Year: 1871




examination.


EXAMINATIONS IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT..


The Board OF Examiners IN the Treasury Depart
ment consists OF the Head OF tho Bureau IN whlch
the Clerk is to be employed Mr.. Seville ChiefClerk OF
the Department, and Mr.. f. b. Elliott To the last
named gentleman nrusted the most OF the work OF the
Board many OF the Bureaus sending their candidates
directly to him. and al Of them transmitting to him the
papers for final revision. Mr.. Elliott is assisted In this
work by Mr. Eiholt Let us suppose, now that eand-
date has been fortunate unfortunate enough TO receive
assignment for rst-cass clerkshp In the Treasury
Department His general appearance Is good, he brings
copious letters OF recommendation and he claims to be
every way qualified TO Ill the position TO which
he has been appointed he presents himself, some fine
morning. the head Of the Bureau in which he desires
10 be employed, aud receives note to Mr. Elliott, re-
auesting that gentleman to examine him. Proceeding
the Statistical Bureau. he finds Mr. Elliott In one or
those denke that abound In the older part OF the
Treasury Building and is invited to take seat. He is
asked few questions concerning his age residence ed
ucaon and experience in the kind of work in which he
is about to engage. II has had classical training, or
has made any particular branch special study, that
fact Is noted, and when Mr. Elliott has learned
something Of his general ability, he appoints
the day for him TO appear for the formal
trial. and at the same time gives instructions to his
assistant concerning the nature OF the examination 10
which he is to be subjected. II the candidate has but
fair common school education and has been employed as


clerk accountant he Is, on presenting himself nrst
given an example Illustrating the class OF accounts or
computations cu which he has been lately engaged
considersd important, as 1t is thought that If the
candidate not thoroughly familiar with aud correct IN
the work which he has been in the habit of do
ing, he ia unlikely TO be efficient in any new
position. He is then required to answer some gen.
eral questions relating TO the fundamental rules
OF arithmetic, fractions, common and decimal
percentage interest and discount. domestic and foreign
iOht nd
common and metrical. bookkeeping grammar and
orthography. geography history government and law,
and correspondence. OF these, those pertaining 10
arithmetic bookkeeping orthography and grammar are
considered the most importantj and If the candidate
shows good knowledge Of these, his appointment Is
generally approved even though he make failures on
some of the others. mistake as to an historical date
or rustness Of geographical information would not be
considered OF much consequence. But II an applicant
showed ignorance OF the rules of fractions, percent
age, interest and discount, or Of bookkeeping, the
Board would not be likely to find him qualified
If the candidate has been college man, or has mad
special training in any particular branch, an examn-
alton in these subjects is added This mas been louhd 10
have good moral effect the candidates as causes
them TO hold the Board the system and the Department
in greater respect and tends to preserve their own SELL
respect failure in the higher mathematics the nat
ura sciences the modern languages would not be con-
sdered as ground for rejecting candidate who passed
the essential examination SUCCESSFULLY Wliio e"OOoS
full examination any all Of these branches would be
remembered to the credit Of the candidate whenever
promotions were to be made.


THE ROAD TO PROMOTION
Having passed the first examination successfully ana
proved himself efficient the clerk is on the way OF pro-
motion most of the secOnd-cass clerks being selecleu
from the ranks Of the first class Every candidate for
promotion is obliged TO again before the Board ana 10
be rexamned before hsnew duties or draws
the increased salary This second examination embraces
the same topics that the first did, except that the
questions are difficult II acandidate for promotion
fails when examined this does not preclude another trial
when another vacancy AL OF the papers Ia each
examination with the report Of the Board of Examiners
filed in the Appointment Division OF the secretarys
office and are always open the inspection OF the proper
officers Of the Department. The scene In Mr. Ehots
room where examinations daily taking place resem-
bles a college classroom during an annual" or y Dl
ennial" dozen desks are arranged around the room
and at them are seated as many men, tho majority OF
whom are white though here and there is an intelligent
black face rapid glance shows that all the different
grades OF students here their prototypes There Is
the sefconfdent man. afraid OF nothing, VINO contempt
uousy runs eye down the page Of questions given him.
and shows by his that he almost feels insulted
10 find them simple He is likely however, to run
upon snag before he half through and his paper is
aim os sure to be the of the lot Then there is the
quiet self possessed man, who is always master OF the
situation aud OF hmsef the report will be favorable 10
him. Near by the slow but sure man, and the nervous
! impatient one who never does himself half justice.
large majority of all the candidates pass successfully
but Is exercised not to send to the Board any VINO
| are not supposed TO be qualified


And what is the effect of this system" was asked OF
| one of the officers Of the Department.


Excellent" was the reply. Pass through these cor
ridors at any hour OF the day. and you will messen
gers with their arithmetics and grammars. They know
that their promotion depends upon themselves and rare
l nt,t tf,n IA


more interest manifested among the clerks of all classes


sort competition has sprung up and the work is bet
| ter performed"


| QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED IN THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS


In the Interior Department all clerks who enter the
service subjected to examination similar to that
OF the Treasury Department; but promotions are made
| on the recommendation OF Heads Of Bureaus without
| further examination.


In the Post-Oce Department. candidates for admis-
sion and also for promotion pass written examination
This extensive that TO which the Treasury
clerks submit, but is of more competitive nature
When vacancy occurs several OF the applicants for the
place designated to appear for examination. They
are their good appearance, and the
place from which they come their Endorsement being
taken into consideration. Other things being equal
the who passes the most satisfactory examination is
appointed OF course, under this system there are many
more reflections than under that practcedthe Treasury
Department though the standard is not high. Two
vacancies having occurred In one OF the offices OF the
Post-ofice Department last week, Is candidates were
examined for it; only four Of these came up to the
standard at all.


In the War and Navy Departments the examination is
still less systematic. A gentleman who has appeared
before OF the Bureau Boards in the War Department
several times for promotion thus describes the ordeal
through which he passed:


Examiner" What's your name ~


Candidate" John Smith,"


Examiner" Residence, place OF BIRTH and age /"
Candidate" Smithve, New-Yo was born in Utica
I'm the same State, and am 20 years OF age"


Examiner" Have you ever been In the military