Keystone State Normal School Final Exam - 1891
The forerunner of Kutztown University, the Keystone State Normal School (KSNS) actually published its 1892 final exam in the June 6, 1891 issue of the local newspaper, The Kutztown Patriot. The exam, of course, had already been given, so no students were able to take advantage of the publication. The exam is an interesting look at what was taught in the past to EVERY student. Imagine all Kutztown University students having to translate Latin and Greek? Or prove their penmanship skills?
The tool used to download the text from the 1892 newspaper could not accurately translate the Algebraic formulas, so those, alas, have been omitted from this post.
See how many of these questions you can answer!
Final Examinations
This week was one of great importance and interest to the faculty and students of the Keyetone State Normal School, and especially to the Scientific, Senior and Junior classes, for it was examination week.
The Board of Examiners, as appointed by the State Superintendent, consisted of the following illustrious educators: Prof. John Q. Stewart, Deputy State Superintendent, of Harrisburg; G. M. D. Eckels, A.M., principal of the Shippensburg Normal Sehcol; Prof. Geo. W. Weiss, County Superintendent of Schuylkill; Samuel A. Baer, Ph.D, City Superintendent of Reading, and Rev. N. C. Schaeffer, D.D., Ph.D., principal of the Keystone Normal School. The examinations were by no means easy, but we are glad and proud to say that every member of the classes passed. This fact reflects great credit upon the Faculty and Board of Trusteea, as well as upon the students and the entire institution. The Senier elass consisted of 75 and the Junior class of 84 members.
We append the examination questions and other details in full.
SOLID GEOMETRY
PROF. ECKELS
1. Define pyramid.
2. The convex surface of a regular pyramid is equal to the product of the perimeter of the base by one-half of the slant height.
3. Similar pyramids are to each other as the cubes of their homologous sides.
4. The convex surface of a cylinder is equal to the circumference of the base by its altitude.
5. The volume of a cone is equal to one-third of the base by the altitude.
LATIN
PROF. BAER
1st oration of Cicero. Translate the 1st 12 lines of Section II.
GREEK
PROF. BAER
Platosis Apologia Socratis. Translate the 1st 12 lines of Chap. VI.
Homer Book I. Line 451 to 457. IV.
Homer Book IV. Line 155 to 164
LOGIC
PROF. ECKELS
1. Write out the eight rules of the Syllogism. Explain the 4th rule.
2. Elucidate the different kinds of conversion of propositions.
3, Write the four figures using x, y, z.
4. Explain the semi-logical fallacies.
5. Write an essay on Induction.
6. Transform a syllogism in the second figure to one in the first figure.
SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY
PROF. ECKELS
1. Give Napier's rules for right angled spherical triangles.
2. Prove that in any spherical triangle the sines of the sides are proportional to the sines of the opposite angles.
3. In the right spherical triangle ABC (C being rt. angle), A is 36° 27' B 43° 32' 31", find the other parts.
4. In a spherical triangle ACB, the side of AB = 40° 35', AC= 39° 10', and BC=71° 15'. Required the angles.
PLANE TRIGONOMETRY
PROF. ECKELS
1. What three parts of every triangle must be given to determine the others?
2. In the triangle ABC, the side a is 261, the side b is 345, and c 395. What are the angles?
3. In a right angled triangle, if the difference of the base and perpendicular be 13 yards, and the angle at the base 38° 1' 8". What is the length of the hypothenuse?
ASTRONOMY
PROF. ECKELS
1. Describe the horizon.
2. Describe the meridian circle, or transit instrument.
3. What are Kepler's three laws?
4. Explain the variation of day and night.
5. Explain the cause of the tides.
6. What is the harvest moon? The hunter's moon?
7. Why do we believe that the moon has no atmosphere?
GERMAN
PROF. WEISS
1. Write a German letter, of one page to Prof. Weiss giving your views on Goethe's "Herman and Dorothea."
2. Translate a page of Tell's Monologue.
3. Decline :-Diese hohle Gasse.
4. Conjugate :-Kommen.
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
PROF. ECKELS
1. Explain the subjunctive, the objective, the absolute limit of education.
2. What is self estrangement in education and how does it motivate the
will?
3. The Function of habit in education.
4. Give the philosophy of punishment.
5. Discuss the will as related to the educational process.
6. Explain the humanities, humanistic education, (its different epochs); pietism and its similarity to Jansenism.
7. Discuss "Education according to Nature," from the philosophic standpoint.
8. Why is Education a process of "aufheben," according to the Hegelian view?
LITERATURE
PROF. STUART
1. Write one page giving a general discussion of the subject.
2. Name three prominent prose writers and three poets of different periods and give the analysis of their work.
3. Mention and explain the different kinds of poetry.
ZOOLOGY
PROF. ECKELS
1. What is Culture? Value of course in Zoology? Practical value.
2. Point out anatomical differences between men and animals.
3. What do you know of the migration of birds.
4. Describe the intelligent actions of ants and bees.
5. Desribe and classify the common earth worm.
GEOLOGY
PROF. ECKELS
1. What is an igneous rock, a fossil, a glacier?
2. What is the origin of limestone, coal?
3. What is a geological fault? A claystone?
4. Compare the Paleozoic atmosphere with the present atmosphere.
5. What is a boulder? Its history.
SENIOR CLASS
The examination of the Seniors was opened by Prof. Eckels, who gave them an encouraging examination in Geometry. The questions were as follows:
GEOMETRY
PEOF. ECKELS
1. Define (a) an angle, (b) similar polygons, (c) a chord, and (d) a variable.
2. Two triangles are equal if three sides of the one are equal respectively to three sides of the other.
3. The areas of two similar polygons are to each other as the squares of any two homologous sides.
4. Construct a triangle with two of its sides 6 and 10 in. and the angle opposite the side 10 in. an angle of 45 degrees.
5. A carriage wheel is 40 in. in diameter. Where are those points in the plane of the wheel, which are 15 in. above the ground and equally distant from center and circumference of wheel? Draw figure.
6. If four quantities are in proportion, they are in proportion by composition.
7. Find area of the triangle whose sides are 85, 204, and 221 in. Is this triangle acute, right, or obtuse?
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY
PROF. WEISS
1. Discuss velocities of falling bodies; laws of falling bodies.
2. Define specific gravity, standard; explain law to find the specific gravity of solids, liquids, and gases.
3. Define siphon. Explain its actions and limitations.
Define pneumatics, heat and cold. Explain construction and use of barometer and thermometer.
4. Give laws of refraction of light. Explain the formation of primary rainbow; secondary rainbow.
5. Define frictional electricity. Give laws of electrostatics. Discuss physiological effects of electric current.
MENTAL SCIENCE
PROF. STUART
1. State briefly the advantages to be gained from a study of this subject.
2. Explain what is meant by consciousness.
3. Explain what is meant by the association of ideas.
4. Explain what is meant by percepts, concepts.
5. Give an example of deductive reasoning? Inductive reasoning?
6. Explain the forms and uses of the syllogism.
MENSURATION
PROF. WEISS
1. What will be the cost of painting the entire surface of a cone, whose perpendicular height is 30 ft. the diameter of the base of which is 20 ft., at 15 cts. per square yard.
2. A tub is 6ft. in diameter at the top, and 5 ft. at the bottom and 6 ft. deep. How many gallons of water will it hold?
3. A stick of timber, the transverse section of which is an equilateral triangle, of which each side is 32 in., is 65 ft. long. How many cu. ft. does it contain.
4. The volume of a cube is 9061 cubie inches; what is the volume of a sphere in which the cube is inscribed?
5. I wish a vessel of tin, the diameter of the bottom of which is 7 inches, the diameter to diminish one inch in rising 3 inches, that shall contain 1 gallon of wine measure. How high must it be made?
HISTORY OF EDUCATION
PROF. STUART
1. Name the text book that you have studied and any other book you may have read on this subject.
2. Give the classification of your text book.
3. Name two prominent educational reformers and the educational theories advanced by each.
4. Write one page stating facts concerning education in the United States from colonial days to the present time.
5. State the advantages of the public school system over the church system.
6. Name several States of the Union that have good school systems. Also name the State that has the lowest % of illiteracy.
THEORY OF TEACHING
PROF. STUART
1. On what grounds is it claimed that teaching is a science?
2. Name several leading principles upon which instruction should be based.
3. Name and discuss from elements of governing power.
4. What are the first steps in elementary teaching?
5. Explain the difference between education and instruction.
6. What are the objects of the recitation?
7. How would you cultivate attention?
8. Define discipline, order. State some of the elements of each.
RHETORIC
PROF. BAER
1. Define and illustrate metaphor and synecdoche.
2. Discuss sublimity.
3. Define and illustrate the following poetic feet: Iambic and Dactylic.
4. Name the qualities of a rhetorical sentence.
5. Write sentences explaining different uses of the colon and semicolon.
LITERATURE
PROF. BAER
1. Name five leading characters in Merchant of Venice. Which one is the hero? Why?
2. Give the plot of Merchant of Venice.
3. Quote from Comus at least five lines.
4. Name your favorite selection from sketch book. Give your reason.
5. Name all figures of rhetoric in the following:
'How sleep the brave who sink to rest
By all their country's wishes blest!
When Spring with her dewy fingers cold
Returns to deck their hallowed mold
She there shall find a sweeter sod,
Than Fancy's feet have ever trod."
LATIN
PROF. BAER
Translate into English :- Relinque batur una per Sequanos via, qua, Sequanis invitis, propter angustias ire non poterant. His cum sua sponte perșuadere non poesent, legatus ad Dumnori
gem Haeduum mittunt est eo drprecatore a Sequanis impetrarent.
Caesar bac oratione Lisci Damnorigem Divitiaci fratrem, designari sentiabat; sed quod pluribus praesentibus eas res jaetori nalebat, celerites concilium dimittit, Liseum retinet. Quaerit ex solo ca quae in conventu direret. Dieit liberius atqne audacius. Eadem secreto ab aliis quaerit; reperit esse vera.
JUNIOR CLASS
The Junior examination was opened by Prof. Weiss, who quizzed them in Geography. The following are the questions:
GEOGRAPHY
PROF. WEISS
1. Describe California and Russia.
a. Sketch or draw map.
b. Area and boundary.
c. Natural features, rivers, mountains, lakes, etc.
d. Products.
e. Capitals and chief towns. Locate them.
f. Population.
g. Objects of interest.
h. Government and religion.
2. Name and give cause of rainless regions of Africa.
3. Describe the Gulf Stream, and its effect upon the climate of Europe and America.
4. Discuss the relief forms of Asia, and state their effect upon the climate.
5. Give the cause of seasons. Why are the tropics and polar circles placed where they are?
After Geography and a recess of 10 minutes, the Juniors were examined in Civil Government by Prof. Eckels. The following is a list of the questions:
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
PROF. ECKELS
1. What are the qualifications of a voter in Pennsylvania?
2. (a) Who presides over Congress? (b) How did the name speaker originate? (c) Give the duties belonging to the speaker.
3. Name the president and vice president of the U. S. Name the president's cabinet. Name the governor and lieutenant governor of Pa. Name the governor's cabinet.
4. What provision does the constitution make for the admission of new states?
5. What is meant by protection, free trade, tariff for revenue only, reciprocity?
6. What is the pay of a member of Congress? Who determines the pay? What is there to prevent lavish or improper pay?
7. Explain the Australian ballot law.
LATIN
PROF. BAER
1. Decline: Virtus, Bellum, Virgo, Miles, Fructus.
2. Conjugate.
a. Infinitive of Amo.
b. Sub. of Sum.
c. Ind. of Do.
d. Participles of Dico.
e. Imperatives of Venio.
3. Into Latin.
a. Philip, King of Macedonia, was the father of Alexander.
b. Who will guard this beautiful city?
4. Into English.
Deinde regnum Lucius Tarquinius Priscus accepit, Demarati filius, qui tyrannos patriae Corinthi fugiens in Etruriam venerat; Ipse Tarquinius accepit, aliquando. Romam profectus erat.
HISTORY UNITED STATES
PROF. STUART
1. Name the especial discovery or
exploration for which each of the following was noted: DeSoto, Cartier, Hudson. Name also the European nation under whose flag each one sailed.
2. Name the five countries from whose possessions the present extent of the United States has been formed.
3. Name the most important inventions made by Americans – giving short sketch of inventor.
4. Name six distinguished American statesmen, giving the leading idea which cach represented.
5. Name the states that seceded from the union
6. Name the last six states that were admitted into the union, their dates of admission, the senators and capitals of each.
SPELLING
PROF. STUART
1. Write a description of your trip from home to school.
2. Write one or more sentences in which the words,
Cord/chord, Sum/some, Accept/except, Rain/rein/reign, Vain/vein/vane,
are used.
Spell (NOTE: one assumes the following words were recited by Prof. Stuart and that the students were not given a written list of the words.)
Abscess. Absence. Accede. Arid. Allspice. Apalogous. Adjacent. Alien. Almond. Alpaca. Agile. Ancient. Anoint. Anonymous. Aphorism. Apparel. Apparition. Anthracite. Antecedent. Anxious. Apparent. Arsenic. Ascension. Retention. Dissension. Tension. Atrocious. Artisan. Asthma. Assassin. Assimilate. Audiphone. Aversion. Baboon. Belfry. Cupola. Bilions. Bigot. Spigot. Biscuit. Bounteous. Beauteous. Brilliant. Business. Bulwark. Serenade. Ravine. Rapine. Canteen. Gangrene.
PHYSIOLOGY
PROF. BAER
1. Name the bones of the head.
2. Discuss bones - (a) Use, (b) Form, (c) Composition.
3. Describe the heart. (a) Form, (b) Functions.
4. Story of a piece of Beefsteak
from the time it enters the mouth till it becomes solid tissue.
5. Ventilation and disinfectants.
6. Five rules for taking care of the eye.
7. Alcohol, (a) Stomach, (b) heart, (c) brain.
GRAMMAR
PROF. ECKELS
1. Define, Relative Pronoun, Participle, Phrase, Clause, Sentence.
2. Pluralize the following: folio, negro, veto, datum, radius, wife, son-in-law.
3. Decline "thou."
Give synopsis of verb "to teach" 3d person, potential mood, passive voice.
4. Analyze the following sentence:
Men are invaluable helpers who see clearly how they should act when they meet with obstacles.
5. Correct the following sentences:
(a) I, or thou, or he are the author of it.
(b) A man, woman, and infant were riding in the cars.
(c) John, James and Henry are faithful boys and either one will carry the message.
(d) Abnormal is one of those words which has come in to supply a want in the precise statements of science.
(e) When reason, doubtful, like the Samian letter, points him two ways, the narrowest is the best.
6. Parse the italicized words:
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing.
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before ;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token :
And the only words there spoken was that whispered word, "Lenore."
7. Paraphrase .-
Heaven from all creatures hides the book of fate
All but the page prescribed teeir present state:
From brutes what men, from men what spirits know:
Or who could suffer Being here below?
The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to day,
Had he thy Reason, would he skip and play?
Pleased to the last, he crops the flowery food,
And licks the hand just raised to shed his blood
Oh, blindness to the future! kindly given,
That each may till the circle marked by Heaven;
Who sees with equal eye, as God of all,
A hero perish, or a sparrow fall,
Atoms or systems into ruin hurled,
And now a bubble burst, and now a world.
WRITTEN ARITHMETIC
PROF. WEISS
1. Define arithmetical progression. Name quantities to be considered. Derive rules to find first term, last term, number of terms, common difference, and sum of terms.
2. Find the difference between the true discount and the bank discount on 8250 for 2 years, 7 months and 21 days, at 6%.
3. A man sold a farm of 165 acres and 112 perches, at $33.50 per acre, and took a note payable in five months and 15 days at 7% interest. Wishing the money for immediate use, he got the note discounted at bank at 7%. How much did he receive ?
4. A merchant paid 2 cents for the first yard of cloth, 5 for the second, 8 for the third, etc.; how much did he pay for 75 yards.
5. A and B constructed 428 miles of railroad, and 3 times the number of miles A made plus 32 miles, is to 4 times the number be made minus 24 miles, as 2/3 to ¼ ; how many miles did each build?
6. How many square feet of boards will be required to cover a house 36 ft. long, 25 ft. wide and 32 ft. high in all, the ridge being 12 ft. above the beam, and the roof projecting 1 ft. in all directions, allowing 34 windows, 3 ½ by 6 ft., and 2 doors 4 ft. by 8 ft .?
7. A and B agree to mow a field of grass for $60; A mows twice as much as B lacking 8 acres, and receives $24. How many acres does each mow?
PENMANSHIP
PROF. STUART
1. Write a brief specimen of your penmanship.
2. Explain: Form, Space and Height.
BOOK-KEEPING
PROF. STUART
1. Explain the use of book-keeping.
2. Name the text book you have used.
3. How long have you studied it?
4 .Explain the most
