It should surprise nobody that there were much more educated and well versed individuals at the turn of the 1800's into the 1900's per capita than there are today.
Pretty cool and weird stuff. But hey, the Coca-Cola had real coke in it back then.
“I have a Fourth Grade Reader text book from 1918. Today it’s a college level reader.”
My dad graduated from San Diego High School in 1918 and what he had in high school was equivalent to a PHD today.