4. At 10:05 A. M., the examiners should announce the beginning of proceedings, and should request the candidates to separate themselves into three groups: One to contain all candidates for positions as orderly or messenger in public buildings and prison guards; the second to contain all candidates for first and second grade clerkships; and the third to contain all candidates for third grade clerkships. For convenience, each group should then be seated by itself, as the examination for each is distinct.*

5. All being properly seated and order restored, one of the examiners should ask if all the candidates have carefully read the regulations for examination sent to them with their notification, and also if all are provided with ink and pens. In the mean time the other examiners should break the seals and open the package of examination papers, which will be found in four parcels, one containing questions, etc., for third grade clerkships, printed on white paper; one for second and third grade clerkships, on blue paper; and one for orderlies, prison guards, etc., on yellow paper; and the fourth marked "optional," containing questions on optional subjects, and which parcel should not then be opened. The papers from the several parcels should be kept distinct on the table, and each color will be found to contain several sets of questions, numbered from one upward, in each series.

6. The first paper from each series, viz.: "writing from dictation," will be distributed to each candidate in the respective groups. In the white parcel, on a large card, will be found printed the matter to be dictated (which is to be read to and written down by all the candidates). After notice, one of the examiners will begin to read the matter to be dictated slowly and one phrase at a time, so that it may be fairly copied, and to avoid, if possible, a repetition which is apt to confuse the writers. Great care should be taken to read deliberately, with distinct utterance, until the whole has been read. Then, for review and proper punctuation, the whole should be again read with ordinary rapidity.

7. The exercise in dictation is the only one in which all the groups join in unison, and after its completion all the papers should be taken up. The second papers in each series should then be given out to the candidates in the respective groups, and thenceforward the successive papers in numerical order, but only one at a time. 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 66 viz.: paper, Copying from manuscript," to the two groups of candidates for clerkships, one of the lithographed drafts of letter will be given as the matter to be copied.

8. Only general explanations 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

* Of course grouping will be unnecessary when the examination is for a single grade only.

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 visitor 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. If 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. All these desk-cards will be retained by the examiners.

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 appear for such purpose.

to

12. The time occupied in the examination on obligatory subjects must not exceed eight 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 6:30 P. M., or about sunset. (N. B.-The time as expressed herein for the beginning and close of proceedings is the exact or solar time, and not the standard railroad time, recently adopted.) 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 eight hours is allowed, but in no case should such allowance of eight 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 Book-keeping," "Book-keeping," 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 in great value of all of them. The candidate will copy the paper for "Stenography," and may also exhibit his skill in pen-printing and other styles useful or ornamental in engrossing, copying, recording, preparing tabular statements, etc. The time occupied will be denoted on the papers 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 in 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 purposes 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.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS.

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION,
ALBANY, March 31, 1884. (

As provided by Civil Service Rule IX, the following special regulations are issued for the guidance of applicants who may appear as candidates in the competitive examinations for the State service.

Under

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. no circumstances can any applicant be admitted after 10 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 identifying 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 neces sity 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 as orderlies 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.

*This is by exact or solar time and not standard railroad time.

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 any explanation, he will hold up his hand, and one of the examiners or their attendant will visit his 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 papers 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 eight 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 causes. 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 eight 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 later 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 examination.* By a careful study of these

See page 47.