This was Eighth Grade

Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?






California has finally instituted a high school exit exam and the initial results are disquieting. While the english and math tests are at the level of 9th or 10th grade, a substantial number of seniors have failed, and the passing grade is only 50 percent. Now educators are scrambling to find ways to pass the uneducated off on the community colleges and services (fast food) industry with some sort of credential.

To appreciate how bad this situation is, take a look at the following sample of questions from an eighth-grade final exam from 1895. The exam was on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, KS, and reprinted by the Salina Journal. The exam contained 45 questions and you were given 5 hours to complete it.

Grammar
> Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no Modifications.
> Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
> What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.
> Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic
> Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
> Find the cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.
> Find the interest on $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent. (NICE)
> Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

U. S. History
> Give the epochs into which U. S. History is divided.
> Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.
> Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
> Show the territorial growth of the United States.
> Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?

Orthography
> What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication?
> Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
> Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.

Geography
> What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
> Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
> Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
> Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
> Describe the movements of the earth and the inclination of the earth.

These questions comprise less than 50% of the exam. I wonder how well our high school seniors would do on this 8th grade test. Or our senior citizens?

Thanks to Zone Bridge friend TexasJudy Floyd (aka SpaceBabyDoll) for the article.