Schools used to teach Latin and did not have sports teams. 1954 was the demarcation point of the decline of public education.
Public education was the decline of education.
Much of this material is so esoteric that you'd have to be there in order to answer the questions, or it's so out of date that it's useless. Who cares how many bushels of wheat, we deal in metric tons now. Do you define a month as 30 days? Do you want simple mathematical names or do we go into order of operations? What do you consider epochs? Calling something a principal anything is purely at your suggestion and requirements.
Most of the rest of the stuff I probably could have answered in 8th grade, but, much like the people who took this test, it was all forgotten a few years later. I used to teach vector mathematics in regards to AC electrical theory, but I've forgotten that too as I never used it.
It's more esoteric now, but in the time some of that stuff mattered, and they certainly had specific definitions for everything on that test.
but I've forgotten that too as I never used it.
Indeed. But part of being learned is to be able to quickly jump-start back into knowing that stuff again.
The stuff mattered then, but not now - so knowing it or not knowing it doesn't prove that we've become dumber. It just shows that what you need to know from school has changed. That's not saying that, if you analyzed the data closer, you may discover that we have indeed become dumber - but this single data point of a test does not show anything other than it's 100 years old.
I'm sure any reasonably intelligent person could learn most of the stuff on that test by modern definitions, or even historically if desired, there's simply no need.
>I used to teach vector mathematics in regards to AC electrical theory, but I've forgotten that too as I never used it.
Electrician here! Me neither.
I can remember basic reactances, and the diagrams, but I'd have to look up how to calculate the real portions of the signal.
Literally useless information for practical applications in the field. I would bet even 99% of engineers don't need to overly concern themselves with sine wave formation. I'm much more concerned with correctly wiring drum switches or contacts in a motor control circuit.
I'll start by saying that OP's point stands despite my following criticism.
Most of this is just deliberately obtuse busy work and the hardest parts reflect socioeconomic changes as we have departed from our ancestors agrarian lifestyles for better or worse.
You could provide a better education by worrying less about final examinations and more about making sure your students read.
Reducing what is essentially masturbation in education we could be graduating 20 year olds with a bachelors degree equivalents and an education in a trade and have plenty of spare time to give them a sensible education in all fields of life from daily to uncommon.
Modern middle schools are just daycares for niggers if we reclaimed those years of education, separated the sexes after grade 4, and added a year or two of flex years onto the end of school we could have fully educated well established young men prepared to start families that will consistently climb up the rungs of social and financial class, and we could do it with less homework and testing than the current system.
I flunked.
As did I.
This is a test one would have to prepare for. I had to pass a "constitution test" to graduate from 8th grade/grammar school. I passed with high marks but I couldn't pass the same test today without preparation. On the other hand, I didn't learn how to discount a loan or how to calculate interest due for month/day until I got into college. More was expected from students in the old days to prepare them for everyday life.
Where you went to school and which classes you took is also a big part of it. Most of that stuff was taught to me.
For example, I had an elective which taught various interest rate calculations in 7th grade.
We were also taught various constitutional and economic aspects from 6th to 10th grade. But you're right, much of what we learn is about test preparation. As it generally doesn't follow every day use it simply gets filed away and musty inside our heads.
I'm gen X, so I'm not ancient.
- Use the following correctly in sentences, Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
Easy;
Use the following correctly in sentences, Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays. ...
:)
A lot of this requires knowing this instructors sets. Nine rules for capitalization I can go 1) Person, 2) Place 3) Thing or I can go 1) Proper nouns, you have to have had these things drilled, it's not a test you can just walk in and take. Who knows how the teacher defines the epochs of American history and the list may have changed or at the least expanded. Then you have the effects of time, figures that were contemporary when the test was written are dusty footnotes now. Then there is all the stuff that is not on the test but would take up large portions of our curriculum, namely science.
None of this is to say people back then where stupid, they weren't. Just that nobody contemporary should be deemed 'dumb' for struggling with this test.
- Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
Proper nouns (does it include "God" or is that a distinct rule? First name and Last name) Days/Months Document titles Beginning of sentence (does it include beginning of enumerations which are technically a new sentence? Or after an interrogation mark... Or after suspension points)
I'm at a loss here, but in my defense English is not my first language.
To be honest I don't even understand why their capitalized "Capital Letters".
Well, I mean, it is true I don't know how to measure anything in bushels but I'm pretty sure I could study for that thirty seconds before the test
Probably the most telling part is the history section. Those things haven't become obsolete at all, and are just as important to know.
I could probably do this but would need a few weeks to study. And still it might be a crap shoot. I bet most college graduates who graduated last year couldn't pass this test.
Kids spent a lot less time on the internet back in the 1880's.
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