SCHOOL HISTORIES
The licensing of teachers has always been done by the county superintendent. The standard required for a teacher’s certificate in the early years was comparatively low. Records do not show what the minimum standings for a certificate were, but they show that by far the largest number of teachers who taught school in the seventies and before, taught on certificate with standings averaging as low as thirty-one per cent; the majority being between thirty-five and fifty. In 1874, of those that taught school on a third grade certificate only five had a average of seventy per cent or over while only one, John A. Hussey of the Branch, held highest in the county, his average being eighty-four and and two-elevenths per cent. The following were the standings of a teacher with forty months’ experience, on the scale of 100: Reading 40; pronunciation 11, othography 12, penmanship, 65; mental arithmetic 44, written arithmetic 20; English grammer 6; geography, 60; United States history, 34; theory and art of teaching 43. This will give an average of 35.8 per cent. Arithmetic is at present, and was considered a very important subject in the school curriculum, but the records show any amount of teachers teaching school with standings in arithmetic of twenty-one, twenty-six, eighteen, thirty-three and thirty -five per cent. If the standings of the teachers at that time is any criterion of work done in the schools, it is not to be wondered at why our fathers and older brothers really got anything at all from their few months of schooling. The standard of efficiency of teachers as determined by examinations was raised gradually under Mr. Nagle’s superintendency. At present a third grade certificate requires an average of seventv per cent; a second grade an average of seventy-five per cent; and a first grade an average of eighty per cent. Before 1870 teachers' certificates were issued for shorter periods than a year. In those days it was customary to have school on1y during certain times of the year, as in the fall and spring. Usually two different teachers taught school in the same district in one year. Certificates were often issued to teach school for a fall term only or for a spring term. Each term covered a period of about two or three months. School was maintained for about five or six months in a year. Then, also, there was issued to certain teachers a certificate known as “a limited certificate.” This was given to a person who could not properly pass the regular examination. They were valid only for a part of the year and were issued to applicants whenever teachers were needed and none of the others were available. Diploma examinations for the completion of the work as outlined in the State Course of Study for Common Schools were first established in 1886. Mr. Nagel was the first superintendent to hold such examinations. The number of pupils graduating from the country schools and receiving diplomas increased from seven in 1886 to one hundred seventy-eight in 1911. For the last ten years county graduating exercises were held and a formal program was given at Manitowoc for the occasion. The diploma examination today is conducted by a "Board of Examiners” appointed by the county superintendent. This board works under supervision conducts examinations, and marks the papers. By the first Saturday in June the diplomas are ready for distribution. On this day, known as “County Commencement Day” all the pupils passing the examination came to Manitowoc to receive their diplomas. The forenoon of this day is given over to the contest work. About thirty prizes in all are given in various contests. The following is the program for the Ninth Annual District School Graduating Exercises: A.M. -AT COURTHOUSE 10:00 Preliminary 10:15-10:40-Adding contest held in county board room-Conducted by C.W. Meisnest. Arithmetic contest at the Business College-Conducted by F. C. Christiansen Geography contest in county board room immediate after above two contests-Conducted by C. W. Meisnest. 10:50-12:00-Written spelling at the business college-Conducted by F. C. Christiansen Oral spelling contest in two sections. Section I. Towns (alphabetically arranged) from "C" to "L," inclusive in assembly room. Section 2. Towns from "M" to "T," inclusive, in county board room. The last eight ones in each secion will unite for the final spelling contest. 1:30 P.M. - AT TURNER OPERA HOUSE Music-Pupils of Dist. Jt. 6, Franklin. Recitation-"At Aunty's House"-Molly Novacheck. Recitation-"Wet Weather Talk"-Marie Hessel. Recitation-"That Naughty Brier Rose"-Ellen Matheson. Music-Vocal Duet-Della Peroutka and Emma Stastny. Recitation-"Her Small Brother"-Jessie Logan. Recitation-"The Corn Stalk Fiddle"-Henry Swetlik. Recitation-"The Secret"-Harvey Horstman. Recitation-Ella Naser. Music-Pupils of Dist. Jt.6, Manitowoc. Address-Superintendent P.J. Zimmers. Awards of Medals and Prizes, Presentation of Diplomas-C.W. Meisnest.
1915 RULES FOR TEACHERS These rules were taken from a school paper given to my son by his classroom teacher when they were studying 19th century schools. 1. You may not marry during the term of your contract. 2. You are not to keep the company with men. 3. You must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless attending a school function. 4. You may not loiter downtown at ice cream stores. 5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board. 6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother. 7. You may not smoke cigarettes. 8. You may not dress in bright colors. 9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair. 10. You must wear at least two petticoats. 11. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle. 12. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: Sweep the floor at least once per day. Scrub the floor at least once per week with hot, soapy water. Clean the blackboards at least once a day. Start the fire at 7 a.m., so that the room will be warm by 8 a.m.
Could You Have Passed the 8th Grade in 1895? ...Take a Look: This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 from Salina, Kansas. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, Kansas and reprinted by the Salina Journal. 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 bu, 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, phoneticorthography, 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 Fernandez, 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.