Monday's Diggings

Pauline Mentzer's 1912–1913 Grade Card

Do you have any of your ancestors' old report cards? What can those records tell us about their education and childhood?

Among the items my grandmother, Pauline Mentzer, saved was her grade card from the 1912–1913 school year. This little piece of family history provides a glimpse into her education more than a century ago.

A Look at Pauline's Grade Card

The card identifies the pupil as Pauline Mentzer, attending District No. 1 during the 1912–1913 school year. Her grade is listed as 8–9, suggesting she was studying material associated with both the eighth and ninth grades.

The report includes columns for eight months of school, although grades were entered for only the first six months.

Looking at the subjects listed on the card, I was struck by both the similarities and differences between Pauline's education and the subjects taught today.

Her report card included:

• Orthography

• Reading

• Writing

• Arithmetic

• Language

• Grammar

• Geography

• Physiology

• Drawing

• History

• Civics

• Kansas History

• Agriculture

• Deportment

Not all of these subjects received grades. For example, Grammar, Physiology, and Agriculture appear to have been left blank.

Someone also crossed out the printed word "Drawing" and replaced it with "Classics."

What Is Orthography?

When I first looked at the grade card, I wondered about the subject called Orthography.

Orthography is essentially spelling. In schools of Pauline's era, it could also involve pronunciation, syllabication, and rules governing the correct use of letters.

Pauline apparently did quite well in this subject. Her first six monthly grades were 96, 92, 100, 100, 99, and 90.

Those two perfect scores certainly caught my attention!

What About Deportment?

Another term that might be unfamiliar to today's students is Deportment.

Rather than an academic subject, deportment evaluated a student's behavior and conduct. Teachers considered qualities such as obedience, courtesy, attentiveness, respect for others, and following school rules.

Pauline's deportment grades were particularly high. Her first five monthly scores were 98, 98, 98, 99, and 99. The sixth entry is partially obscured.

Apparently, Pauline was receiving excellent marks for her behavior!

A Strong Student

Pauline's academic performance was impressive.

Her monthly averages were:

First Month    93

Second Month 93

Third Month 96

Fourth Month 96

Fifth Month 97

Sixth Month 96

The report also includes a row labeled "Rank." Pauline received a rank of 1 for all six months.

Although the card doesn't explain how the rankings were determined or how many students were included, it suggests that Pauline was performing very well in her class.

Her attendance record is also interesting. During the six months recorded, she was absent a total of 11 days and tardy four times. Three of those tardies occurred during the first month.

The card does not explain the reasons for her absences.

A Parent's Signature

The reverse side of the grade card provides another interesting glimpse into Pauline's school experience.

 

Parents were expected to review their children's grades, sign the report each month, and return it promptly to the teacher.

The card states:

"Parents are asked to note the grades carefully and to confer with the teacher if the grades do not indicate satisfactory progress. Please sign each month's report and return it promptly to the teacher."

The signatures appear to be those of C. O. Mentzer, Pauline's father, Charles Oliver Mentzer. The first five months contain signatures, while the remaining spaces are blank.

The card also identifies the teacher as Lucilla Shields and the county superintendent as Cora L. Tompkins.

These names provide additional clues for researching the school Pauline attended. School records, newspaper articles, and county histories might reveal more about the district, its teachers, and the students who attended.

More Than Just Grades

One thing I find interesting about this report card is the variety of subjects offered. Along with reading, writing, and arithmetic, Pauline studied Kansas history, civics, geography, and other subjects.

The inclusion of Agriculture on the printed card reflects the importance of farming in Kansas communities, even though Pauline did not receive a grade in that subject.

The handwritten substitution of Classics for Drawing is another intriguing detail. What did the teacher mean by Classics? Was Pauline studying literature, or was this a different course of study? The grade card doesn't tell us.

The report also leaves one question unanswered: Did Pauline complete the school year? Although the form provides spaces for eight months, only six months contain grades, and the section indicating promotion to the next grade was never completed.

Perhaps another school record will eventually answer that question.

Preserving a Piece of Pauline's Childhood

As genealogists, we often concentrate on records documenting births, marriages, deaths, and family relationships. Yet records like this grade card help us understand something about the everyday lives of our ancestors.

Pauline's grade card tells me that she was studying a variety of subjects, earning high marks, and consistently receiving the highest recorded class rank. It also preserves the names of her teacher and county superintendent, along with signatures from her father.

I'm thankful that Grandma saved this small piece of paper.

More than a century later, it provides a glimpse into her life as a student and reminds me that the seemingly ordinary items our ancestors saved can become valuable pieces of family history.

Do you have any old report cards among your family's treasures? What have they taught you about your ancestors?