Facsimile PDF - Online Library of Liberty

‘‘ CRAM.* 83
x. exnminntion-papers even for junior candidates should
consist entirely of “ bok-work,” such ns to bo answered by
tho simplo reproductiou of tho words in n test-book. In cvory
proI>c’;ly conducted csnrninntiou, qnestions nrr, as n lnntt.cr of
course, set to test tho cnndidato’s power of npplyiag his know-
Icdgo t.o cas03 mor0 or less different from tboso described in
tho books. Moreover, good oxnmincrs always judgo atl~wcrs
by their general style as well as by their contcnts. It. is really
impossiLIe tlrnt D stupid, slovenly cnndidato can by any art of
I< cpntnming” LC enablod to produco the ncat, brief, pcrt,inent
cssay, a page or two long, which wins marks from tho admiring
cmtnincrs.
If we may judgc from esperiencc, too, “ bad Cram” does
not pay from tile tutor’s point of view. Thnt this is so we mny
Ica:\rn from tho fact that slow ignorant pupilv aru rut2~lcsslg
wjectcd by tho grcat coacI~cs.” TItose who lmvo tllcix. reputatian
and their living to make hy thc SUCCCSS of their candidates
callnot afford to wnsto their labour npon lmd mntcrial. Thus
it is not the stupid who go to the “ crarnrning” tutors to bo
fowcd over the henils of tllc clever, but it is tho clevcr ones
who go to secure the higllest plnccs. Long beforc tl~e critical
d:tp of thejV~fficid exmninntion, tho exporicmxd If coach ”
selected hie men almost as carefully as if he wcrc ~naking up
tho University boat. Thtro is hardly a Univcrsity or IL
College in tho kingdom which inlpows any selcctivo process
of the sort. An entrance or matriculation examination, if it
exists at dl, is little bctter than a sham. All comers are
gladly received to givo more foes and tho appearanco of
prosperity. Thus it too often happens that the bulk of a
college class consists of untutored youths through whoso ears
the learned instructions of the professor pass, harmlessly it
may be, but uselessly. Parents and the public havc little idea
how close a resernblancc there is between teaching and writing
on the sands of the sea, unless either there is a distinct capacity
for learning on ths part of the p~piI, or some system of
examination and reward to force the pupil to apply.
For these and other reasons which might, be urged, I do
. not consider it worth while to consider ~Lnd Cram” any