for each examlna-
ton was only $60.92, as compared
with $97.92 for the same three mon,
tbs in 1915. And all this reduction
of expenditure has resulted in &
great many more applicants, alth6
in most cases fewer papers and fewer
lines of advertising were used.
Since it costs the city on an aver
age $3.50 for each written examina
ton that is given for civil service
vacancy, the logic of restricting these
examinations to the more desirable
candidates who have the greatest op
portunity of passing, is obvious
When over a thousand men apply fol
a few vacancies as firemen, the waste
.. ientailed in giving them all try a
the pen and ink is obviated, first b!
the severe physical examination
which requires a man to be almos
100 per cent. perfect, and the prevl
Gus standards of character and eX
perience eXacted. The increase o
. applicants that the more specialized
: advertising has brought has been bal
, anced by the graded examinations
which select and Gull the candidates
who are physically fit, who have hat
the desired experience, and who,con
sequently, are most likely to pass thu
: final mental tests.-Editor and Pub