The Washington times., 1937-02-26


especially members of Government or
Ranixations, should contact the writer in
the editorial room by 5:15 p. M, or
phone DI. 1000, Branch 21O.
Better advertising for Civil Serv-
ice examinations is the latest plea
of the Civil Service assembly,
leading research agency on mat
ters pertaining to Government
service in general.
Believing that attracting de-
sirable candidates into examina-
tions is as important to the pub
lie service as the actual testing
of them, the assembly has issued
pamphlet on advertising, writ
ten by William Brownrigg and
Louis Kroeger, which advocates
establishment OF complete mail
ing list for notifying the ambitious
when test looms.
The pamphlet, Toward Effec.
tive Recruiting" points out that
the California state personnel
board has adopted such an in
strument with fine result. Under
the system, folk anxious for Gov
ernment work fill out request
cards" which have spaces for in
Vulnerable data, such as name,
residence, sex, age. marital status,
education, war service and other
pertinent facts, particularly eXpe-
rience and training.
These facts are then coded on
punch cards, and when a test is
scheduled it is easy to sort out
the applicants who should be in
terested and let them know. They
must then apply for the exam
within a month.
The usual procedure OF posting
examination notices in post Of
fices. Libraries and other public
places is condemned by the pam
phlet quite definitely:
"As a rule such advertising Sc
cures applications only from the
habituaI job seekers and exami-
nation takers or the chance OBJ
server who at a particular mo
ment happens to ScrutiniZe
public bulletin board. Under this
procedure the chance that
qualified professional worker, for
example, will see the announce
ment of an examination in his
specially during the short inter
val that such a bulletin would be
posted Is exceedingly small"
The Federal Civil Service Com
mission has long followed the prac-
tice Of notifying people who ex.
press interest in a particular test,
but this hasn't proven very salts
factory, requiring a candidate to
fill out card for each test in
which he is interested. Also, the
cards 60 into the waste basket
after one notification although a
similar test may be c9ming along
which the candidate would also be
qualified for.
With 10000 Stenographers and
typists applying for the last test,
it is doubtful if better "advertiS'
ing" would be particularly need
full for such common categorieS
of tests, but an informative Sys-
tenn for the more technical jobs
would undoubtedly aid. For
example, Civil Service the other
day was forced to extend time
limits for tree surgeons with Ma
tional Park Service. nobody quail
fled having applied.
J.H. Lyman, of the AAA, is gen
eral chairman in charge of the
dance to be sponsored by the Agri-
culture Recreational Association
tomorrow in the patio of the Agri-
culture Administration Building.
9 to IL p. m.
Decorations are to be handled
by Mrs. Roby Stehr, Division of
Operations and A. B. Cadwalader,
AAA, and the latter is helping
Elsie Romero of Agricultural
Economics in arranging for the
orchestra. Refreshments are the
particular problem of Gertrude
Rest. Division of Operations. and
of H. Hibbard. Bureau of Plant
Industry, while "Yank" Robbins
and H r. Deem of AAA are sell.
ing tickets. Helping everybody is
N. N. Wright, office of the secre-
tary.
Richard A. Boggerson. unskilled
laborer, and Samuel Fairfax, press
work operative, retire from Gov
eminent Printing office this
month by reason of age, Acting
Chief Clerk E. C. Mellor has an
nounced. Mr.. Fairfax had served
% years, Mr.. Boggerson 10.
From the Civil Service Commis-
sion News, employe publication:
"a few days ago, one of the
members of the research di-
vision reported that he had
lost $5 bill. 1t had not been
turned in to the commissions
personnel office. A few hours
later, however, the telephone
rang and someone said, Has
anyone inquired about a S5 bill?
have found One.' And 50 the
money was handed to its owner.
''If DiOgeneS had kept on
travelling with his lantern, he
would have focused it, in this
year of our Lord, 1887, on Max