Way Back Jack wrote:
If you use as a measuring stick the success you have enjoyed and the
ability to retire in your early 50s, Catholic elementary school in the
1950s and Catholic high school in late '50s-early '60s sho nuff worked
for me. It contributed at least significantly, albeit not totally.
It wasn't for everyone though; the nuns prior to 1960 could be brutal.
I recall our third grade class having 86 kids, but you could hear a
pin drop.

The stories I hear today, especially pertaining to govt. schools:
metal detectors, cops patrolling the halls, absolute chaos in the
classroom .... whew.

Personally, I don't feel that walking the halls in any of the public
school around here is any different (more or less dangerous) than
walking around any of the local shopping malls.... (and the schools are
probably a whole lot safer than shopping at the nearby factory outlets
around November or December...) Public education probably has more of a
cross-section statically proportional to the local general population
than most of the private schools do.... so I'm guessing that if the
school hallways are scary, so are the streets.....

Martin

You have to feel sorry for those kiddos who want
to learn. They're probably in the distinct minority though and, if
so, that's a major cause of the problem. Private school? Hah, the
high school I attended now charges $20K per year just for tuition.

The old lady and I made the right choice not to reproduce.