In a message dated 12/21/2003 2:01:00 AM Central Standard Time, Jc wrote << I suggest that we should make sure that the next guy we allow to live in our public housing unit on Pennsylvania Avenue should be a graduate of a good public high school... >> Prior to 1950 most of our presidents had farming back ground ,(heck Eisenhower was raised on a farm) so was Harry and silent Cal and Hoover , Carter and most of the 19 cent presidents.since in them days farming was tough business you had to add and be responsible to your neighbors pray for rain and be good stewards of the earth; which aren't bad prerequisites if you think about it . Harding was a notable failure; he came from the new business class that was the forerunner of Inron; and our new class of presidents where ethics are a side issue; and cooking the books and standing tall is what its all about. Good Public high schools are hard to come by; there is little academic accountability and alot of cover your ass ..and if you look at what the kids are wearing there isn't alot of that either.....nah give me a background of someone who knows what hard work is and what war is someone who has taken care of plants kids and living things that has had a successful business from scratch; then I might take a second look the 1940 gov't spec school I am restoring (making into a home and theater) was built for light and durability....and my guess is if built today would be a couple of million Skool house is 1940 gov't spec (Mo-dern ? ).....heavy Poured concrete outer walls; large brick and plaster hallways with poured floors heavy plaster on lath interior walls of class rooms 11.6 ceilings 7 class rooms ; 6 to nine large 4x 10 ft windows with 18 large panes of glass in ea Rooms are 11.6 ft high ; picture frame molding separates the wall space at about 8ft. white washed the walls with my own putty mix and colors replaced dropped ceiling tiles with 32 ga rippled tin T&G oak floor with 21/2 "leafs in rooms and auditorium 4 large main baths (boys and girls) have converted one into a steam bath so I can walk around in my toga and oak laurel. The concrete floors which Im leaning towards to acid stain; but it has a nice old polished green concrete look that is worth considering to keep Auditorium 80x 40 with dropped ceiling in wood (at 11ft 6) to hold ceiling tile plain jane Stage 25x18 with same at 11ft .6" Wife looking to heat and cool with in ground system; I like the old daze so Im handing out the fans .....Next month Im putting in my shop 40x60 open air with two secured rooms ; open air to move fork lifts around in and out The school building is U shaped with nice old trees and planting s from the 40's ; the auditorium is at the bottom of the U but faces the main road and circular drive. Building is very rural and sits on 6 acres with its own well of exceptional water and 2 acres of vegie garden has a swimming creek with rope nearby Future plans are to cut doors from auditorium to large outdoor deck(Wife wants "jib" doors ) then from deck to walk down to a landscape pool area that will run the length of the interior building walls and beyond into gardens and old growth trees. Drifted down to the Delta last night ; seems the wife got a gig doing an addition to the Delta Blues Museum;and as part of the perks she 's got 15 hrs in a recording studio in Clarksdale caterwauling blues. part of the addition includes restoring log cabin whre Muddy was born)..I It was foggy out on the delta last night; pea soup....so when you look out the car window you see unatural shadows and ghostly shapes race across the land. Nobody is out at this hour ; the little juke joints loom through the dark sea like some garish lite time capsule; tin roofed and fly blown they beckon like sirens on coastal rocks ; promising salvation from the dark of the night. Inside however dey is serving up Cajun duck gumbo, tamales, .$2 beers and blues walking and drivin., crying and cussing ......Mary aka peanut turns 4 Sunday pony rides and ice cream and cake at school house all invited....... PY.... -- To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>