I went to a Military School where I learned how I could learn.That was as a sophomore. In grades from 1 through 8 I was a pass thru loser. The teachers usually wrote on my report card "Willett can do better" but never told me how.The first year high school was absolute terror but I managed to make it through with a passing grade. In the three years at Military school I never failed to make the honor roll. I learned enough that even after a time spent in the military in WW2 I went to Purdue University,never flunked a subject,earned a Degree in Mechanical Engineering. I never lost the fear of reverting to my Grade school lack of abilities.A hellova way to live.
Who cares what my high school was like? It was high school and not at all indicative of real life in any way whatsoever. As bad as it was at preparing me for the real world, I suspect it is much worse now with the snowflakes and "everyone gets a trophy" from this generation.
In some ways, it kinda depends when you went. I graduated in 1975, the year Saigon fell (so I missed it). Anyway, there wasn't that much related to the war going on. My junior high school experience was much different. Different state (illinois vs connecticut), and different time. My junior high experience was much more related to the war. I remember the big kids all putting on black armbands to protest the Cambodian escalation. Enemy body counts every night on tv, etc.