Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:To 21:32: It is really quite simple, though probably not PC to state so boldly. The obsession with Beauvoir has to do with:
1) The fact that it is THE most expensive independent elementary school, in a city of overly-expensive elementary independent schools, and
2) The fact that it is affiliated with National Cathedral and therefore the Episcopal Church, which is regarded by many as The Church in this country (just ask any Episcopalian), and
3) The fact that it has a super-involved parent and alum group who act as a PR machine to keep the myth alive.
Have I left anything out?
These facts keep alive a culture of "haves" (those in the school) and "have nots" (those who were not admitted). As with anything else, the "have nots" play just as big a role in the PR machine of the "haves" because they also perpetuate the myths, by obsessing about what they are missing.
It's basic psych 101. An analogy: remember not getting into alpha alpha alpha sorority, and having to pretend that you were OK with beta beta beta???
You are completely wrong on many counts. For instance, the easiest to factual prove is that Beauvoir is not THE most expensive elementary school:
Beauvoir: $24,440
St. Patrick's (k-3): $25,253
Sidwell Lower School: $26,790
Maret (k-4): $24,695
GDS: (PK-K) $25,685 (1-5) $27,445
and others such as Sheridan, Lowell, Norwood, etc.. are not far behind in price.
Anonymous wrote:To 21:32: It is really quite simple, though probably not PC to state so boldly. The obsession with Beauvoir has to do with:
1) The fact that it is THE most expensive independent elementary school, in a city of overly-expensive elementary independent schools, and
2) The fact that it is affiliated with National Cathedral and therefore the Episcopal Church, which is regarded by many as The Church in this country (just ask any Episcopalian), and
3) The fact that it has a super-involved parent and alum group who act as a PR machine to keep the myth alive.
Have I left anything out?
These facts keep alive a culture of "haves" (those in the school) and "have nots" (those who were not admitted). As with anything else, the "have nots" play just as big a role in the PR machine of the "haves" because they also perpetuate the myths, by obsessing about what they are missing.
It's basic psych 101. An analogy: remember not getting into alpha alpha alpha sorority, and having to pretend that you were OK with beta beta beta???
Anonymous wrote:I'll say half the class did. Lots of kids who didn't were invited to a few of the dances by friends who signed up.
Some of the dances were sweet, like the cowboy one, and the sock hop.
But I wouldn't try and convince a child to do it, if they don't want. A good friend of mine made me rethink my position on cotillion. I think if your kid normally likes to get dressed up and is begging you to learn to dance, take him/her. If not, maybe wait until they actually want to do the activity on their own. There's time to learn to dance.
Anonymous wrote:I actually like cotillion. I don't think it's turning the children into mini adults. If my son hated going I wouldn't make him, but truth be told, he likes it. He likes seeing all his friends there, and he likes the cookies and lemonade. I don't know, maybe I'm not looking around as much as I should.
What you left out is that almost without exception, each family is rich, or powerful, or both. Their connections in both the private and public spheres are vast. The family directory reads like a Who's Who of Washington. It's almost like Skull and Bones for the adult set. They are, much as I hate to admit it, a rather glamorous if boorish bunch. Throw in some scandal [the other Beauvoir thread is but the most recent] and you have a recipe for a real life telenovela.
Anonymous wrote:To 21:32: It is really quite simple, though probably not PC to state so boldly. The obsession with Beauvoir has to do with:
1) The fact that it is THE most expensive independent elementary school, in a city of overly-expensive elementary independent schools, and
2) The fact that it is affiliated with National Cathedral and therefore the Episcopal Church, which is regarded by many as The Church in this country (just ask any Episcopalian), and
3) The fact that it has a super-involved parent and alum group who act as a PR machine to keep the myth alive.
Have I left anything out?
These facts keep alive a culture of "haves" (those in the school) and "have nots" (those who were not admitted). As with anything else, the "have nots" play just as big a role in the PR machine of the "haves" because they also perpetuate the myths, by obsessing about what they are missing.
It's basic psych 101. An analogy: remember not getting into alpha alpha alpha sorority, and having to pretend that you were OK with beta beta beta???