[Sacajaweau]

You're absolutely right. SOME went to excellent schools but the curriculum was not consistent. The majority of kids worked on their fathers farm...and after a little bit of schooling, many became apprentices at about age 14. Reading and writing was enough to be an apprentice...if that.

The world was totally different back then and so was the school system. Look at who and what professions were considered "educated" back then.

[supercat]

The majority of kids worked on their fathers farm...and after a little bit of schooling, many became apprentices at about age 14. Reading and writing was enough to be an apprentice...if that.

I suspect the majority of those kids picked up a lot more common sense back then than most adults today achieve in their lifetime.