Stupid Ancestors

Were the ancestors of Chicago's present schoolchildren a stupid lot? Or have teaching methods and teachers vastly improved in 50 years? These are the comparative results, announced a fortnight ago, of an arithmetic test taken by pupils in Chicago schools 50 years ago and given again last year:

"The younger generation" made an average of 76.1 per cent. Pupils of 1875 had made 52.7 per cent.

No 1925 pupils failed entirely; 5 per cent of their grandparents were unable to do a single one of the problems.

Of the 1925 children 15 per cent had perfect marks; only 3 per cent of the 1875ers achieved perfection.