18 Jul
2018
18 Jul
'18
4:33 a.m.
On Tue, 17 Jul 2018 at 19:43, Peter Corlett via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
That's an extraordinary claim that sets off my bullshit detector. Snopes offers
this commentary: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/1895-exam/
50-100 years before you were at school would be roughly 1870-1920, which is
right at the start of both state-provided schools and compulsory education. The
UK only raised the school leaving age to 11 in 1893. Truancy was rife, because
parents still expected their children to work instead and contribute to the
household. The average child was very poorly educated if at all.
Children actually taking examinations at age 11 are already on the academic
track for those who are both clever and rich enough to continue their education
further. It may even be the entrance exam for a posh public school. Your
average working-class oik is never going to get anywhere near that exam paper.
It's a fair point, and one that did occur to me, but I didn't want to
be even _more_ prolix and hedge it about with disclaimers.
Yes, education for all is a relatively modern thing. In the days when
it was for the elite few, well, I suppose it *would* be more tailored
for the elite, and thus would be challenging to non-elite, even
generations later.
But I am nonetheless surprised at by just how much.
For fun, have a crack at some of the recent exam
papers given to 13 year olds
hoping for a scholarship: https://www.etoncollege.com/KSpapers.aspx
... wow.
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