University of Virginia Library

Preparation for State Examinations for First and Second Grade
Certificates.

The State Examinations will be given at the Summer School
July 19, 20 and 21, 1916. Heretofore these courses have been offered
at the University, but this year a much better arrangement
has been made with Supt. Johnson and the Charlottesville School
Board, whereby the classes will be held in Midway School building
in Charlottesville, from 8:30 a. m. to 1 o'clock p. m. in accordance
with the following schedule. The advantages of this plan are:

1. The work will all be given in one building, the classes will be
divided into sections small enough for drill, the periods will be
forty-five minutes each, and the Topical Outlines furnished by the
Department will be strictly followed and thus a thorough review
guaranteed.

2. A vacation school will be in daily session in the building affording
an excellent opportunity for observation work in all the
grades.

3. The afternoons and evenings will be open for extra work in
special subjects and for the general lectures and entertainments

which are such attractive and valuable features of the University
Summer School.

4. Excellent boarding accommodations at very reasonable rates
may be obtained in the vicinity of Midway School building thus
relieving the congestion at the University and reducing somewhat
the cost of living.

5. Those registering for this course will be entitled to all the
privileges of the Summer School without additional cost.

The Third Grade Certificate is no longer issued by the State
Board of Education.

The following extracts from Form E—No. 19 of the Department
of Public Instruction give the requirements for these certificates:

(Sec. 31) "First Grade Certificate.—To obtain a First Grade Certificate
the applicant must be at least nineteen years old, must have
had nine months successful experience in teaching, must make an
average of 85 per cent. on the following subjects: Spelling, writing,
reading, arithmetic, grammar (including composition), geography,
history of the United States, history of Virginia, civil government
(including the government of Virginia), drawing, theory and practice
of teaching, physiology and hygiene, physical geography, elementary
agriculture, and English history, and must not fall below
70 per cent. on any subject.

"A First Grade Certificate based on the foregoing requirements
shall continue in force for five years and may be renewed from a
similar period from time to time upon satisfactory evidence that
the holder has taught successfully for at least three of the five
years, and fulfills the other requirements of section 38 of Form
E—No. 19.

"An applicant who makes the first grade average on the required
subjects, but who has not had the requisite experience will be issued
a Second Grade Certificate, which may be changed to a First Grade
Certificate after nine months of successful teaching.

"A First Grade Certificate issued by a division superintendent,
which has finally expired, may be exchanged for a new First Grade
Certificate provided the holder passes the examination on the added
subjects for a new First Grade Certificate, which are English history,
physical geography, and elementary agriculture."

34. "Second Grade Certificate.—To obtain a Second Grade Certificate
the applicant must be not less than eighteen years old, and
must make an average of 75 per cent. on the following subjects:
Spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic (including business forms),
grammar (including composition), geography, history of the United
States, history of Virginia, civil government (including the government
of Virginia), drawing, theory and practice of teaching,
physiology and hygiene, and must not fall below 60 per cent. on
any subject.

"This certificate shall continue in force for a period of two years
and may be renewed for a similar period as provided in section 38
(of Form E—19)."

Because of the great amount of investigation and bookkeeping involved,
the Department of Public Instruction cannot undertake to duplicate
reports of examinations that may have been lost or destroyed
by applicants desiring the benefits of a combination and an applicant
who seeks the advantages offered by this section must attach the
report of the former examinations to be combined to Form E—No.
2 when he takes the second examination.