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Back Road BearsCould 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. 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 theRebellion.
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)
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 andindicate 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 theocean?
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.
Newcastle, OntarioNope! :crackup:
hugs,
Brenda
Drea's BearsNot a chance! :doh:
AndreaM 
Past Time BearsAbsolutely NOT!! Orthography??? We didn't have that subject when I was in eighth grade.
I don't think so! Sure makes you have a brain freeze!!
Gosh my ancestors must have been very bright or very dull. Looks like I would have been in dull bunch if I was given that test then and today.
Lynette
Hi Daphne,
Loved school, But no way could I have done those questions. 
I'd be always sat in the dunce corner. :crackup:
Love kayx. 
I am amazed, Daphne!! I wouldn't have a clue!!
In about 2006 here in the UK, as an experiment, candidates for 'A' levels sat a paper set for students in 1976 and the students who had actually sat that paper in 1976 sat the 2006 'A' level paper....you can guess the result..the 'A' level paper from the 70's proved hugely more challenging and so the marks were lower...not an 'A' grade in sight. They printed the two sets of questions in the newspaper..I think they might have in been English and maths.. the difference was massive. I don't think it means kids today are any less clever..I just think they have to research more and memorise fewer facts. Unlike when I did my 'A' levels when we had to memorise whole passsages from books and then quote them on the answer papers, the students today can take the book into the exam!!!!!
DoodlebearsYeh, of cause I could have passed no worries on that one! It all looks simple to me...but then I am dosed up to the eyeballs on morphin right now. 
Cross eyed hugs, from Jane. 
Posts: 3,540
I was actually pretty good in school...but these have me stumped. Where's the :bday: dunce hat? :crackup:
Luxembears2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Oh my...... but I bet my husband would know. 
Back Road BearsJudi - yeah, seems like they leave a few important details out of the equation... like how big is bushel??
These questions totally blew my mind. I can see why they were important them. But MY how times have CHANGED!
sault ste marieI was lost after the first line LOL
Teddy Hugs Tynna
Waggle BearsThese are tough. I'm going to send it to my middle-school-teacher daughter. Poor girl, this year she just has not been able to "like" these kids...only one little boy in six grade who has the cutest dimples. She says they're lazy mostly. They wouldn't have a clue to these questions.
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI don't think it means kids today are any less clever..I just think they have to research more and memorise fewer facts. Unlike when I did my 'A' levels when we had to memorise whole passsages from books and then quote them on the answer papers, the students today can take the book into the exam!!!!!
I think this is so true. The problem, in this "age of information", is that there is an infinite amount of it, so teaching today focuses on teaching kids how to solve problems and to find the information they need rather than rote memorization of information since there is no way one could memorize it all. I do think it is unfortunate that teaching of the written word is becoming somewhat neglected in some places. I am frustrated that my sons are not corrected for their horrible handwriting in their school, and I have young adult friends who will send off an email to me with no punctuation whatsoever! It would seem to me that however the world may change, good communication skills should always be an important focus of education.
Well Tami my prediction is that in 20 years or so we'll be writing most things in the manner that people send write in text messages. I can't abide it and I apologise to all those who use abbreviations in posts but I can't see why we do it. I have predictive text on my phone and so it's more bother to me to do abbreviations!!
We've had job applications in with 'b4' and other such 'words' written in the letter. I can't stand it..and what's more I can't UNDERstand it..I think I only ever use one ..which is LOL..and then I only found out what that meant recently!!
Call me old fashioned but I do think it's a shame kids don't now learn to spell, and learn to write and learn at least some things like grammar, punctuation and basic arithmetic. Nothing wrong with being able to use our language properly and add up!!
Japhe's BearsHmmmmmmmm Nope
Posts: 8,574Sure, In a heart beat. Why in 1st grade, even! .....
Posts: 8,574Hells Bells, Lady,
I couldn't do half of it today.......
