Page:The school law of Michigan.djvu/63

Rh which may be granted to a person in the public schools, third grade certificates are divided into two classes known as A and B. Certificates of class A are granted to teachers of three years experience in primary department (first four grades) of graded schools. Certificates of this class license the holder to teach only in primary departments. The number which may be granted to a person is not limited. Certificates of class B are the regular third grade certificates and license the holder to teach in any school of the county; but no more than three certificates of this class can legally be granted to the same person (Act 34, 1893). The purpose of this law is to require teachers to progress and secure higher grades of certificate. The questions for these two classes of third grade certificates vary somewhat to correspond with the kind of work required of the teachers.

All questions for county examinations are prepared by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and furnished to the commissioner under seal, to be opened in the presence of the candidates for certificates.

The standard of examinations to be followed is left entirely to the discretion of the examining board, so that success or failure of applicants depends more on the closeness or liberality of the marking than upon the character of the questions furnished.

Besides the certificates mentioned, the county commissioner has power, upon personal examination satisfactory himself or herself, to grant certificates which shall license the holder thereof to teach in a specified district for which it is granted; but such certificate does not continue in force beyond the time of the next public examination, and in no case can a second special certificate be granted to the same person, and it does not in any way exempt the teacher from a full examination (Act 34, 1895). The object of a special certificate is to bridge over the time between the commencement of a school term and the next meeting of the examining board (71 Mich, 361).