It began in the 1940s, when “schools unbolted the desks and kids were no longer facing the teacher.” Instead children were divided into small groups and instructed to complete worksheets independently with occasional input from teachers. “That was also when our verbal test scores went down and the relative ranking of our elementary schools declined on a national level.” On the International Adult Literacy Survey, Americans went from being No. 1 for children who were educated in the 1950s to fifth for those in the ’70s and 14th in the ’90s. And things have only gotten worse. Between 2002 and 2015, American schoolchildren went from a ranking of 15th to 24th in reading on the Program for International Student Assessment.

Behind the WSJ paywall, but long excerpt here; My emphases

But you know Missy. She’s not one to sit around complaining. She and her pack are doing something! A few years ago she wrote an epic novel, Vitiosus Canes, Virtutum Actus, to “offer up to children of all species a world of sterling characters, exquisitely crafted dialogs, and soaring adventures.” It was a best seller! [Link goes to Part 4 in the four part series.]

Now, she and her pack– including Tiger the Cat– are starting a school for wild and domestic animals. I myself have been chronicling their efforts in a little volume titled, Miss Missy’s School.

Preview of “Chapter Ten: It’s Parliamentary, Sir,” below the fold.

In addition to Rocky (who has a vocabulary of literally one word), and Gilbert & Bebe who, you will recall, are The J-Man’s and Daughter C’s rough and boarder collies, respectively, Missy’s pack now includes Aubrey, a formerly stray fox hound, and her son Little Tommy.