[Winona Online Democracy]
I find it a little interesting to see a number of people thinking that this
8th grade test from 1895 is a lot harder than what is being taught today in
our schools. I personally do not think this is significantly harder. I
agree that they were teaching in a different time, using different methods,
looking for different skills, etc. I would hope that our teaching methods
and materials had changed in the last 100 years. It took 2/3 of that time
period to discontinue the practice of corporal punishment(beating of
students). As regards the math questions I pulled out my sons 7th grade
math book to see how it compared. Follows are a few samples, you decide.
1. Solve 90=1/2(n+6)
2. Eric had a 3.5 second head start, but was beaten in the 440 yard dash.
How long had he run when the winner crossed the finish line in 62.9 seconds?
Write the needed equqtion and solve.
3. What is the volume of a cone where r=4 cm, and h=6.5cm?
4. How many lines of symetry does a pentagon have?
5. Gold is 19.3 times as heavy as water. Write an expression that gives
the weight of a cubic foot of gold, given the weight w of a cubic foot of
water.
6. Evalute the equation you created in # 5 where w = 62.4 lbs.
I think we just need to keep all of this in perspective. I could probably
solve most of these math questions on both tests with a little bit of prep
time, but math was one of my best subjects in school. On the other hand
don't ask me do the english portions from either era, its not my strong
suit. I think a lot of people could say the same thing about one section or
another. My closing point is don't sell the current students or teachers
short, times have changed and I for one am thankful for that.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerome Christenson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Winona Online Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 20Here is the stuff for science~scott call me at
453-9334 if therre are any troubles with this01 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: [Winona] 8th Grade Test from 1895
> [Winona Online Democracy]
>
> Looking at the questions on this test it is apparent that it was intended
> that the young people taking this test would be prepared to take their
place
> in the community as adults. They would be able to double check the
elevator
> manager when they sold their grain, know if the banker was trying to cheat
> them on a loan, and be able to figure how much lumber they'd be needing
when
> it was time to build a new barn. These were adult situations and entirely
> appropriate, since, upon completing eighth grade most people were done
with
> school and expected to go to work in the adult world.
> We don't have such high expectations for our youngsters any more. We
refer
> to people in their mid-twenties as "college kids" and make excuses for
them
> our great-great grandparents wouldn't have made for eight-year-olds. More
> than anything else this test shows how far we've infantalized our young
> people and our culture.
> Perhaps we should consider the likelihood that our school day, school
> year, and expected period of formal education are all too long. Is our
> education system structured to give young people the skills and
information
> they need to be productive adults or to provide secure and remunerative
> employment for teachers, administrators and professors of education?
> Enquiring minds want to know...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig Brooks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: onlinedemocracy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Sunday, February 18, 2001 10:57 AM
> Subject: [Winona] 8th Grade Test from 1895
>
>
> >[Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> >The following has been going around the Internet.
> >My first thought was--
> >This can't be for real??
> >I didn't think it could possibly be true and checked with the Salina
> >paper and then found
> >this site which confirmed it is for real - (in fact - children took it
> >in the 7th grade)--
> >http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/genweb/ottawa/exam.html
> >With all the debate over public education, funding, grad standards,
> >etc. this 19th Century test gave me cause to wonder---
> >*************************
> >8th GRADE TEST
> >We have all heard of someone who became successful with
> >"only an 8th grade education". Well take a look at this: a copy of
> >the actual test used in 1895 by one school system in Kansas. It
> >certainly puts new meaning into the phrase - "only an 8th grade
> >education."
> >
> >------------ Could You Have Passed the 8th Grade in 1895?
> >...Take a Look:
> >
> >
> >This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 from Salina, KS. USA.
> >
> >
> >It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley
> >Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, KS and reprinted by the
> >Salina Journal.
> >
> >
> >8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS - 1895
> >
> >Grammar (Time, one hour)
> >1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
> >2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no
> >modifications.
> >3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
> >4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of
> >do, lie, lay and run.
> >5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.
> >6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of
> >Punctuation.
> >7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that
> >you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.
> >
> >Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)
> >1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
> >2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How
> >many bushels of wheat will it hold?
> >3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50 cts.
> >per bu., deducting 1050 lbs. for tare?
> >4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the
> >necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and
> >have $104 for incidentals?
> >5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.
> >6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7
> >percent.
> >7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and
> >16 ft. long at $20 per m?
> >8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace)
> >at 10 percent.
> >9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per are, the distance
> >around which is 640 rods?
> >10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.
> >
> >U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)
> >1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.
> >2. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
> >3. Show the territorial growth of the United States.
> >4. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.
> >5. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
> >6. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln,
> >Penn, and Howe?
> >8. Name events connected with the following dates:
> >1607
> >1620
> >1800
> >1849
> >1865
> >
> >Orthography (Time, one hour)
> >1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic, orthography,
> >etymology, syllabication?
> >2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
> >3. What are the following, and give examples of each:
> >Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?
> >4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.
> >5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'.
> >Name two exceptions under each rule.
> >6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling.
> >Illustrate each.
> >7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word:
> >Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono,super.
> >8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and
> >name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd,
> >cell, rise, blood, fare, last.
> >9. Use the following correctly in sentences:
> >Cite, site, sight, fane,fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise,
> >rays.
> >10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate
> >pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.
> >
> >Geography (Time, one hour)
> >1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
> >2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?
> >3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
> >4. Describe the mountains of North America.
> >5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver,
> >Manitoba,Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fermandez, Aspinwall and
> >Orinoco.
> >6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
> >7. Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each.
> >8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same
> >latitude?
> >9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to
> >the sources of rivers.
> >10. Describe the movements of the earth.
> >Give inclination of the earth.
> >
> >
> >-------------------------- Imagine a college student trying to pass
> >this test, even if the few outdated questions were modernized.
> >------------------------- Gives the saying of an early 20th century
> >person that "she/he only had an 8th grade education" a whole new
> >meaning!
> >
> >
> >���
> > \0/
> >
> >
> >
> >----------------
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