ON THE INFLUENCE OF EXAMINATIONS. 445 



S 26. For Preliminary and Entrance tests the crying need is unity 

 and simplification. Here reform is not difficult if the co-operation of the 

 different bodies concerned can be secured. There lies the problem. I 

 believe a test examination might be devised fitted to supersede or replace 

 the multifarious preliminary examinations (academic or professional) that 

 now exist. It should be treated as a school-testing examination. Its 

 aim and methods should be strictly pass, not competitive, certifying the 

 attainment of such and such general standard of knowledge in such and 

 such subjects. The range of subjects should be as wide as that of school 

 curricula ; all forms of option or grouping should be allowed. There 

 should be no attempt to award honours or places, but merely to guarantee 

 first, second, or third class proficiency in the subject offered. There need 

 be no inquiry into the age of candidates unless a junior standard for 

 candidates under sixteen were oi'ganised, and for this there is much to be 

 said. [In this case two classes would be ample for either higher or lower 

 test.] Each institution or profession would formulate its own conditions 

 of age, standard, selection and grouping of subjects, and so forth. This 

 would give freedom, latitude, and recognition to all forms of curricula and 

 set up something like a recognised and common standard intelligible to 

 all conversant with education. It would be imperative to exclude all set 

 books, or it would at once fetter curricula and encourage cram. The use 

 of dictionaries should be allowed, though the class award might to some 

 extent depend upon this. Their disallowance is absurd, and ignores all 

 the ordinary and necessary conditions of daily training in languages, 

 especially classical. The substitution of set books for use of dictionaries 

 is mere hiding the head in the sand, and brings with it a whole train of 

 mischiefs and dangers. Times of examination should be harmonised with 

 the needs and usages of secondary schools, and the examination be held 

 as far as possible at all schools presenting candidates. 



The cardinal difficulty is to secure the adhesion and co-operation of 

 universities, colleges, and other educational boards. Conference miclit 

 render this possible, and the Board of Education might supply a nucleus 

 round which such bodies might unite without surrender of corporate 

 dignity or independence. 



Apart from this examination, open at any time during the school 

 course, schools should, so far as possible, have examinations individual to 

 themselves moulded upon the lines of their own teaching ; expense would 

 be diminished, and co-ordination of examination with teaching be secured 

 by the co-operation suggested in §§ 5, 6. The examiner's report would 

 be that of a general inspector, for guidance of the governing body and 

 responsible directors of the school ; while the general test examination 

 would furnish the public certificates of general efficiency now supplied by 

 senior and junior local examinations and the like. 



S 16. This is the most urgent question in connection with secondary 

 education at the present time. There ought to be a single qualifying 

 examination for boys leaving school between sixteen and seventeen, and 

 another for boys leaving between eighteen and nineteen for universities. 

 Examinations such as the University Locals preliminary unnecessary from 

 any point of view. 



S 6. This can and should be done. 



S 25. Recommends one examination held jointly by all the bodies 

 concerned. 



S 33. The effect of unifying examinations would be most advantageous. 



