The purpose behind teaching History, Geography and Civics is not only for the sake of storing knowledge for future generations. Knowledge is being stored in the form of books and records since ancient Egypt; the issue here, however, when learning dates and eminent personalities, or studying the country's topographical or related features is more about reverence and regard to the country.
It's not that twenty years back, people were incapable of reading books to know when Bill Clinton was born. I know that you speak in terms of accessibility, but in practice History and Geography are only important for those students who wish to become politicians/archeologists/geologists, who would undoubtedly need to memorize some of this knowledge--the rest of its value is out of tradition, loyalty and respect to our homelands. It is, hence, even with the advent of computers, a practice that students must study such subjects.
To the second part of your argument: where are intelligent people found, then?
