"The Sacrifice of Education to Examination."

A discussion now going on in the Nineteenth Century is arousing a great deal of interest in England, and has also attracted much attention on this side of the water; and it may well do so, for it is upon a subject-the merits and demerits of the present examination system, which has been much discussed among us of late, and is one of the problems which American educators must next solve. The discussion originated in a protest against the system of competitive examinations which appeared in the Nineteenth Century. This protest was signed by some of the most distinguished educators of the English universities and schools; all of the signatures covered fourteen pages of the review. The protest asserts that the examination has lost its true function as the servant of education; that under the competitive system the ideal conception of scholarship has so degenerated that the examination is of more importance by the student than education.

The protest is supported by vigorous articles by Professor Max Muller, E. A. Freeman and Frederic Harrison. All are severe in their denunciation of the evil tendencies of the competitive system; but perhaps Professor Harrison more boldly attacks the system than the others when he declares that it "is bullying, spoiling and humiliating education. Examination papers, not textbooks, have come to be the real objects of study. The system of distinction and prizes is absurdly overdone. Art, learning, politics and amusements are deluged with shows, races, competitions and prizes. Life is becoming one long scramble of prize winning and pot hunting, and examination, stereotyped into a trade, is having the same effect on education that betting has on every healthy sport, Parents governments and colleges combine to stimulate competitive examinations and the mark system."

The discussion has not been all on one side. As eminent men as Professor William Knight, H. A. Perry, and H. T. Humphrey have vigorously opposed the movement against the competitive system of examinations. However, an effort will be made by the signers of the protest to bring the matter to the attention of the Queen in order that a royal commission may be appointed to investigate the competitive system thoroughly, and consider modes of examinations which will do away with the present evils.

This discussion has a special interest for us who are students. The evils of the present system of examinations are evidently not so developed here as in England; but the system has always been recognized as a possible source of danger in the encouragement it lends to work for rank only. The student of shallow principles and superficial attainments often forgets not only that knowledge is the first object of education, but that honesty is a necessary constituent in the character of a gentleman. Some things are best perceived through their influence upon the objects about them. We know that there is a fog on account of the obscurity which it casts about all objects sensible to the vision; so we may perceive the evil of competitive examinations by the manner in which they dim the keenness of the moral perceptions of those affected by them. The mind will not be broadened by an education which is built on the competitive examination system; rather, it will be narrowed by the most superficial and selfish ambition-the rank-list. Knowledge is no longer sought for knowledge's sake, but as an instrument for securing prizes and scholarships. And it too often happens that knowledge is not sought at all, but merely the scholarships and prizes. A false, superficial learning, a knowledge "crammed" just before examinations often serves as well, or better, than the more steady and real growth in knowledge. Again, the student narrows his work. He will not improve the many inviting chances for supplementary research and investigation which will broaden his whole knowledge of the subject at hand. Why? Because this is not required in the preparation for the all important examination. The rational part of the student becomes subservient to the selfish ambition which is spurring him on. He utterly disregards final success and devotes himself to the development of the "rote-faculties' in order to secure temporary advancement.

Such are some of the evils of the competitive system. American educators are now trying to find a method of examinations which will adequately determine the intellectual rank and still not make the examination the "end all" of the students' ambition.