How to Mitigate the Evils of Examinations. 1

L book on Ezaiiiitiatioiis w~tl their Iialations lo Culture mid Eficiericy (sviii -t-145 pp., Constable, 3s.6d.j, with :I preface by Lord Cromer.They discuss the value of exaininations a s B test of knowledge and capacity, the defects of the various methods of marking in vogue, the fallibility of examiners, and other topics in which we are interested.There is not much direct reference to exmiinations in history.but there is one suggestion of Lord Cromer's which is of interest to us."Would it iiot be l)ossible," he asks, "to reduce school examinations in history to a minimum by allowing those who had attended a history class in a secondary school, to the satisfaction of a duly qualified teacher, to be exempted from any kind of school-leaving examination in history?Of course, it will be said that the standards of dieerent teachers would be different, but &re we not inclined to sacrifica on the altar of equality the very efficiency of the teaching that examinations are intended to test? " (p.25).Lord Cronier goes on to illustrate the difference between a, lesson from a good teacher given to pupils who were not going to be examined in history, and a lesson by a bad teacher given to others who were.We shall all agree with his conclusion that the first possesses a real educational value and the second does not.A good teacher is more valuable than a good examination.I t follows, therefore, that the important thing is to secure that those who teach history in schools should be qualified by their knowledge and their special gifts to do so.We all know that at present many persons teach history in schools who do not possess these qualifications.And therefore the first object of our Association is ta improve the teaching of history in schools.The defect of our present system of historical education is that the examination is regarded as more important than the teacher, w) that it hampers the good teacher and prevents him from using his knowledge and his special gifts to the best advantage.The first step to be taken to mitigate the evil of examina-' Bead at the Annual Meeting of the Historical dssociatioii on January 11

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