So...where did YOU go to high school? (St. Louis, St. Charles: credit, top schools)

[aragx6]

I think that if you tell someone from St. Louis what high school they went to, they can pretty much automatically make assumptions about what kind of house you lived in and how much money your parents made. I'm not so ridiculous as to claim I haven't done exactly that.

But whether we like it or not, it's often true. I have two best friends from St. Louis- one graduated from Parkway South, the other from Riverview. And every thought you have about how they grew up, is exactly right.

[RickMG]

Originally Posted by Fishtacos

This topic would be on my list of things I like least about St. Louis. It's something I've never experienced anywhere else, and something I simply don't enjoy. I did grow up in St. Louis and did go to high school in St. Louis, before relocating, and actually enjoyed my high school experience a great deal, and would recommend my high school highly to anyone who asked. I do also enjoy St. Louis a great deal of course and still spend a lot of time in St. Louis.

I have a few friends who've recently moved back to St. Louis and immediately were reminded of the whole high school mentality, and they simply say they were home schooled or from out of town and usually the other person asking quickly loses interest in them and walks away.

I generally think I have a good tolerance for things and a sense of humor, but where there's smoke there's fire, and despite the friendliness and simpleness of the topic, to me it represents the fragmented mentality of a medium sized metro area, or big small town if you will, and the sizing up one person vs another. I'm just not a fan.

It's sort of remniscent of the person who enters a party and the first thing they strike up in conversation is, "So, what do you do?"...because they can't think of anything else to say.

So....does this mean that you're not going to tell us?

Actually, I've always thought the question was for another reason. Growing up in this area, we all did things all over. Ice skating, bowling leagues, baseball leagues, in high school we always cruised Steak (Steak 'N Shake), went from Kirkwoods to U. City's to the one on W. Florissant, The Parkmoors and others. We went to Sunday school or the 'Y', so we knew kids from all over. Whenever I ask someone where they went to school, I most likely had a friend there. I'd ask if they knew them or whatever and you really find out how small of a world it is. Brings everyone a little closer in my mind.

If you want to think that it was elitist, how would you like to have grown up in Olivette and answer "Ladue" to where you went to high school? I lived in a regular middle class home and family, but was immediately lumped into snob status by some people. Most do what I do, ask if I know someone.

[kshe95girl]

I spent my childhood in STL, my folks bugged out in '70 to Sainte Genevieve, they were convinced the commies were gonna bomb the bejesus outta STL.....anyway, we lived in Ladue, thats where I would have gone to school. When I meet someone from STL down here, they always ask where I went to school, I tell them Ladue, and am always rewarded by the look on their face. Not very nice, I know, but I just cant help myself.....

[RickMG]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

I spent my childhood in STL, my folks bugged out in '70 to Sainte Genevieve, they were convinced the commies were gonna bomb the bejesus outta STL.....anyway, we lived in Ladue, thats where I would have gone to school. When I meet someone from STL down here, they always ask where I went to school, I tell them Ladue, and am always rewarded by the look on their face. Not very nice, I know, but I just cant help myself.....

So what year would you have graduated from Ladue?

[Northwoods Voyager]

Back in the 'dark ages' I attended Beaumont. Told a few people CBC, just to see what reaction I would get. Oh, I am of the female persuasion. sometimes that would stop the questions. But, that question was not as elitist then as evidently some are posting here. Just part of the area. I find it rather humorous at times.

[anduarto]

Hey Bobster, I'm even older than you!

I lived in the Southwest School district too, but I went to DuBourg freshman year. (My parents used to threaten me with sending me to Southwest. Was it that bad?).

Then when I was a sophomore I tranfered to DeSmet...and other than being catholic, I fit very few of the assumptions most folks make about people who went to DeSmet (I think).

Class of... ah ...'77 (yikes!)

[Ftball_Mom]

Are public schools in the St. Louis area primarily for non-Catholic kids, while all the Catholic kids go to Catholic schools? And what schools are considred the "top schools"?

Sorry, i'm still trying to understand the whole thing about schools in the St. Louis area. We're moving there, we're Catholic, and we have kids. I'm not sure if we're gonna send them to Catholic schools or public schools. I'm leaning towards public, but I'm not sure if that's normal for Catholic families to do in St. Louis.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by RickMG

So what year would you have graduated from Ladue?

class of '80, my sister actually got to graduate before my folks freaked out, class of '69.
Its quite true what another poster said about peoples perceptions. I spoke to mom about this thread, she laughed and told me that she didnt want me growing up with all that elitist nonsense that she saw in Ladue, and that was a very small reason for moving. Besides the commies getting us.

[anduarto]

A lot of catholics send their kids to public school. It just depends on what district you're in. Some public school districts are great, some terrible. Any of the Parkway schools are good. My brother (a catholic) sent his kids all through public school in Hazelwood. His kids are just about the highest performing nieces and nephews I have.

[aragx6]

Football mom- lost of Catholic parents send their kids to public schools, unless the district is not so good. If all Catholic kids went to catholic school i think a lot of public schools would cease to exist haha! I was Catholic, as were probably 2/3s of my friends and we went to public school- actually a funny story why we did; maybe I'll share sometime if it's relevant.

As far as good schools, you can do a search. That's been discussed a lot on this forum.