EXAMINATION ERRORS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1147, 18 September 1913, Page 4

EXAMINATION ERRORS.

SOME CURIOUS HOWLERS

“It is the eccentric that interests," said a secondary school teacher to a reporter at the Teachers’ Conference last week, “and it is from eccentricities that the observant examiner learns

most ot the working of young minds, and of the faulty system by which they are trained. The most common type of eccentric, if the paradox will pass, is the muddler.” And he gave the reporter the following examples on English history to add to the “howlers” published recently : “Wat Tyler started the poll tax, and Richard 11. rode at him and struck him with a poleaxe.” “Richard I’s subjects called him Coeur de Lion because once when he was in prison he killed a lion.”

“Magna Charta said that people should not be imprisoned for debt if they had enough money to pay it off.” “Simon de Montfort was called Simple Simon.” “The Battle of Hastings was fought at Shrewsbury.”

“Richard I. was a man with courage and a red complexion ; he was well built, and was fond of dress,”

“Magna Carta said the Common Pleas should not be carried about on the King’s person.”

“At Bannockburn the Scotch placed honeycombs in the ground, which threw the English into confusion.” (The ground was honeycombed with pits), “John Wycliffe reformed the Bible ; he was of a religious sex.” “Wat Tyler led the pheasants revolt ; he was himself a pheasant.” “Magna Carta said that no freeman should be diseased without the consent of Parliament.”

“When Henry I. heard this it is said be never smiled again ; but this is not certain, as we hear that he died of eating too much.” The following is from a euclid paper :

“An eagle is the exclamation made by two lines on meeting in a plain.”