ARE YOU SMARTER THAN AN 8TH GRADER FROM 1912?

Yes. The national intelligence has fallen that far. The morons in West Philly can’t spell Cat. At least 75% wouldn’t know the VP of the U.S. More than 50% can’t add 5 + 5. And 80% wouldn’t know when and why the Civil War was fought.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/07/no_author/a-101-year-old-test-for-8th-graders/

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AWD

I bet them West Philly boys know the balance on their EBT cards…

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AWD

The only answer to this problem in to double union teacher’s salaries. They should be making $300,000 a year instead of $150,000. And double the amount spent on each child; clearly $12,000 isn’t enough, it should be $24,000 per student.

I wonder how much it cost to educate a student in 1912, before the government got involved in education and department of Education was formed? $5?

We need to spend more, for the children!

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Gadsdengirl
Gadsdengirl

Government has been involved in education far longer than most people think. By 1900, over 30 states had compulsory schooling laws, although these were state laws, not federal, and children in most states were not required to attend beyond the 8th grade, so many did not. A lot of knowledge had to be crammed in, as this would be the end of formal education for most. This is one of the reasons why no average 8th grader today would pass this test. These are facts and concepts that your average 12th grader today should know, but sadly I’m betting that most high school graduates today would be hard-pressed to pass this test. This doesn’t even touch on the deliberate dumbing down of the population via the public schools, which is dramatically worse now than even one generation ago.

One of my favorite books is “Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling” by John Taylor Gatto. It’s a short read but a real eye-opener; I recommend it highly.

TeresaE
TeresaE

Yet more proof that education used to be used to elevate mankind, instead of make them a better heard member.

Sad, isn’t it?

And hell, I know a bunch of college grads that would be hard pressed to “pass” this test, after all, knowing basic math, the structure of the government and common sense is so last century.

Now we have classes on how to tap on a iTablet “keyboard.” We don’t even require typing though nearly everything in our world is contingent on mastering the QWERTY keyboard.

I hate what we have lost, and what we are becoming.

TeresaE
TeresaE

dammit! Better HERD, heard,

death by spellcheck strikes again!

TPC
TPC

Our poor education system is entrenched side-by-side with a host of other social issues.

I have little hopes it will be resolved soon.

flash
flash

I copied this to post later , but admin beat me to it.

The education system had to be dumbed down to level the playing filed for the also ran.

and, Oreo Queens demand it.

MuckAbout

Spells Doom, any way you look at it.

MA

TheCynic
TheCynic

Perhaps the best reason why we should adopt the education methods and curriculum of a century ago. It actually produced educated students in a short period of time.

Examining the test, I would wager that many college graduates would be hard pressed to pass the exam. Very few and I mean very few high school students could pass it. Modern day 8th graders with their reliance on calculators and IPads? Not likely.

One of the worst things to happen to modern education has been social promotion and the watering down of the curriculum to the point that even most sluggish and indifferent of students can progress from one grade to another and graduate with learning nothing and being illiterate.

Another bane is teaching to the test to generate good metrics demanded of by federal bean counters. Together they have created a disaster. Teaching to the test guarantees the student will retain little if any of what they are taught. Ever notice most kids today tend to have amnesia about what they were taught in school?

Another bugaboo is the reliance on computers and calculators. They shorten attention spans, memories and ability to do abstract thought. Neither should be introduced until the student has mastered the basics using their own intellect.

Mike
Mike

Yes, but could an 8th grader from those days use facebook, collect welfare, play video games, or know the difference between adderall and prozac?

Adrian
Adrian

You get what you pay for.

What makes you think that those managing your taxpayer money want any different than what they are getting?

SSS

“Name in order of their size (the) three largest states in the United States.”
—-from the 1912 test

Easy peasy. Texas, California, and Montana. Today? Alaska, Texas, and California. Continuing on with 4 through 6 today. Montana, New Mexico, and Arizona. I think Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming come next, but I’m not sure of the order. And that’s off the top of my head.

SSS
TBP’s Geographical Genius Who Swoons When Someone Shows Him a Map

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