8th grade exam in 1895--could you have passed it?

[Sojourner55]

What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895...

Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?

This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina , Kansas , USA . It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, 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 "lie,""play," 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 hour 15 minutes)

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 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 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 the cost of 6,720 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 metre?
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 acre, the distance of 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. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus .
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States .
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas .
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. 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)
(Do we even know what "orthography" is??)

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.' (HUH?)
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, sup.
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 Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the 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 the inclination of the earth.

Gives the idea of Grandpa having had "only had an 8th grade education" a whole new meaning, doesn't it? Also shows you how poor our education system has become. And, no, I don't have the answers!

[ChristianCoffee]

I do not have most of the answers as well: but I do collect books. Mostly about religion and American history. Most of my collection is pre-1850 (except for the Civil War papers and stampless letters I have). And i will say this: we (modern America) would have an almost impossible time if we "went back in time" to live then, while I believe they (our grandparents and such) would adapt much easier and quicker to "modern" times.

[Theophilus]

Yes, I could have passed it...back then! What else did I have to do but farm chores and study? The occasional spelling bee and barn raisin'? No internet or cell phone distractions.

Come to think of it, considering the child labor laws (i.e., lack thereof), this might have been a pretty tough test, unless my parents could afford to NOT let me work in a factory or the coal mines or some other sweatshop.

[Fenris]

The question is, could I pass an 8th grade exam now?

[Theophilus]

The question is, could I pass an 8th grade exam now?

Sure, just slip out your smartphone...I'm sure there's an app for it...or perhaps "googling" would work as well.
It's not that you know everying, but that you know where to find it.

[BrianW]

Place that test in front of me today with no preparation time and I would be very lucky to walk away with a C.

Give me the text books they used and adequate time to read them and I would ace the test.

Give the students (or the teachers that taught them) 10-15 years of being involved in normal living and working and no time to study before hand and place this test before them and I doubt that most of them would have very good scores and the majority would fail miserably.

How much of what we have learned in school do any of us retain without periodic study to refresh and update our knowledge of the subjects?

What is the point of my post?

This isn't a basic knowledge exam. It is an exam of specialized knowledge that the students had the proper materials and time to prepare for.

[Sojourner55]

So there's no misunderstanding, I posted this basically as a matter of interest, rather than a challenge to anyone's ability to pass the test--the title was really intended to be rhetorical. The real point is: some have the perception of education in that era being far below the standards of modern society, and this eighth grade exam is evidence that this is not the case. This is a standard exam for kids who were 12-13 years old. Kids that age today are not academically equipped for this level of knowledge. Most kids today know far more about the merits of socialism and sexual diversity than they do American history or any other legitimate school subject.

[quiet dove]

So there's no misunderstanding, I posted this basically as a matter of interest, rather than a challenge to anyone's ability to pass the test--the title was really intended to be rhetorical. The real point is: some have the perception of education in that era being far below the standards of modern society, and this eighth grade exam is evidence that this is not the case. This is a standard exam for kids who were 12-13 years old. Kids that age today are not academically equipped for this level of knowledge. Most kids today know far more about the merits of socialism and sexual diversity than they do American history or any other legitimate school subject.

I get what you are saying and agree.

Students of past years were much more "well read" than we give them credit for and in comparison to our gadget generation of today.

[Ta-An]

Gr8's are clever teenagers, you hire them while they still know everything

[quiet dove]

Gr8's are clever teenagers, you hire them while they still know everything

.

[Sojourner55]

I get what you are saying and agree.

Students of past years were much more "well read" than we give them credit for and in comparison to our gadget generation of today.

True. Kids then were also taught academics, not propaganda, which prepared them to be productive citizens. The NEA is one of the biggest problems in the public school system today, far more concerned with social indoctrination than it is scholastic achievement.

[Ta-An]

So there's no misunderstanding, I posted this basically as a matter of interest, rather than a challenge to anyone's ability to pass the test--the title was really intended to be rhetorical. The real point is: some have the perception of education in that era being far below the standards of modern society, and this eighth grade exam is evidence that this is not the case. This is a standard exam for kids who were 12-13 years old. Kids that age today are not academically equipped for this level of knowledge. Most kids today know far more about the merits of socialism and sexual diversity than they do American history or any other legitimate school subject.

I get what you are saying and agree.

Students of past years were much more "well read" than we give them credit for and in comparison to our gadget generation of today.

Now compare this to a post by Amozzzz (which I can't find now ) a couple of days ago, the incorrect use/spelling of words by people who hopefully have passed Gr8 at some stage...

[BrianW]

So there's no misunderstanding, I posted this basically as a matter of interest, rather than a challenge to anyone's ability to pass the test--the title was really intended to be rhetorical. The real point is: some have the perception of education in that era being far below the standards of modern society, and this eighth grade exam is evidence that this is not the case. This is a standard exam for kids who were 12-13 years old. Kids that age today are not academically equipped for this level of knowledge. Most kids today know far more about the merits of socialism and sexual diversity than they do American history or any other legitimate school subject.

Understood. It is interesting to me.

If you look at the test there is no mention of world history, the branches of the US government, English lit, science, anything beyond basic math etc.

Times have changed. Our perceptions of the world and what knowledge people need to be equipped with once they leave school have changed. I am by no means suggesting that our educational system in the US is great and perfect. Far from it. It needs a lot of work to get up to standards and where it should be.
I just think that what kids were taught back then and what kids should be taught now has changed radically as it should have.

Also, I doubt that most people in their 30's & 40's could ace an 8th grade finals test that kids are given today.

I guess I'm just looking at it from a different angle?

[quiet dove]

Understood. It is interesting to me.

If you look at the test there is no mention of world history, the branches of the US government, English lit, science, anything beyond basic math etc.

Times have changed. Our perceptions of the world and what knowledge people need to be equipped with once they leave school has changed. I am by no means suggesting that our educational system in the US is great and perfect. Far from it. It needs a lot of work to get up to standards and where it should be.
I just think that what kids were taught back then and what kids should be taught now has changed radically as it should have.

Also, I doubt that most people in their 30's & 40's could ace an 8th grade finals test that kids are given today.

I guess I'm just looking at it from a different angle?

That makes sense...and you make a good point, the lack of teaching in regards to things like the Constitution might have actually helped us avoid some of the mess we are in at present...actually understanding our own history better??

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8th Grade Exams - Should Christians pass them?