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Can Anyone Pass this 1895 8th Grade Finals Test?

posted 16 years ago by jw5470-1
10 replies | jump to latest

1895 TEST
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 from Salina, Kansas. It was taken from the
original
document on file at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, Kansas and
reprinted by the Salina Journal.
8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, Kansas - 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
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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 inch?
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 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. 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, and 1865?
Orthography (Time, one hour)
1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic orthography, etymology, syllabication?
2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
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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 N.A.
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.
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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.

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Imagine a college student who went to public school trying to pass this test, even if the few outdated questions were modernized. Imagine their professors even being able to pass the 8th Grade. Can Americans, student and professor alike, get back up to the 8th Grade level of 1895?
I seriously doubt there is anyone in America who could pass this simple test. Some professors could pass the subjects they have a doctorate in, but they would fail the rest. This is absolute proof that the New World Odor Gang has succeeded in dumbing down the American people. Is it no wonder few Americans realize they are being led to the slaughter?

[–] jmellor13 16 years ago

This is interesting to observe. I am pretty sure I could pass this, though the science would give me some trouble. I should state that I am an English teacher and have also taught math, science, and history due to necessity, so I don't know if I am an accurate sampling.

Nonetheless, just because many modern people don't know the answers to these questions, it doesn't mean we are at a "lesser level". World history has progressed a lot since this test. Two world wars, the Spanish-American War, the Civil Rights Movement, the dissolution of the British empire, the liberation of African states, and the formation of myriad new countries in Europe; just the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the last decade formed about eight new nations.

Science has a broader scope too. There was little astronomy taught 100 years ago because there was little known. The same can be said for technological developments made related to physics, like the operating of certain machines, and developments in computers that students wouldn't have had to learn in 1895.

My point is very simply that we learn different and more varied things now than students of 1895, so we learn some things with less depth. For example, diacritical marks aren't taught anymore to the average student because most of us learn to speak by osmosis, so it isn't essential. Sure, some things about the education system and what it produces presently might be worse than in 1895, but many things are better, too.

Again, though, I'd like to say that I found the test very intriguing just to look at, and also thought-provoking, so thank you for posting it.

[–] Prancer_666 16 years ago

Yeah going to agree with jmellor13 here too. It is interesting to learn about what they used to learn about back in 1895, but what they learnt back then is of little significance to our modern day life.

For example, this question: 2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it
hold? Not many, if any, people in todays world need to know that now. Its of no significance to how we go about our daily lives.

I can quite easily say though that I probably would not pass that test, could probably answer a few of the questions if I looked at them properly, but definitely not pass.

"Why should I learn algebra? I have no intention of going there."

[–] zeta1983-1 15 years ago

I think I'd pass the history section but no way for math. But it is true most of this stuff isn't relevant to people today so thus is not taught anymore.

[–] suprnova86 16 years ago

I could have passed it ... with the level of knowledge NOW but not as an 8grader xD isnt this an entrance exam for stanford u? xD

Wild At Heart

[–] KingArthas 16 years ago

I agree with jmellor. Even though this test covers some topics that are now taught at higher education, most of the knowledge tested can be considered trivia. How much of this is actually fundamentals that are used?

Please check the Snopes article on "1895 exam". There is another example there.

[–] abhaduri 15 years ago

And exactly why did they not have a computer and all the technological marvels in 1895? Maybe they did not have to be that smart after all. People read several books and go through several grades and those are relevant at the time that they read them. I doubt that anybody could possibly remember everything they learned in every grade. No, I cannot answer every question at this very moment, but yes, I am smart and I come from the new world order and I'm American and I have a Bachelors and Masters in Enigneering and an MBA. The point of the education is to carry enough forward to become a well adjusted functioning and contributing individual, not learn everey bit of detail in some book.

[–] wmousie 14 years ago

Does nobody check with Snopes anymore?

http://www.snopes.com/language/document/1895exam.asp

[–] MetFanMac 14 years ago

Thanks, I was just about to mention that...

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

[–] Miss-marleyFabulous 12 years ago

Those questions are ridiculously easy? Of course I could pass it. I probably would ace it. You people are stupid.

[–] SEINFELDbeatFRIENDS 11 years ago

Are you coming on IMDB to cheat on your test LOL