1936-07-30 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1936.

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The

Hongkong Telegraph.

THURSDAY, July 30, 1936,

A DILEMMA AND

A

MANY PEOPLE, ESPECI- were invited a year ALLY in recent times, have or so later to re-judge

attacked the examination aya-

tem. As a non-educationist, I the same scripts with

have never been much impressed all marks'erased. It was found' by these attacks, believing that in the result that they differed in an imperfect world every- un widely from their own previ- thing, whether the examination ous judgments, as they had system or democracy, is bound differed from the judgments of "They predecessors. to be imperfect, and that the their. proposed Rubstitutes are likely changed their minds as to the to be more imperfect still. verdict of Pass, Fail and Credit I never ralised quite how im- in 92 cases out of the total of perfect the 'examination system is, however, till I read a shilling pamphlet entitled "An Examina- tion of Examinations," written by Sir Philip Hartog and Dr.

E.

held of candidates suitable for: the higher Civil Service. Two boards of oxaminers were ap pointed, and the 16 candidates came before each of them in succession for a viva voco ex- amination. Each board after- wards drew up a separate list of the candidates in order of merit,

Here, as in the other, tests,

th eexaminers showed nu extra- ordinary incapacity for agrec. ment. The candidate who was placed first by Board I. WILS placed thirteenth (out of 16) by Board H. The candidate who was placed first by Board II, was awarded only the eleventh place- by Board I.

EXAMS EXAMINED

C. Rhodes and published last year by Messrs. Macmillan.

Talk of the glorious uncertainty of the Turf! The facts revealed in this pamphleta report of an expert inquiry in to the working of the examination system- suggest that a boy or girl in the examination room needs most ns much luck. Ja a horse on the racecourse in order to pull through.

After reading this re- jort feel that, if I were a schoolboy again and were ploughed in examination, T should demand a recount.

an

Here is an example of how 210"-210 being the number of examiners differ from each other verdicts given on 15 scripts by 14 in marking the same papers. examiners. Fifteen papers,

or "seripts," We are told that of the 11

The case, unimportant in some respects, touches a point of considerable public interest. The facts, briefly, as related in the Police Court, were that the ricksha was engaged in Yaumiati | by a fare who agreed to pay thirty cents to be taken to the

A further experiment was Sam Lee Bont Building Yard. n, whilst on the journey, the tried and these 14 examiners roolie, noticing that the passen- Ker was in a fainting condition.

☆

seven down a class.

·

any.

By

Robert Lynd

On the

There was not a single candidate about whom the two' boards were in com- plete agreement.

In the opinion of the authors of the re- port these astonish- ing divergences be- tween the examining boards "point to the unreliability of the interview test, and indicate the great in- fluence that this test might have in the final placing of a candidate in a Civil. Service examination."

It was only after reading this report that f

began to realise how it came about that at school I was once given a

prize in mathematics.

It is clear that, in cer-

tain moods, examin-

ITS UPSHOT Many people will, we imagine. quarrel with the decision of a syloon Magistrate of Tuesday in imposing a fine of $5. with which had already been examiners thero was only one of the others awarded scarcely ers are capable of anything. In the alternative of imprisonment given equal marks in who "was exceptionally steady

my case. I think the examiner for two weeks, on ricksha school certificate history examin- and whose numerical mark never

We are told in regard to one must have confused my "script" coolie "for failing to complete atation were submitted, with all varied by more than seven out

however, whole, journey in which he was

en marks erased, to a new body of of a hundred." Of the others, of the papers set on this occts with somebody else's. Kill,

14 examiners; and the new ex- one in the second examination slon that the nearest approach

1 noticed few aminers differed so widely from moved eight of the fifteen candi- to unanimity on the part of the during many years' slavery to

"was in the case examinations, their predecessors' opinions that, dates down a class lower than examiners

one candidate

was cases of injustice in the results. who among them, they allotted "over that in which he had originally of 40 different murks to the several placed them, and another moved ploughed by six examiners, but The candidates whom one ex- was awarded a Credit by the pected to come out top usually scripts."

came out top and it was very seventh "

Mr. A. P. Herbert has recently seldom that one was shocked by

finding reproved journalists for their Other experiments were made excessive use of the epithet ploughed.

But I think Mr. and much the same results were "amazing." found. The tests varied, but, Herbert would admit that the

Still, the facts given in this examiners usually made at some of these facts is thorough report suggest that there aro vehicle and lifted the fare on fo

people. examining to-day who ly justified. the road. It was stated that

· Canada's Minister of Defeneej equally poor show."

The verdicts of these expert are not really fit to be examiners,

and Seven examiners were invited the coolie so acted because of has made the naive admission that

that examiners should award Failures, Passés, examiners seem to be almost as to-date airplanes, The Dominion

of some of the ol

On the other hand, the ver-- has pilots of high standing, but Credits or Special Credits to 18 empricious and irrational as the undergo as strict a training as dicts even of doctory differ; and officially comparatively Httle has candidates in School Certificate verdicts

Possibly the system works in an inperfect world we shall- heen done to encourage aviation, English. When they had done benches of magistrates. either civil or military. The Gov-so it was discovered that there erument has been preoccupied was only one candidate out of well as a whole; but if one failed always, no doubt, have the im- with matters of lesser moment. the 48 about whom they could after this in a Civil Service ex perfect examiner.

would certainly Luckily, the later careers of There is no trans-Canada air mail. agree as to the class in which he amination, one though this subject is to be dis-should be placed..

dropped the shafts of the NOTES OF THE DAY whateve tests were applied, the use of the word "amazing" about

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die in the riekstu. Apparently, the coolie was then making off, when he was held up by a pas ser-by, who tried to persuade him to take the sick man to the police station. The coolie at first refused to go, but eventually. the unconscious man was lifted back into the rieksha and, under cussed shortly. Even now there! One examiner ploughed 19 of the escort of the passer-by, the coolic, with his sick passenger, an enterprise, if it eventuates. the candidates, while two of was taken to the police station. will be engaged in by private then-decent fellows!—plough- One of them awarded enterprise or by Army pilots. led none. When the case came into Court, it is decided that the Government 12 Special Credits, while most ments a test examination was wide sensation. the passer-by was, quite rightly. will undertake the trans-Cannda ; commended. for having interven-air mail it will have to have the

is no decision as to whether suchị

mails.

scholar

be inclined to doubt whether the only a comparatively few people failure was due to one's own muis depend upon the places they this were not so, the present takes or to the incompetence of unce took in an examination. It In the course of these experi- pamphlet would cause a' world,

the examiners.

NOT SO SUPERFICIAL

in

great many poor films have been case, too, it is thehown, but in this

clear that there is a good demand for the better-clans film.

Serious Side of Life

machines constructed. ed, and also quite rightly, the necessary coolie was reprimanded for hav. Such an investment would prob ing left the passenger on the ably mean that no machines would be purchased for defensive pur- road. But in a case of this type poses, and this country would con- account should surely be taken nue to lag behind in comparison of the dilemman in which the with other parts of the Empire. coolle found himself. Rickshat would seem the part of wisdom enoties are not usually over to encourage commercial aviation T has been suggested that this is a

superficial age, and that modern Interest blessed with intelligence, and in companies to undertake the trans- this instance the man was Canada service, which could be youth in particular lives only on the

appreciate the improvement jobviously puzzled as to what he arranged if sufficient subsidies surface of things.

Entertainments, it is said, must be

that has taken place in the pubile light to be popular; in the world of should do in the circumstances, were given for the carriage of

hooks the best sellers are often on the strong that it compelled the British taste in the cinema, we need only to Actually, he was informed by the Magistrate that his duly was

Civil and military air services verge of being immoral; church at-Government, which had a very com-cast Lack our minds twenty years or

lighted audiences at that time. Connions, to reverse its policy.

charge that And to have taken the passenger to should be kept apart. The Gov-tendance and membership is falling fortable majority in the House of and recall the kind of flima that de-

what of the ernment could do its part in pro-off, and so on. hospital. That, clearly, would moting the former through the

Men and women are concernet Nearer home, publie opinion helped

materially

to alter Government's modern youth is superficial. We are have been the most sensible trans-Canada service. The deve mainly with things that do not at decision regarding tents at Repuise often told that the youth of to-day are pleasure-loving, Inzy, and irresponst. course, but, incidentally, if the lopment of a defensive air force ter; they are pleasure-loving and ever Bay.

ble, that they are not interested in in I searchrof some now amusement. As coolic had so acted he would still should he kept a soparate depot one writer has put it, there is a new Public opinion is a very powerfut their and that they rush from have been guilty of the offence ment. There should be a decision

now than ever before. The man in How, then, are we to account for of "failing to complete a journey as to the number of Army planes and popular occupation, the chase of factor in this Colony, perhaps more ea it to spend the evening in pleasure.

stuly All this is what was see if we take the street thinks things out for him the fact that the habit of in which he was engaged." That needed, where they should be stationed, and what should be the

Apart from our University one need journey was from the point at personnel of a military air, force. cnly a casual glance at life to-day, self. There is not much superficiality never so general as it is to-day?

and if we deduce therefore that the here. which the ricksha was engaged The Minister of Defence is en-modern age is living only on the sur- Then, turning to the question of only consider the thousands of Chi- to the Sam Lee Boat Building thusiastie enough in favour of face of things, then we ourselves are entertainment, it is true that a great nese and Europeans who are attend-

nnny trashy books are read, buting evening classes and technical. Yard; and it is quite conceivable | Canada doing what is commensur-guilty of being superficial. that if the journey had been ate with her responsibilities for If wo probe a little deeper, make a librarians also tell us that there is an schools to realise how eager young completed, the passenger would her own and Imperial defence. It closer study of prevent tendencies, we increasing demand for non-fiction, for people are to learn and to malp Coming now to the question of the have died before reaching his is time that the country played its find that there is much evidence to autobiographies, and for scientifle themselves for their work.

decline in church attendance, which is destination. If the conviction part in aviation. With the great prove that this age is far from being Mr. H. G. Wells wrote his also taken as indication of the super was based on the failure of the sparsely-settled areas there is a Men and women of today are m-"Outline of History" und, with the clality of the age, we find that, coolie to take his sick passen- demand for air services, which is terented not only in their pleasures help of his son, G. P. Wells, and Pro- ever, may be said of the

and in what amusement life can offer for Julian Huxley, produced "The

titude to religion, ger to hospital, then

was as yet far from being fulfilled.

Rule thought them. They may enjoy these to the Science of Life" wrong in law. On the others

full, but they do not forget the more that these books would becoing beet wit was our fathers and grandfather serious things, And they are

well sellors. But so it preved.

And let us remember the amazingtrines and, theories which were put

Did they not accept blindly the doc of tho responsibilities of At awary

popularity

of the scientifle works of before them? The modern mind is Sir James Jeang, the astronomer. not content with this. It examines citizenship,

FORCE OF PUBLIC OPINION These books are bought in hundreds and criticises; it tries to get boncalh

it

the thrill.

distances in the Dominion and its superficial.

hand, strict compliance with the on to all ricksha coolies for their law might easily have endanger- guidance. To fine in Ignorant ed the passenger's life. In our man what is a substantial sum view, the case, would have been for people of his type, merely be

works.

When

Ladequately met if the coolic had cause he acted unwisely in a This has been fully demonstrated of thousands. Can it be said that the the surface been reprimanded and been in-most unusual dilemma, seems to on several occasions recently. In our taste of the reading public is entirely

superficial? structed what to do in the event us an instance of unduly harsh political amb social life wo hear a of a similar circumstance aris-punishment, to say nothing of od deal nowadays of the phrase, public opinion. Some months ago, nu ing in the future. Indeed, gen- the point whether, under the the time of the Hoare-Laval plan to LANE, CRAWFORD, LTD. erul instructions of this kind circumstances, the right charge nettle the italo-Abyssinian dispute, of entertainment, have often been case.

public opinion in England was so condemned, might with advantage be passed 'was brought.

BETTER FILMS

It is not

was

nt-

The conclusions reached may clash the old accepted principles, but that is another matber. It cannot be maid that the modern attitude The films, the most popular form superficial. The very revarss is the

and it la true that al

W. A. T.

ja