[Campion]

Some of the questions are ones that eighth graders today might have problems answering, such as locating which countries in Europe bordered each other.

That was important in 1912, following World War I.

Sounds like the reporter might have had some "problems answering" some of those questions, as well!

[dowcaet]

Forget eighth graders. Most adult Americans today couldn’t pass that test. How much money have we spent on public education in one hundred years? What has it done for us? Well, it’s produced a nation with tens of millions of idiots and dolts. Welcome low information voters.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

. . . locating which countries in Europe bordered each other.

That was important in 1912, following World War I.

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead in Sarajevo . . . - Wikipedia

Well, the writer was close - sorta . . .

Armistice Day was 11/11/1918.

[Sacajaweau]

The kids that took that test knew "0" about politics, computers, lasers, high tech machines, cars, airplanes, diseases etc, etc.

Don't degrade our kids over a 1912 test. Ridiculous.

[onyx]

I checked the link, hoping to see the quiz.
:(

[Jim Noble]

was taken by students in the courthouse once or twice a year. If passed, the students could receive their scholarships to attend high school

And that's the key to this exam, and all similar ones, that are posted to show that publik skoolz are not doing their job.

In 1912, their job was to identify those few students who could possibly understand, and benefit from, a real high school. Even the adjective in the name, "high", identifies its original purpose.

Even as late as 1941, the spontaneous white HS graduation rate was only 25%. This is probably close to the fraction of the white 18-year old population that can master a real high school curriculum. In fact, the enstupidation effect of media may have reduced this number below 25% by now.

My grandmother taught in NYC Public for 50 years. She was quite clear-sighted about what mass education could and could not accomplish. She thought the idea of high school for everyone was one of the craziest things she had ever heard, After all, in her words, "somebody has to clean the subways".

So, could 25% of white 8th graders, properly instructed, pass that exam today? Probably.

But, you say, "they are not properly instructed!"

Of course, that is true. But it is true because the purpose and the goals of public education are no longer what they were in 1912, or 1941.

Hate the game, not the player.

[Sacajaweau]

http://www.historyliteracy.org/download/Sears2.pdf