CORNISH-L Archives

Archiver > CORNISH > 2001-08 > 0996874218


From: "susan barkle" <>
Subject: Re: [CON] Our Ancestors' Education
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 22:30:18 +0100
References: <20010803.123931.-425193.1.tnmitchell@juno.com>


The system has changed in the last few years here in Cornwall.

We start at Nursery for age 3/4 , going to Reception or rising 5s just
before the fifth birthday. When school 'proper' starts in the September
before the child's 6th birthday we start counting year 1. Generally there is
a change of schools at year 7 which is the September before the child's 12th
birthday. In the state system that normally means a Comprehensive (mixed
ability) school.

There are lots of combinations because there have been MANY alterations to
the education system and there are a lot more to come.

'Elevenses' I knew as the 11 plus. This was an exam taken in the last year
of primary/junior school (age 11) to decide whether the child went to
Grammar or Secondary Modern school. Generally, the Grammar schools were
academic and the Secondary Mods put more emphasis on practical subjects.

Previously when we changed school we started counting years again, so 'fifth
form' would be the 5th year at a school, usually used of the post 11 year
old schools.

Sorry this is so long, but it's a bit complicated! To further confuse things
some local education authorities still have Grammar schools and do things
differently.

Sue
----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: [CON] Our Ancestors' Education


> Dear Albert and List,
> Albert's reply to the above has reminded me of a question I have had for
> years. What do such British educational terms as "elevenses" and "fifth
> form" and such mean? Being a Yank, I am totally unfamiliar with the
> British school system. Would love to know.
>
> Thanks for all the great information we receive on the Cornish List!
>
> Nancy in Utah, USA
> "I collect cousins"
> http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~roney
>
>
> On Fri, 3 Aug 2001 09:57:06 -0400 "Albert Jenkin"
> <> writes:
> > Right about education, there. My maternal grandmother was fully
> > qualified
> > as an elementary school teacher with her Oak Harbor, Ohio, high
> > school
> > diploma c. 1900. I've long felt US schools don't demand enough.
> >
> > Case in point: in 1973 the son of my cousin in Mawnan Smith showed
> > me a
> > report he had written. The youngsters were to write up a Canadian
> > province
> > or US state. Alan had chosen California. His research and wrtiting
> > were
> > far better than what I was seeing in US schools then or now, and
> > Alan had
> > not passed his elevenses. Work of that quality would have earned
> > top marks
> > when I was student-teaching at a small American college in the 70's.
> > My
> > cousins complained that Cornwall's schools were not up to British
> > standard.
> > Sorry I couldn't send my son to school in Cornwall.
> >
> > Albert Jenkin
> > Carwinnion Cottage
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Joan in Colorado" <>
> > To: <>
> > Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 2:20 PM
> > Subject: [CON] Our Ancestors' Education
> >
> >
> > > Many of us have heard our grandparents say they left school at 14
> > or they
> > > only had an 8th grade education. The following sent to me by a
> > friend
> > > throws new light on their words! It is the eighth-grade final
> > exam from
> > > 1895 in Salina, Kansas, taken from the original document on file
> > at the
> > > Smokey Valley Genealogical Society & Library in Salina, KS. I
> > have not
> > > included all the subjects as message would be too long.
> > >
> > > 8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS -1895
> > >
> > > 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, sup
> > > 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.
> > >
> > > 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./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 of 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
> > > metre?
> > > 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.
> > >
> > > Sorry I can't give you the answers!
> > >
> > > Best wishes, Joan
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > ==== CORNISH Mailing List ====
> > Cornish Recipes Page:
> > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~yvonne/cornishlib/cornishrecipes.html
> >
> >
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