IMPERSONATION BY STUDENTS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2666, 1 December 1923, Page 2

IMPERSONATION BY STUDENTS

COLLUSION AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, November 29 The allegations of impersonation at the Training College examinations reported from Dunedin have prompted an investigation of the papers returned by candidates at the recent examination held at the Teachers' Training College at Auckland. The result must have been an unpleasant surprise to the officials, for it is stated that there is apparently clear evidence of collusion among a number of candidates. The “Star” says the possibility of one candidate representing another in a certain subject in which the first was doubtful of his chance of success has existed ever since public examinations were held on an extensive scale. The simplicity of substitution is evident, where the supervisors have a large number of candidates under their care. Each has his code word or a number, which is the official designation of each candidate on the papers, while in addition each signs his or her name on a slip which is collected from the respective desks by the supervisors. The only chance of detection in the examination room is from personal discovery made by any supervisor who might- notice that a particular candidate was not the person the slip represented him or her to be. it is this knowledge that has evidently encouraged the practice, for practice it surelv seems to be. Those who stooped to this regrettable method of satisfying theexaminer in any particular subject for it is only in a particular subject that impersonation has taken place, bargained not, however, with the fact that a comparison of handwriting would not only prove the undoing of the candidate, but also reveal the person who took his place, li is practically impossible for any candidate to studiously disguise his or her handwriting, likening it beyond detection to that of the son who is being impersonated in the stress of an examination. It is stated that even at University examinations at Home cases of impersonation have been detected. The Auckland cases are under consideration by the Education Board.