5^6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Many able and industrious students do take the trouble to acquire 

 this flair J some will not, or can not, acquire it. But certainly a 

 good many acquire it, by an outlay of labor or money, who are 

 neither able nor industrious at all. 



A man going through the full school, college, and professional 

 career now passes from ten to twenty of these examinations, at 

 intervals perhaps of six months or a year. From the age of ten 

 till twenty -five he is forever in presence of the mighty mill. 

 The mill is to him money, success, honor, and bread and butter 

 for life. Distinctions and prizes mean money and honor. Suc- 

 cess in examinations means distinctions and prizes. And what- 

 ever does not mean success in examinations is not education. 

 Parents, governments, schools, colleges, universities, and depart- 

 ments combine to stimulate the competitive examination and the 

 mark-system. None quite like it ; but all keep up the tarantula 

 dance — " needs must when the devil drives." The result is that 

 the Frankenstein monster of Examination is becoming the master 

 of education. Students and parents dare not waste time in study 

 which does not directly help toward success in the test. One 

 hears of the ordinary lad at school or college, either as amusing 

 himself because " he is nftt going in this year," or else as " work- 

 ing up very hard for his examination." He is never simply study- 

 ing, never acquiring knowledge. He is losing all idea of study, 

 except as " preparation " for examination. He can not burden his 

 memory with what will not "pay." And a subject which carries 

 no " marks," or very few " marks," is almost tabooed. Books are 

 going out of fashion ; it is only analyses, summaries, and tables 

 which are studied. But published examination papers are the 

 real Bible of the student of to-day — nocturna versanda manu, 

 versanda diurna. 



Next to old examination papers, the manuscript "tips" of 

 some famous coach form the grand text-books. One of the ablest 

 men I ever examined, who bitterly complained that he had failed 

 in a coveted distinction, was told that he had not read his books 

 on a given subject. " Why ! " he said, indignantly, " he had not 

 read the text-books ; but he had mastered a valuable volume of 

 ' tips ' in manuscript, which was said to contain every question 

 which could be set in a paper." He failed through pushing the 

 system too far ; and a tragedy was the end. 



The examination, thus made the " fountain of honor," governs 

 the whole course of study. If the teacher takes up a subject, not 

 obviously grist for the great mill, the students cease to listen, and 

 leave his classes. The instant he says something which sounds 

 like an examination "tip," every ear is erect, every pen takes 

 down his words. The keen student of to-day is getting like the 

 reporter of an evening journal : eager after matter that will tell. 



