University of Virginia Library

PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS.

The two public examinations, embracing respectively all the
subjects treated of in the first half, and all those treated of in the
second half of the session, are thus conducted:

The Professor of the school prepares in writing a series of questions
to be proposed to the class, and affixes to them numerical
values, according to his estimate of their relative difficulty. On
the assembling of the class for examination, these questions are
for the first time presented to them; and they are required to
answer in writing in a prescribed time, without communication
with one another or with other persons, and without any reference
to books. Their answers are subsequently carefully examined
and compared, and a value attached to each, not exceeding that
of the corresponding question. In the schools of languages subjects
are also selected for oral examination, and the values of these
exercises marked at the time.

The students are then arranged into four divisions, according to
the merit of their examination, as determined by the following
method: The numerical values attached to all the questions are
added together, and also the values of the answers given by each
student. If this last number amounts to three-fourths of the first,
the student is ranked in the first division; if it be less than three-fourths,
and as much as one-half, in the second; if less than one-half,
and as much as a fourth, in the third; if less than a fourth,
in the fourth division. The examinations are conducted and the
results ascertained by a committee, consisting of the Professor of
the school and two other Professors. The standing of the student
at these examinations is communicated to his parent or guardian
in the last circular of the session.

Those who attain the first division receive in public, at the close
of the session, a printed certificate of their distinction at one or
both of the examinations, as the case may be, and their names
are mentioned in the published account of the proceedings which
terminate the course.

These public examinations, though less thorough than the examinations
for graduation, are sufficiently comprehensive and
difficult to render it impossible for the student, without steady
diligence, to secure a place in the first division.