Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-28
EXEMPTIONS MADE
FROM CIVIL SERVICE
BECAUSE OF TESTS
Library and Public School
Employees Already Required
to Take Examinations.
DR.. BOWERMAN TELLS
OF SYSTEM NOW USED
Rule of Commissioners Will Apply
Only to Workers in Special
lied Divisions.

Library and other divisions of the Dis
tr1ct government, where the employees
are charged with specialized work, Is
founded, as the Commissioners have
stated, on the fact that in the case Of
the schools and the Library especially
the employees are already selected by a
merit system that has been found to
function adequately
In the case Of the Library, DR.. George
F. Bowerman, chief librarian, explain
ed today, the methods and the Qualifi-
cations set up for making appointments
are such that the Library Is already Sc
curing at least as good results as could
be expected by making appointments
from the eligible list of the Civil Serv-
ice Commission.
DR.. Bowerman pointed out that dur
ing the 26 years he had been chief Ii
brarian in Washington he had always
Strtven TO improve the quality of the Ii
brary service by steadily raising quail
f1cationS, educational and personal, Of
those appointed to positions in the IL
brary service. He has always kept in
| touch with the work of the Civil Service
Commission and believes that he has
maintained standards at least as high as
those set up by the commission. He
explained that under the library law
the Board of Library Trustees, ap-
pointed by the District Commissioners,
appoint the chief librarian, and he in
turn appoints his assistants.
Trained Personnel.
"Since the Public Library has always
been conceived of as an educational
system" he said, ut has always been
recognized as necessary that the library
staff should be well educated and well
trained to give expert service"
fhot Vryta I1A D.
Washington more than rs years ago
he found that the Libraries salaries, all
fixed in appropriation acts, had been
among the lowest of those in any large
city in the country. So low, in fact,
that he could only in rare instances
recruit his staff from those who had
attended college or who had taken pro-
fessional courses Of training in library
schools. In order to meet the situation
he established a library training class
with requisites of high school gradu-
alton and an entrance examination for
admission. For many years this was the
principal means Of recruiting the
Library staff. Whenever possible, per-
sons with college and library school
educatsons were appointed.
The Redistribution act brought much
better salaries to the Library staff.
This made 1t possible to abolish the
Library training class and to raise the
standards of education and professional
training so that during recent years for
most Library positions college grad
uation and library school graduation
are required for appointment. More
over, every effort Is made to stimulate
members to maintain the high stand
ards Of efficiency and to go forward
with their education, formal and in
formal Staff conferences by groups.
are held for the interchange of opinion
and staff training. Whenever found
practicable and not injurious to the
health of the assistants they are urged
to take courses in local colleges to sup
plement any deficiencies in education
or training or to prepare themselves for
more advanced work Others are en-
ccuraged to take leave Of absence for
an academic year or to go away to take
college or library school courses.
so College Graduates.
In 1904, DR.. Bowerman said, out. of
the staff of 80 Cincluding building
force and pages there were but two
college graduates besides himself and
three others with partial college courses
or library school training. At present
with total staff of more than 200 dn-
GLIDING some part-time employees,
.,
pages, building force and bookbinders,
there are go college graduates and II
more with at least two. years Of college,
most Of whom have had library school
courses in addition to or as part Of their
college courses. These figures leave out
Of account the pages, most Of whom are
taking college courses in local colleges
while employed in the library.
DR.. Bowerman said that he believed
the methods followed here had secured
excellent results. In his latest annual
report ne stated that members OF the
professional and SubprofeSSional staff
had been asked to fill out missionaries
giving for each a statement of educa-
ton, professional training, plans for
further education or training, cultural
opportunities regularly utilized, reading
habits and interests, memberships in
professional library associations and
other similar facts. The answers re-
ceived made an excellent showing, he
said.
In the case of the public schools the
teachers are appointed under a Sepa-
rate system controlled by the Board of
Education. They constitute the largest
class of municipal employees not under
civil service. Candidates for teaching
positions first have their educational
qualifications determined by the board
of examiners of the school system.
Those qualifications for eligibility are
set forth in existing legislation by Con-
gress and the Board of Examiners itself
is appointed by the School Board under
provisions in legislative acts dating
from September, 1869.
Placed on Eligible List.
Having been determined eligible, the
candidates are required to take a COM
petitive examination under the direc-
ton of the board of examiners. The
ratings received in the test by the can
didateS in turn determine the order
in which their names appear ON the
eligible list" actually a list of persons
| who may be appointed at any time to
teaching positions. Vacancies are filled
from this list, in consecutive order
The board OF examiners Of the pub
lie school system was authorized first
in 1869 when the act defining the duties
of the superintendent of public schools
became effective. In section 2 of that
measure, the thsn board Of trustees of
the schools was given power to appoint
all teachers, assistant teachers and sub
teachers. The act specified that the
board of trustees was to select a COM
mittee for the examination Of teachers,
assisted by the superintendent"
In the organic law of 1906, the or
ganization and function of the Board
Of Examiners were made palmer. III
| that act 1t was specified that the ex-
aminers' board should consist of the
superintendent and 1.-TWO heads of de-
nartmentS of the white schools for the