Bring On The Quiz Kids

Chronicle (Levin), 18 June 1949, Page 4

Bring On The Quiz Kids

What is one eighty-ninth- of £10,946 4s 6|d? Simple, isn't it— or is it? While you are scratching your head over this problem, it might be of interest to learn that it is one of eight questions which the Standard IV pupils . of 1918 were required to solve. It is taken from an Education Department progress test card discovered by the contractors who are repairing and making additions to the Levin Hotel, Oxford Street. Here is another pxample which housewives of today would not mind having the opportunity to solve: — « * Bill: 13 lbs. of-tear at;Is 9id per lb.; 11 lbs. of coffee at ls,5id.per lb., 35 lbs. of sugar. at. 2id per lb., seven lbs. of butter at ls 8£d per lb- ' How much tea is.;, required to give 6 ozs. to each of 1500 poor people? (Answer in cwts., etc.) In one million and eight inches, how many chains, etp.? A Teacher Says . . . "The children of today do not get mathematical prob}eip£ hiyplv- ( ing figures of such vast proportions in Form II (Standard Six), far less Standard "IV," §aid a teacher when this card was' referred to him for comment yesterday. He added, however, that the principles involved in their solution remained the same. "In modern education methods mucli less time is spent oii arithmetic and a great ,cleal more on cultural subjects than was evident in 1918," he continued. /"The amount of time spent on this old progress test is now utilised in j solving up to three times as many | examples of a simpler nature, but ! involving much the same proj cedure." i He said that, for . instance, one and threequarter • hours were allowed for eight sums in the progress test, whereas at the present time 20 mental calculations and | from eight to 10 problems are re- [ required to be solved in one hour. Arithmetic 1 was taught from a utilitarian aspect, calculations being based on the normal everyday working of people's lives. He added, however, that frequently Form II pupils were tested on the I problems set children of earlier | generations- to see how they fared, ; and he would vervj ,much like. .to ! keep the card in question for such I a purpose. \