The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-04-15
Schools of 1913
VS.. Schools of 1916
Interesting Comparisons Made By
Supt. c. w. Street Prove Present
Pupils Efficiency

Several years ago in the city of
Springfield, Mass, a teacher while
rummaging in school attic, through
old papers and records that were time
stained and forgotten, ran across a
list of examination questions in arith-
metic, and list of words, to spell,
which had been given to the eighth
grade in that city in 1916, just sixty
seven years ago. With the examina-
ton questions were the examination
papers which the pupils had handed in
to the teacher, with the grade made
! by each pupil marked on each paper.
One day last week we gave these
examinations to the eighth grade pu-
pills of this city, using the same ques-
tons just as they were given in
Springfield to the same grade of pupils
so many years ago. No assistance
was given and the pupils were placed
entirely upon their own resources. The
comparisons may prove of interest.
The class averages were as follows:
Arithmetic, Springfield, 1916, 29.4
per cent.
Arithmetic, Redwood Falls, 1913,
90.25 per cent.
Spelling, Springfield, 1916, 4O.6 per
cent.
Spelling, Redwood Falls, 1913, 53.4
per cent.
Fifteen of the class got hundred
in arithmetic and only two fell below
Is per cent.
Comments on Methods
A few comments will aid in the
comparison of these standings. In
1916, the school year in Springfield
contained forty-four weeks, total of
1340 hours of school work in one year.
In Redwood Falls the school year con-
tains only SO weeks, total of $50
hours of school work in one year.
Even as early as 1916, the schools
of Massachusetts, were famed for
their strength. They were under ex-
cellent supervision and were praised
by the great Horace Mann with en-
thusiasm. Here is a quotation from
the course of study used in Springfield
in 1916:
Accuracy in spelling and excellence
in reading are deemed of first import
ance. Ability to spell correctly is
deemed highly important, as lying at
the foundation of all requirements,
without which no person can be accur-
ate or Ineligible as scholar, or ever
safe from exposure to great mortifca-
ton in after life"
In spite of the longer school year
and of the emphasis placed upon the
three RS" in 1916, the Redwood Falls
child of 1913 surpasses the Spring
field child by standing of so points
, higher in arithmetic and Is points
higher in spelling. The above results
clearly indicate the superiority of the
modern school over that of our grand.
fathers The better showing made by
our pupils is no doubt due largely tc
the vastly improved methods of teach.
ing used in our schools today.
Below are appended the questions
referred to:
ARITHMETIC
l. Add together these numbers
Three thousand and nine; twenty-nine
one; three hundred one; sixty-one; six.
teen; seven hundred two; nine thous.
and; nineteen and a half; one and 9
half.
2. Multiply 10,OOs by 5000.
8. In town five miles wide and siz
miles long, how many acres?
4. How many steps of two and q
half feet each will a person take ir
: walking one mile?
B. What is one-third of 175h?
6. A boy bought three dozen ri
oranges for 371s cents a. -
for y cents apiece; -
have gained if he had 10,
21s cents apiece?
z. There is certain number. one
third of which exceeds one-fourth O,
!. it, by two. What is the number?
, 8. What is the simple interest or
$1,000. for II years, IL months and &c
days at 6 per cent.
SPELLING
Accidental Feignedly
i Accessible Ghastliness
: Baptism Gnawed
Chirography Heiress
CHARACTERISTIC Mysteries
Decei1uiiy Imbecility
: descendant Inconceivable
: eccentric Inconvenience
Evanescent Inefficient
Fierceness I--o.;ax:l1