MARKING OF PAPERS IN MATRICULATION EXAM.

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 10

MARKING OF PAPERS IN MATRICULATION EXAM.

Swift and Erratic QUEEREST RESULTS IN LANGUAGES SECTION UNQUALIFIED ASSISTANTS. Per Press Association. THAMES, Last Night.

In the course of lengthy letters to tbe Thames Star in regard to his statement concerning the marking of matriculation papers, Mr. W. H. Hoult, rector of the Thames High school, says the matriculation examination to-day, in its unwieldiness, cannot compare well with that of 23 years ago. The number of hopeful candidates has vastly increased.

The English examiner and his assistants have to mark, I believe, some 4000 papers in three weeks. Only a very few minutes can possibly be given to a candidate’s two or threo hour English papers, the culmination of three or four years's work at secondary schools. Judgment is nearly as swift as but far more erratic than it will be on the student’s final Day of Judgment. "Teachers generally criticise most violently the marking of the English and French papers. It is here undoubtedly that the queerest results were obtained. Mathematics, science, history and so on, can be move definite, as items can be right or wrong. Tho present break-neck system cannot pretend. to do justice to such elusive things as languages. “Now for u word or two on tho examining personnel. So far as I understand, it is at tho head of a paper one generally reads ‘Examiners: professor *—and assistants.’ From evidence gathered from testimonials from young teachers applying for positions at this school, I am, I believe on safe ground when I state that ‘assistants’ are frequently students at the Universities. ‘‘Furthermore, the samo testimonials in some cases will show that these young folk have never had any practical teaching experience. I here hasten to state that I do not wish to challenge the honesty of any young assistants, nor do I suspect for a moment that any assistants have ever favoured any special condidate, or school. I do in all seriousness, however, question the ability of such students, who have never had any teaching experience, to nit in judgment on say English or French composition. Directions can be given them carefully but even then, the risks of uneven marking are appalling.”