688 



REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. 



three grades of subdivision 1, Class I; office 

 messengers and court orderlies in subdivision 

 3, Class III ; subdivision 2 of Class IV ; first 

 grade of subdivision 3 and first grade of sub- 

 division 5 of Class VI ; and first grade of sub- 

 division 7, Class VII. For these places ap- 

 pointments must be made by selection from 

 those persons graded highest as the result of 

 open competitive examinations. Methods of 

 application and general directions as to ex- 

 aminations and appointments are given in the 

 rules. Schedule C includes clerks in State- 

 Prisons under Class I, persons of special qualifi- 

 * cations in Class II; and a variety of positions re- 

 quiring special training or technical knowledge 

 as engineers, inspectors, superintendents, phy- 

 sicians, etc., under various classes. For these 

 places the appointing officer may select in each 

 case from the three persons graded highest as 

 the result of a competitive examination, or the 

 one graded highest of three persons named to 

 the commission for competitive examination ; 

 or a person named by himself who upon a non- 

 competitive examination shall be certified by 

 the commission as qualified. Schedule D in- 

 cludes a variety of employments neither cler- 

 ical nor requiring technical knowledge, such as 

 janitors, steam-engineers, mechanics, etc., not 

 including laborers. These are to be filled by 

 persons designated as qualified after non- com- 

 petitive examinations. Schedule E includes 

 higher grades of clerks, inspectors, prison- 

 keepers, teachers, etc., whose places when va- 

 cant are to be filled by promotion of those in 

 lower grades after an examination similar to 

 that which would be required for an original 

 appointment to the same positions. Among 

 the rules of the service are the following : 



No person in the public service is, for that reason, 

 under any obligation to contribute to any political 

 fund or purpose, or to render any political service, and 

 no person shall be removed or otherwise prejudiced 

 for refusing 1 so to do. 



No person in the public service has the right to use 

 his official authority or influence to coerce the politi- 

 cal action of any person or body. 



In the selection, nomination, or appointment of per- 

 sons to fill positions in Schedules B, C, and D, or pro- 

 motion of persons to positions in Schedule E, no re- 

 gard shall be paid to the partisan political opinions, 

 affiliation, or action of any person so selected, nomi- 

 nated, appointed, or promoted. 



No question in any examination or proceeding, by 

 or under the commission or examiners, shall call for 

 the expression or disclosure of any partisan political 

 opinion or affiliation of any person whatever, nor shall 

 any discrimination be made by reason thereof; and 

 the commission and its examiners shall discounte- 

 nance all disclosure before either of them, of such 

 partisan opinion or affiliation by or concerning any 

 applicants for examinationj or by or concerning any 

 person on any register awaiting appointment or em- 

 ployment. 



Every original appointment or employment in the 

 civil service shall be for a probationary term of three 

 months, at the end of which time, if the conduct and 

 capacity of the person appointed or employed shall 

 have been found satisfactory, the probationer shall be 

 absolutely appointed or employed, but otherwise his 

 employment shall cease. 



Every officer under whom any probationer shall 



serve during any part of such probation shall careful- 

 ly observe the quality and value of the service ren- 

 dered by such probationer, and shall report in writing, 

 to the proper appointing officer, the facts observed by 

 him, showing the character and qualifications of such 

 probationer and of the service performed by him; 

 and such reports shall be preserved on file. 



Complete regulations for the conduct of 

 examinations and the making and grading of 

 applicants were prepared. Subjects for exam- 

 inations under the different schedules of the 

 service were divided into obligatory and op- 

 tional, and the relative weight of each was 

 designated, so that a general average for all 

 could be readily computed. The following 

 schemes for open competitive examinations 

 for places in Schedule B give an idea of the 

 scope and application of the system : 



Clerkships, positions as collectors of 

 (Class I, Subdivision I, Grades 1 and 2). 



Clerkships, positions as inspectors of canal cargoes 

 (Class IV, Subdivision II). 



Age not less than twenty-one years, nor more than 

 forty -five years. 



Relative 

 OBLIGATORY SUBJECTS. weights. 



1. Writing from dictation 1 



2. Copying from manuscript 1 



B. Handwriting 



4. Spelling 2 



5. Arithmetic, viz. : Numeration, addition of columns, 



fractions, reduction of weights and measures 8 



Total. 



OPTIONAL SUBJECTS. 



Elements of book-keeping. 

 Type-writing. 



Special qualification for any department of the civil service 

 specified by the applicant. 



Clerkships and like positions (Class I, Subdivision I, 

 Grade 3). 



Age not less than twenty-one years nor more than 

 forty-five years. 



OBLIGATORY SUBJECTS. 



Relative 

 weights. 



1. Writing from dictation 



2. Copying from manuscript 2 



3. Handwriting 



4. Spelling 8 



5. Arithmetic, addition in columns (perpendicular and 



horizontal); fractions, reduction, proportion, in- 

 terest and discount 



6. Geography and history of New York 



7. Constitution of N,ew York State 



8. Giving abstracts from documents 



Total. 



OPTIONAL SUBJECTS. 



English composition or letter-writing. 

 Book-keeping. 

 Shorthand-writing. 

 Type-writing. 

 Foreign languages. 



Special qualification for any department of the civil service 

 specified by the applicant. 



Office messengers and orderlies in public buildings 

 (Class III, part of Subdivision III). 



Age not less than twenty-one years nor more than 

 forty-five years. 



Guards in prisons (Class IV, Subdivision III, 

 Grade 1). 



Age not less than twenty -five years nor more than 

 forty years. 



