BY THE WAY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 252, 26 January 1889, Page 2

BY THE WAY.

Some one has doubted the utility of exami* nations as proper teste of a man’* capabilities. It has been asserted that very often an inferior man by judicious cramming can outstrip a far abler nun who perhaps from nervousness or overstudy is simply unable to pass the required examination. At the same time it must be admitted that until some fairer means of selection can be suggested the competitive examination offers a very fair standard to go by. Certainly it has its evils, but no system can be wholly free from these. Sometimes the questions proposed by the examiners are of a ” catchy ” kind, and give a real hard working candidate very little chance of utilising what- he has learnt, whilst a student who is simply crammed could answer the same question with very little difficulty. On the other hand the crammed one is at a disadvantage of having never learnt beyond a certain line and directly he gets beyond it he is literally " out of his depth.” The records of examination* give many amusing instance* of this. An English school examiner ba* lately published by way of a warning to schoolmasters some of the results of cramming children for examinations. He relates how he asked one class to define “ conscience.” They were all ready with the answer and one pupil being selected, the answer wa* given glibly enough “the ailent monitor of the heart.” The examiner then bethought himself to ask the same boy what a “monitor” was. This was rather a “ stickler ” for him, but another boy cam* to his aid with the answer. “Well what is it f ” “An ironclad, sir I” Another pupil had described very accurately the sufferings of the Jews through the unclean spirit entering into them. The question was then put. What is an “ unclean spirit ’’P But the boy who knew so much of the doing* of unclean spirits could not give the meaning The question was then put to each member of the class in turn till one little boy said, ” Please sir, I know it P” "Oh do yon, what ia the meaning thenP” "A dirty devil, sir 1” These examples could be multiplied to any extent and we will never b* at a loss for them while “ aramming *’ te allowed. Th* heartlesenaas of th* Press Association deserves saver* cansura. Lately they told ua how ths poor Rev. O. H. Bpnrgaon had mot with an accident, Later on they volunteer* 1 the ehooking information that ho had tumble! down stairs—and was kilted I No, ha bad bad two teeth knocked out, and three other* loosened I It was ead, very cad, that th* accident should have been so serious I But what I blame tho Press Association for is that after telling uo about the accident they hav* loft uo in ignorance ae to the recalls—whether they wore fatal or not, I have nbfer had the honor to have two teeth knocked out—for I presume it must be honorable when mon lik* Spurgeon indulge in it—but I know that when any of my friends meet with a lik* calamity they immediately become the ’• observed ’’ of' all their associate*. •• How did yon do it ?’ •• Who have you been fighting with ?” Ao., ar* the first word* that greet the injured one’* oars, and hia reply that a piece of wood flew up, or ae the caw may be, ar* received with incredulous smile*. Of course, I don’t insinuate that that’s how Spurgeon's affair happened, but I should have liked to hear more particulars.

Talking about th* parsons, Truth tells us the New York Herald has started a discussion on the question, “What shall wo do in Heaven ?” in which the parsons are not at all backward in engaging. Dr Talmage gives it as his opinion ” that Heaven is always improving. It is altogether different from what it was a hundred or a thousand years ago.” Truth pertinently askes how he reconciles this statement with the Scriptures, which tell u* that in Heaven there ia no difference between a day and a thousand years. By ths earns gentleman we are also assured that •• there will be the family room, th* music room, th* reception room, and the throne room.” Surely all thia sounds of the earth earthy, and the Bev. Dr might have gone a bit further and told na whether there will be morning calls, afternoon teas, or evening parties. Of course, there is always tho chance that th* paper is an American one, and we should tak* what appears iu it with a grain of salt. However, to continue.

«? 8 ,, ? ev ' Joha p » x fon writes:— Well I cannot understand eternal loafing around the throne . . . We cannot be destined to be wavipg palm-leaves and singing all day for all eternity . . . We have not all of ue the gift of music in us, and for my part, if I have to join the Choir I don't want to go there.” Dr Eaton gives it as hie opinion :—“ I do not believe that heaven will be a place where we shall spend our time in waving palms and singing psalms. Neither do I look upon it as an old curiosity shop where useless nnd lifeless saints are kept in stock.” Dr Seward declines to believe that people will follow in heaven the occupations which engrossed them upon earth for in that case, he asks, •• What would become of the undertakers !” I think Dr Seward might also have asked what would become of the clergymen, for if all we ar* told is true their occupation would be a* little in request as that of the undertakers. However the p-oblem is I think one that can only be solved by personal experience.

From parsons to races is a long drop, but perhaps the latter take up a greater share of our mind just now. Certainly our cry of “hard times” is not warranted by our action*. Two days' racing in one week is not bad for a small place like Gisborne. £4250 invested in the totalizator during those two days makes one wonder whether it is really the racing or the betting which has the more attractions for ths majority of pcop’e. It certainly looks very much like the latter when we find in one race the amount invested on the totalisator is 28 times as much as tho prize money and in another case the amount reaches 35 times a* much. There was never leas than £2OO on a race and the greatest amount in any one race exceeded €5OO. But besides the totalisator high prices were paid for the privileges and of course all that hid to come out of tb* pockets of vieitor*. And yet we complain of the times 1 Should it not rather be bf th* psople 7

Perhaps the worst effect of the races Is ths crowd of shady characters with which for the time being it floods ths town. Prominent among these are of course ths spieling fraternlty, and though they may not know it every stranger has been looked upon with more or less suspicion. It must ba a wonderful pay. ing game this spieling business when so rnauy of the fraternity can afford to come here and >ay passage, board, ond other expanses, anq it is pretty certain that they must take a lot of money away each time or they would not return so often. The racecourse is always a fine opportunity for the study of human character. Here we have the great undischarged rolling up in grand style; there, hi* >oor creditor bestriding *oms sorry hack, lere, the man popping his saving* for months upon the fotslisafcr; there, hi* master trying his best to borrow a '• quid ” from an old friend ; here, Jemima Jane and her young man cutting a dash on the grand, stand; there, her mistress maplng in her buggy envying her more fortunate: maid I It's a queer world, my masters I

The Island trade of which so much was made is not such a boon after all. That fs if the communication made by an official assignee to a Southern Comtemporary is noi exaggerated, and there is no reason why’ it should be so. That gentleman relates how an order was given to a butter ieotory, The order was fulfilled, but no remittance came to hand, owing, it was said, to th* difficulty of procuring exchange. Soon after tb* d>i D . ment was mad* a tetter was received from a Melbourne firm in which enquiries ware mode as to the statu* of the Island firm, a reference er , com P‘ n J hsTln K boon given them I Several other order* hove b» n raeaived at various times “rammittao** to b* made by return mail.” but th* mon.* way al in* Wlter|faoi* r y, “ - ii4>H