Posted by
Gary A McAvin on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:34:15 AM
We should be seriously concerned about society’s intellectual evacuation. I wanted to compare the descent to “Backward Evolution” but; I don’t believe in Evolution to start with. Originally man was created to be very intellectual. Earth’s first inhabitants were definitely not knuckle dragging ape people. Somehow the comparison to ape like ancestry is really an affront to any intelligent human being. By comparison, there is none! Man has been the superior creature from the start. It is only in the declining generations that mankind has adapted animal like inclinations. It would appear that the longer we are on this planet the worse we get! The more bestial we become!
I really enjoy reading intellectually superior writings. I love an individual who writes with a razor, or with a sword when necessary. These types of writers have special insight, and can cut to the chase without a lot of scatology obscuring their candid observations. The good writers continue to keep themselves intellectually sharpened. Astute in every area that concerns their peculiar areas of expertise, they always bring something to the mental palette. After reading their insightful missives, you leave feeling stimulated, and intellectually satisfied! Sadly, there are too many writers who write water-downed columns filled with meaningless drivel. These writers leave you intellectually empty and wondering why you read their column in the first place!
In what direction is the human race headed? Are we advancing as we should? It doesn’t seem like we are going anywhere now, does it? It appears that total annihilation is in the future for all humans. Would that be an intelligent decision, to push for nuclear destruction? Why is there so much anger and hatred everywhere? Is this where supposed intelligent people arrive eventually?
Actually, we have been in a dumb down mode for quite some time. Most High School students in the last thirty years (or longer) could not even pass an eighth grade exam that was given prior to the turn of the 20th Century. I want to provide an example of the test taken in 1895. Due to the extensive subject matter covered, I will only include one section of the subject materials the students were tested on.
EXAMINATION GRADUATION QUESTIONS
OF SALINE COUNTY, KANSAS
April 13, 1895
J.W. Armstrong, County Superintendent.
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, 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.
How well would this generation do? It has been stated by knowledgeable sources, (i.e. Teachers and Professionals who could actually pass this test) that even (many, if not most) College Professors today could not pass this test. Here is the link to the test and also the answers. http://www.barefootsworld.net/1895finalexam.html