 | Catalogue of the University of Virginia |  |
EXAMINATIONS.
These are of three kinds: first, the daily examinations, which
precede the lectures; second, the public examinations, two in
number, held the one about the middle of the session, the other
at its close; and, third, the examinations for graduation, held
towards the end of the session.
I.—DAILY EXAMINATIONS.
In the daily examinations the student is questioned both upon
the subject of the preceding lecture and such portions of the
text-book as may have been designated by the Professor. His
preparation thus tested is noted at the time of examination, and
if the student shall exhibit material delinquency, the fact is communicated
to his parent or guardian in the printed circular which
is sent home at the close of every month.
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
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 are sufficiently comprehensive and
difficult to render it impossible for the student, without steady
diligence, to secure a place in the first division.
III.—EXAMINATIONS FOR GRADUATION.
These are partly oral and partly in writing, and are conducted
by the Professor of the school, in the presence of two
other Professors, forming with him the committee of examination
of the school. Here the student is subjected to searching
interrogations upon the details and niceties, as well as the leading
principles of the subject, and he is expected to be accurately
versed in all the topics treated of in the lectures and the correlative
texts.
As a due acquaintance with our own language is made indispensable
to the attainment of even the inferior honors of the
University, all candidates for degrees are subjected to an examination,
in order to test their qualifications in this respect.
| Catalogue of the University of Virginia | |