Evening star., 1936-08-22
By Vesfa Cummings.
TINE ancient god of security fixes
his hypnotic eyes on lines Of
waiting Washingtonians these
\ dsvs &C thollsa ndS attpmnt TO

TINE ancient god of security fixes
his hypnotic eyes on lines Of
waiting Washingtonians these
days as thousands attempt to
qualify as civil service employees.
Never before in the history Of civil
service have so many Americans ap-
piled for Government jobs as during
the past year, and never before has
so many examinations been given in
Washington as during this Summer.
Nearly 1000 college graduates took
the 41a-hour examination for Junior
civil service examiners Wednesday,
August IL. at Mckinley High School,
an unprecedented number, represent
ing most of the universities of America.
This year 145090 persons from all
over the United States have tried the
examination for sub-railway postal
clerk alone, 101 ,675 passing and 43,415
being rejected. The stenographer-
typist tests have attracted approx
mately 10000 so far and 500 more
will be examined here August 28
Thinking up examination questions
on every conceivable technical subject,
and correcting papers of those who
try to answer them, keeps 109 persons
busy here daily.
The adult having his information
fathomed is given to nervousness,
according to Mrs. Jessie Cowles, ex-
aminer in charge of the Board Of
United States Civil Service Exam
ination for the District. who has been
with the examining department since
the World War.
Particularly applicants taking speed
tests in stenography and typewriting.
or any machines requiring skill, show
signs of panic, Miss Cowles says. She
has seen them blow up completely
and leave many times in the past two
decades, she says.
Once two men came in intoxicated
to take an examination. There aren't
any regulations against thinking while
drunk, so, although the alcoholics
succeeded in causing lots of merri-
ment. Miss Cowles let them stay. To
her amazement, they passed.
Painting under the strain is COM
mon and. although no one has ever
died trying to get job from his
country, as far as Miss Cowles recalls,
she remembers that one man had q
severe heart attack when he read the
test and had to be taken away in
an ambulance.
EvERY precaution is taken to keep
- civil service examinations honest,
Mrs Cowles says, although most ap-
plicants show no desire to cheat. Can
didates who receive the significant
admission card in the mail, stating
the place and date of the test, are
required to paste on it in a specified
spot a photograph of themselves taken
within two years. And it may not
be a proof. small picture, tintype
or a group photograph.
This practice makes it impossible
to bribe some brainy friend to take
your examinations for you, unless by
coincidence he happens to be your
double. Identical twins, perhaps,
would have q chance. You must look
like your civil service picture. not
only when you present yourself for
examination bearing the admission
card, but when you are notified to
fill a vacancy.
Petitioners taking typewriting ex-
aminations are instructed to bring
their own machines and tables with
them, q rule that creates one Of the
minor commercial enterprises OF
Washington. Typewriter rental con-
Germs do q rushing business on exam
nation days, delivering machines and
tables to the scene Of action tagged
With the names OF the renters. The