No, as a good Methodist, I went to public school, Oak Park and River Forest High School--a number of people in my cohort have gone on toe successful careers as actors and writers--Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Dan Castellaneta, Kathy Griffin, Megan Cavanaugh, the novelist Jame Hamilton--and others). Why such a talent pool would be found in a cohort of a suburban Chicago high school remains a mystery. But they all were able to develop their gifts because back then people were willing to pay higher school taxes in order to make the arts a central part of public education. |