Words Have Meaning II, or, Huh?

I took my child to school to register for the winter semester but was told my child could not go to school there.

       “This is a public school, isn’t it?”  I thought that would put an end to the dilemma, but I was told that it was only a “public” school for those who live in the right geographic area.

       Naturally, I countered, “Oh, so it’s a private school and the members of the private group are simply people who live in a specific geographic location”.

       Thankfully, the administrator at the school was gracious, realizing that I did not properly understand the definition of public and said, “Yes, you have it right”.

       Perplexed I had to think about what I just learned and decided to stop and get a cup of coffee and contemplate my intellectual deficiency. 

But, as soon as I entered, I stopped myself, “Wait, this is a public restaurant.  I wonder if I live in the right “geographic area” to qualify as a private member of this public restaurant.”

       I asked the pleasant young person behind the counter, “Dear, can you serve me a cup of coffee?  I am not sure that I live in the right place”.

       Thankfully, the young person had pity on me.  “Sir, this is a public restaurant, we are happy to serve anyone.  Our business is to serve you.  And we believe that anybody who wants coffee, should have it.  What would you like?”

       Of course, what I wanted was for someone to clear up this issue for me:  What is public and what is private?  I get so easily confused.  Next they will tell me that Atlanta, the home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team that played in the Western Division of the National Baseball league, is west of my hometown St. Louis that played in the Eastern Division, less I digress.

       What a great place that Star-place was, they will serve anyone.  It doesn't matter where you live, what color my skin is or if I had any religious affiliation, so cool.  But it caused me to think.  

       On the drive home, I saw a sign that said “St. John Divine, Jesuit School”.  Now my curiosity had the best of me.  We pulled into the school, found an administrator and I asked, “Sir, Can I enroll my child in your school?”

The cheerful individual replied, “Well certainly, St. John Divine is open to all who care to enroll”.  Thoughtfully, they added, “We hope you understand that we follow the traditional Jesuit curriculum and just because your child attends here doesn't mean we are going to change our standards to meet their specific requirements”.  Very well stated I thought.

“Wow, so even though you are private, you are open to the public, with the only requirement that we as a family accept the rules that you establish and run the school by.  Is that right?” 

My new pleasant friend said “Yes, that is correct, and of course there is an annual fee for the school that we ask you to pay”.

“Well”, I said, “that only makes sense, I had to pay for my coffee at the public restaurant”.  I am still not sure why, but I did get a funny look from the administrator.  Anyways this public and private thing keeps getting more confusing.

So my child and I continued on our way home.  Along the way we stopped at many various schools:  Independent Fundamental Baptist, a LBG&T (Lesbian, Bisexual, and Gay & Transgender), Greek Orthodox, Atheist Union of America, Caucasian Only, and Northern White Protestant European Descendants Excluded,  ect (I think you get the idea).

Surprisingly, we heard the same thing, over and over.  “Feel free to join, but we are not changing”.   And I thought to myself, “Wow, what a great country; people freely associating with others of like mind in a private way that is very public.”

But I am still perplexed:  What is so public about that school that excludes every one; expect those who live in a specific geographic area?  Sounds  private to me.  

Oh well, nonetheless, at least those so called private schools that are actually open to the public, regardless of where they live, believe ect, are polite.  They ask for me to pay.

Those so called public schools, that are really private, just take it.