MATRICULATION

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1929, Page 3

MATRICULATION

THE MARKING- SYSTEM

A HEAD MASTER'S CRITICISM. vQ

THAMES, Mafch 1. In the course of a lengthy , letter to the Thames “Star” with regard to his statements concerning matriculation marking, Mr. W. H. Hoult, head master of the Thames High School says. . • _ . ~ “The matriculation examination to day in its unwieldiness cannot compare well with that twenty-five years ago. The number of hopeful candidates has vastly increased. The English examiner and assistants have to mark, I believe, some 4(100 papers in three weeks. Only a very few minutes can possibly be given to candidate’s two and three-hour Ehglish papers, the culmination of three or four years’ work at secondary schools. Judgment is nearly as swift as but far more erratic than, it will be on the student at the final Day of Judgment. Tearehers gen erallv criticise most violently the mark ing of the English and I'vouch papeis It is here undoubtedly that the queerest results are obtained. Mathematics science, history and so on can be more definite, as the items can be right or wrong. The present break-neck system cannot pretend to do justice to such elusive tilings as languages. “Now for a word or two on the examining personnel, so far as I under stand it. At the head of a paper one generally roads. ' Exainers —prolossor and assistants. ’’From evidence gather ed from testimouals from young teachers applying for positions at this school I am, I believe, on safe ground when I. state that the ‘assistants’ are frequently students at the universities. Futiiorinore the same testimonials in some cases will show that these young folk have never had any practical teaching experience. I here hasten to state that I do not wish to challenge the' honesty of any assistants, nor do 1 suspect for a moment that any assistants have ever favoured any special candidate or school. Ido in' all seriousness question the ability of such students who have never had any teaching experience to sit in judgment on say, English or French composition. Directions can he given them carefully but even then the risk of uneven marking are appalling.”