University of Virginia Library

II.—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 prepared, 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 value 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.