1912 Eighth Grade Examination for Bullitt County Schools

Bullitt Country Historical Society ^ | 1912 | Editorial staff

[Dr. Sivana]

Even then, the questions presuppose more girls than boys in school!

Seriously, I would have done fine on math and grammar, and weaker on geography and history (I never did know my rivers). On the history, I plead that there is more than twice as much U.S. history since that test was administered, and the focus is more likely to be on the period around a couple of World Wars than the relatively placid period (labor movements, panics and KKK notwithstanding) of the early 20th century.

[texas booster]

I do not think that any local high schoolers could pass the Civil Government portion.

“County” officials? HA! No kid knows, until they have been arrested.

#6: Name three rights given Congress and two rights denied Congress by the Constitution.

Seriously, are any kids even taught that anymore?

[Dr. Sivana]

There are a number of potential answers to several of these questions. We here in Columbus, Georgia claim "The Last Battle of the Civil War", though our marker calls it "The War of 1861-1865" (remarkably polite). It all depends on how you define battle, and also which battles were actually part of that particular war.

I cringe when I consider the modern answers for "five ways to maintain health". This is a superior example of a good test, compared to the one from Ohio that is often trotted out, that spends most of its time on farm-centric weights and measures (e.g. Hogshead). This test is mostly applicable today.

[sasherm13]

This exam is nothing but a bunch of micro-aggressions:

a) They ask to spell “masculine” – that’s sexist

b) Arithmetic 7 asks about boys and girls – shouldn’t they be allowed to decide their own gender without our white privileged patriarchal society forcing them to conform?

c) Grammar 5 promotes violence

d) Grammar 7 forces religious views on our youth – violation of separation of church and state

e) Why are so many questions about what men can do? Why can’t we examine womyn?

/sarc

[Kommodor]

I somehow feel undereducated now...

[Maine Mariner]

I did well on the test now, age mid 60’s. I am not sure
how I would have done in the 8th grade. Geography and history, I would have done fine. Word problems in math
gave me trouble until age 30.

[Sacajaweau]

1957 - We had regents exams in NYS in eighth grade. We had trig, algebra questions on the exam. History included the wars to date.

Hardly comparable to this "days of old" backwoods exam.

[lonevoice]

I would bet good money that a majority of today’s college graduates couldn’t score 50% on this eighth grade exam from 1912.

[Skooz]

bfl