place immediately after the exercise in dictation, so that the other groups may not be disturbed in their work. Each candidate, when he completes a paper, is to be furnished with the next one, without regard to the progress of others in the group. The completed papers are to be taken up before the next ones are given out. In distributing the second paper, viz.: "Copying from manuscript," to the two groups of candidates for clerkships, one of the lithographed drafts of letters will be given as the matter to be copied. 8. Only general explanation should be given to candidates, and these should be limited to methods of procedure. No information or aid in solving questions should be permitted from any source, and vigilance should be exercised to prevent the use of any book or manuscript for such purpose, or copying from the papers of another candidate. No candidate should be allowed to leave the room while engaged upon a paper. One examiner should always be present in the examining-room. 9. The examiners will preserve order and decorum, and no conversation or unusual noise by the candidates should be permitted. They should not allow any visitors admitted by them to distract the attention of the candidates. No such visitors should be admitted, except by invitation of the examiners, and not more than two at any one time. The natural nervousness of candidates under examination is apt to be increased by the consciousness that they are observed, or their work scrutinized by those not officially in charge, and great discretion should be exercised in the admission of visitors, who should not be permitted to inspect the answers in the presence of the candidates. Special care must be taken that nothing regarding the work of the candidates is procured for publication. The examiners hold all the papers in trust for the Commission. 10. It a candidate declines to complete all the papers and withdraws from the examination, he must deliver to the examiners his desk-card, on which the time of his withdrawal should be marked. Also as each candidate completes all the papers he will deliver his desk-card, on which the time of completion should be marked. these desk-cards will be retained by the examiners. All 11. Each candidate on leaving will inform the examiners what optional subjects, if any, he desires to be examined in, and they will name a time and place for him to appear for such purpose. 12. The time occupied in the examination on obligatory subjects must not exceed seven hours. If this space be reckoned from the distribution of the first paper (10.10 A. M.), with an allowance of twenty minutes for luncheon, the close of the examination would be at 5.30 P. M. Should there occur an accidental delay in opening proceedings, or their suspension through any unforeseen cause, the examiners, in accordance with the twenty-second General Regulation, will see that the full period of seven hours is allowed, but in no case should such allowance of seven hours be exceeded. Ten minutes before the time for closing the examination, notice of such closing should be given to the candidates, and at the close all papers, finished and unfinished, will be taken up. OPTIONAL SUBJECTS. 13. While it is presumed that only a small number of candidates will desire to be examined on optional subjects, the interest of the public service will be subserved by giving full opportunity to all who desire such privilege. The examination on these subjects being comparatively brief, it may be held on the evening of the day of general examination, or the next day, and in a smaller room. A special package of papers, for examination on such of the optional subjects as could be prepared in advance, will accompany the other papers. These are for "Elements of Bookkeeping," Bookkeeping," "Foreign Languages" and "Stenography," and full directions are given at the head of each paper. For the other subjects the following plans will be pursued: Expert penmanship This is an accomplishment of prime importance in some positions and of great value in all of them. The candidate will copy the paper for "Stenography," and may also exhibit his skill in pen-writing and other styles useful or ornamental in engrossing, copying, recording, preparing tabular statements, etc. The time occupied will be denoted on the paper by the examiners. Type-writing-It is presumed that a type-writing machine is accessible at each place of examination. The candidate will be given a copy of these instructions and directed to copy from the first page the paragraphs marked 1 and 2 (that is from "all the necessary," etc., to "desk-card"). Only one trial is to be allowed, and the time occupied in the type-writing will be written at the foot of the page, and signed by one of the examiners. English composition or letter-writing The examiners will select a subject for an essay or letter, writing the subject at the head of the sheet of foolscap paper. The candidate will then in their presence write the essay or letter, which should not exceed two pages in length. The time occupied should be recorded, and certified at the foot of the paper. Special qualification for any department of the public service. The candidate will give in writing the details of the special experience or training which he claims would be valuable in the service. If such proficiency is capable of a practical test, such as a facility of adding correctly and rapidly long columns of figures, or in casting interest, or in making general averages, the representatives may test such qualifications and certify their estimate of the same to the Commission. Care must be taken that all such papers are, for the purpose of identification, marked with the candidate's desk number, as on the papers for obligatory subjects. MARKING AND GRADING. In addition to the instructions given in General Regulations 26 to 32, special directions as to marking and grading will be given to examiners when deemed necessary by the Commission. At the conclusion of the examination, the examiners (other than the General Board at Albany) will carefully pack all the papers and forward them by express to "The New York Civil Service Commission, Albany, N. Y." SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS. As provided by Civil Service Rule 9, the following special regulations are issued for the guidance of applicants who may appear as candidates in the competitive examinations for the State service: 1. Applicants must present themselves punctually at the times and places specified in their official notifications. No one will be admitted except upon the production of such notification signed by the secretary of the Commission. Under no circumstances can any applicant be admitted after ten o'clock, a. M. 2. Before entering the examination room each applicant will be presented with an envelope, from which he will take a card inscribed with a number, and he will retain this card and indorse plainly the same number on his notification and place the notification in the envelope, seal it and return it to the person in attendance, and will then be admitted as an accepted candidate. The number on the card is known as the "desk number," and such number and the name of the city where the examination is held must be put at the top of every paper used by the candidate in the examination. This number is necessary as a means of indentifying the papers with the name of the candidate when the envelope is opened. The name of the candidate must not appear on any examination paper. The desk number is so important that the attention of each applicant is particularly directed to the necessity of a correct and plain indorsement of the number on the notification before it is put in the envelope and sealed. 3. The examination will be in charge of the examiners appointed by the Civil Service Commission, who will decide all matters and preserve order. They must be obeyed in all respects, and are authorized to expel any one guilty of unseemly or disrespectful conduct. 4. The proceedings will begin by the separation of the candidates into three groups - one of applicants for positions of messengers and prison guards; one for first and second grade clerkships, and one for third grade clerkships. Each group will be seated by itself. 5. Candidates will be furnished with paper, pens and ink, but those who are accustomed to use any particular pen are advised to bring it with them. Pencils must not be used, and all the writing and figures must be in ink. In writing from dictation and copying from manuscript, stylographic pens must not be used. 6. The questions used in the examination, are printed with sufficient space after each for an appropriate answer, and the answer must be written in that space. A single sheet of foolscap paper is given each candidate for experimental calculations, but in solving the arithmetical problems, the entire process must be given in the space provided. A simple answer, without such process, will not receive a maximum mark, even if correct. It is for the interest of the candidate that the full operation be thus shown, since the examiners may thus detect any errors occurring through inadvertence, which might otherwise be attributed to ignorance of methods. 7. No candidate can be allowed to leave the examination-room until he has completed or given up the paper on which he is engaged. No changes or corrections in papers can be made after they are given up to the examiners. 8. No conversation, disturbing noise or actions will be allowed. Whenever a candidate has completed a paper, and wishes the next one or desires an explanation, he will hold up his hand, and one of the examiners or their attendant will visit the desk. 9. Candidates are warned not to bring with them for consultation any books or manuscripts; any use of such assistance, either in the examination room or elsewhere during the examination will be considered such a violation of the regulation as may lead to the rejection of the offender's papers. 10. The same penalty will be incurred by any candidate who copies from the paper of another or permits his own papers to be copied, or who receives or gives assistance of any kind, or who writes upon his papers any irrelevant or disrespectful remarks. 11. Candidates are recommended to bring their luncheons with them, and to eat them in the examination-room. For the convenience of those coming from a distance, it is desirable to complete the examination in a single day, and the time consumed in going out for a meal would seriously abridge a candidate's available time for work. 12. The time allowed for the obligatory examination is seven hours with an additional allowance of twenty minutes for luncheon. This time cannot be extended, but the examiners will not include any general delay, interruption or suspension of the proceedings through accidental cause. In this connection candidates are advised, as a precautionary measure, to carefully study the schemes of examination, in order to make an approximate allowance of time for each subject. The seven hours is ample for the longest task, i. e., the third grade clerkship scheme, but candidates are often apt to waste so much time in reviewing and recasting their work, and generally without advantage, that they are hurried in the latter subjects, and so often do themselves an injustice which cannot be repaired. Ten minutes before the time of closing, notice will be given, and at the expiration of that time all the papers, finished and unfinished, will be taken up. 13. In order that applicants may have a clear understanding of the scope of the examinations for the several positions open for competition, their attention is directed to the published schemes for examinations. By a careful study of these each applicant can estimate the amount of time he can allow for the respective subjects and so not be hurried in any of them. * 14. Finally, all candidates are advised that earnest and determined endeavor to honestly do the best, without worry or undue anxiety, will produce the highest possible result. The ordeal of these examinations, except in their necessary confinement, is not exacting or in any way difficult to those who have availed themselves of the free education the State proffers to all. * See page |