Back from Chattanooga, enjoyed our visit very much! Marriott just fine, room great, room service breakfast expensive and terrible (although they did take off the oatmeal when I called to tell them it was so watery we could drink it ) Chattanooga lovely and busy; we went to the Aquarium (River part the best); saw a movie at the Bijou (Benchwarmers--what can I say, the son is 14!!); went to the murder-mystery dinner theater (a 4 on a 10 pt scale, except the food, which was a 1.5, but it was just an evening's diversion); Incline Railway (steep. very steep. People at all afraid of heights SHOULD NOT EAT LUNCH BEFOREHAND); hang gliding unfortunately cancelled due to low cloud ceiling/lack of visibility, son dismayed.

Schools all wonderful, but my favorite is still Indian Springs in Birmingham. They don't have an especially impressive campus, no tall brick buildings built for generations yet to come, but they pay their teachers very well, recruit nationally for the best teachers, and produce incredible graduates who are smart and know HOW to think. The kids have more freedom and more responsibility for their own work. No desks, lots of classes held outside, just a very empowering attitude among the students and faculty alike. No football program, no stadium, few tennis courts but three of the top boys in AL, and a girl with a full tennis scholarship to GW next year. sigh. Well, the choice is his and I am expressing my opinion here because I am being careful NOT to do so out loud to him. Reverse psychology. Hasn't worked yet with two other kids, but there's always a chance!!!!