I know, you expect this to some kind of profound query, and perhaps even a disquisition, into some cosmological conundrum.

No, I just want to know when and where the term “middle school” came into vogue. When I was a young lad, we went to elementary school through grade six, then we went to junior high from seven through nine, and then high school was grades ten, eleven and twelve. I never heard of “middle school” (which apparently encompasses six through eight) until I came to California.

I will confess that there was always something a little weird about the setup where I went, because in high school, we had sophomores, juniors and seniors, but no freshmen. The freshmen were the seniors at the junior high, though they didn’t call them that.

But still, it worked, and we all knew what it meant.

So is it a regional thing, or has the terminology changed over the past three decades? If I went back to Flint, MI today, would they be calling it middle school there as well?

If it’s a new thing, what was wrong with “junior high”? Too rough on the young adolescents’ self esteem?

Frankly, “junior high” sounds more high-falutin’ to me than the bland “middle school.” With junior high, it gives you something to aspire to, to practice for. Once we make it through “Junior” high, will be ready for the real thing–senior high school.

But “middle school” sounds like a Goldilocks kind of deal. That one was too young, and the next one is too old, but the middle one is juuussst right. Booooring.

Anyway, just curious. Inquiring minds, and all that.