Dead Poets Society 死亡诗社 （精讲之四）

文化面面观

Types of U.S. Private Schools

Private schools in the United States may be broadly classified as either religious or nonsectarian (nonreligious) institutions. The most common types of religious schools in the United States are supported by various branches of the Catholic Church. Some private schools are known as boarding schools because they offer lodging to students in addition to academic instruction. Private schools that do not offer lodging are often called day schools. Private schools that focus on academic preparation for college are sometimes called preparatory schools or prep schools. Both religious and nonsectarian private schools may feature other distinguishing characteristics, such as single-sex enrollment or residential facilities.

The term independent school refers to any private school that is independently governed by a board of trustees, rather than by a church or religious organization. Independent schools may have a religious or nonsectarian orientation. They are financed primarily by tuition, fees, charitable contributions, and income from investments, rather than by tax or church funds. The main organization representing independent schools in the United States is the National Association of Independent Schools.

Catholic School Classroom

First grade students work on projects under their teacher's supervision at St. Casimir School, a Catholic private school located in downtown Albany, New York. About 50 percent of all private school students in the United States attend Catholic schools.