The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-02-27

posed in Maryland, the State would
adopt new system Though night
schools would continue) which in one
form OF another is being used in
Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey
and Illinois. The Maryland bill is
being modelled closely to the Pennsyl-
vania law, which has been in effect
since 1911.
In order to discourage high-school
students from dropping out of their
classes, the proposed law would not
permit anyone to take the special ex-
aminations until he or she had passed
his nineteenth birthday. All examina-
tions would be given under the super
vision of the State Department of
Education-perhaps three times a
year-and they would be held at va
rious points throughout the State for
the convenience of those taking them.
1t is suggested that the examining
sessions might be held in Baltimore,
Cumberland, Upper Marlboro and
Easton. To defray the cost of the sys-
tenn, each student taking an exam
would be required to pay a fee of 81
for each subject.
Self-Preparation
AS for the student himself, he could
prepare himself for his examinations
as rapidly as he cared to and in any
way. He might study by himself, en-
list the aid of a tutor, take CORE
spondence school course. The only
stipulation that the State would inn
pose would be to make sure that he
could pass a comprehensive examina-
ton, broad enough in scope to show
that he was not merely getting by
with some hastily crammed informa-
ton which he would promptly forget.
Making up the examinations would,
of course, be a duty of the State De-
partment of Education. In Pennsylva-
mia, it is said that the examinations
given are far from easy and that of
the 1000 or more students who take
them every year, about forty-five per
cent of the candidates fail to pass.
This is usually the result of insuffi-
Gent preparation, but a candidate who
fails to pass may take his examina-
ton again, on another occasion, by
paying the required fee.
No Limitation
There would be no limitation under
the plan being considered on the num-
Der. of subjects in which a candidate
could take exams. Theoretically, he
could take them all at once. Actually,
however, the experience in Pennsyl-
vania and elsewhere shows that few
candidates take more than three sub
jects at time, which is roughly COM
parable to the number taken by the
ordinary college student.
There is at present no way of know
ing how many Marylanders would be
interested in taking advantage of
such plan, but it's sponsors point
out that the Pennsylvania examina-
lions are well-attended, that the an
nual number of individuals taking the
tests sometimes passes $500, and
that some people in Maryland have
been known to go to Harrisburg in
order to get Pennsylvania credits. 1t
is assumed, therefore, that there
would be plenty of candidates in
Maryland.
Backed by Committee
Considered from time to time over
number of years, the plan was first
publicly proposed here few weeks
ago by two members of the House of
Delegates, Bertram L. Boone and AL
bert L. Sklar, and is now being
backed by committee of which
Rabbi Edward l.. Israel, Theodore R.
McKeldin and Albert Robson are
members. David Laupheimer, Balti-
morean, who formerly headed the
school for pages in Congress, has also
been taking an active part in the
campaign. Sponsors of the plan admit
that there are some dangers involved
which, if the bill goes through, will
have to be guarded against. One of
these dangers is the possibility that
some politicians might try to bring
pressure to bear in behalf Of their
friends who wanted credits without
going to the trouble of preparing
themselves for examination. This,
however, is matter for the Depart
ment of Education to handle, the
sponsors say, and is not Of sufficient