Eighth Grade
Final Exam !!! Take a Look !!!!!!!!!!
This is the
eighth-grade final exam given in 1895 at Salina, Kansas.
It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley
Genealogical Society
and Library in Salina, Kansas and reprinted
8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, Kansas - 1895
Grammar
(Time, one hour)
1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications.
3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of : do, lie, lay, and run.
5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.
6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.
7-10. Write a composition of
about 150 words and show therein that you understand
the practical use of the
rules of grammar.
Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)
1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50 cts. Per bushel, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare?
4. District No. 33 has a
valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a
school seven
months at $50 per month, and have $ 104 for incidentals?
5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $.20 per inch?
8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance around which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.
U.S.
History (Time, 45 minutes)
1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.
2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, and 1865?
Orthography (Time, one hour)
1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic orthography, etymology, syllabication?
2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
3. What are the following,
and give examples of each:
Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters,
linguals?
4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.
5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'. Name two exceptions under each rule.
6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
7. Define the following
prefixes and use in connection with a word:
Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono,
super.
8. Mark diacritically and
divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates
the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood,
fare, last.
9. Use the following
correctly in sentences,
Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane,
vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
10. Write 10 words frequently
mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical
marks and by syllabication.
Geography (Time, one hour)
1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?
3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
4. Describe the mountains of N.A.
5. Name and describe the
following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba,
Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fermandez, Aspinwall
and Orinoco.
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each.
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give inclination of the earth.
Comments: Got all that?!?!?!?
Imagine a college student who
went to public school trying to pass this test,
even if the few outdated questions were modernized. Imagine their
even being able to pass the 8th Grade. Can Americans, student
get back up to the 8th Grade level of 1895????"
Much then can therefore be
said in praise of the old school teachers and "school marms",
which were the women teachers who taught in those days. :)
Long Live the "3 R's"
God Bless the
Teachers!
There is Much one can Learn, if students use their brain in class, and when
doing homework!
The material is there, so why not take it in?? Even the Bible supports
teaching and learning!
Reflect now on three gifts of nature brought to class daily : Two ears, Two
eyes, just One mouth:
For Listening and Looking at the lesson twice as much as talking!
(And BTW, Talking should occur only when called upon to do so, in class!!)
Source: Thanks to: Smoke Valley Geneaological Society of Salina. Kansas!
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