Doll Gone It

The January issue included "Where to Get It Fixed ," which highlighted the best places to get things repaired—from household items to clothing to classic cars. The issue also featured a guide to picking a private school as well as a story on the Charlotte Roller Girls roller derby team.  

Doll Gone It
When I received my January issue, I was excited to see your article "Where to Get It Fixed." After reading the introduction, which mentioned, "Be it that heirloom Madame Alexander doll…" I could hardly wait to, finally, after much searching, locate a local doll hospital. I read through the article three or four times, thinking I might have missed it or a page might have been stuck together, before admitting to myself that there was nothing in there about dolls. Shame on you for raising my hopes, only to dash them. I guess my doll and I will have to go on searching for someone who can help her walk again.

Sylvia Lanspery

Editor's reply: Our apologies to Ms. Lanspery and the other readers who pointed out the inconsistency. We thought we had discovered a "doll hospital" in our initial research, at which time we wrote the introduction. Fact checking revealed that the business in question did not, in fact, fix dolls, but we forgot to change the intro. We have subsequently searched for a place that might repair dolls, to no avail.

Admitting Secrets
I found it interesting that the private schools story ("Going Private ") didn't really discuss the reality of private school admission. Not to name a school, but for several years we applied for our children, and each year we were told what great candidates our kids were. And then we received a letter each year that of the number of spots available, many had been filled with alumni and sibling children, so there was no spot for our children. They were accepted, but wait listed. We understood that process—although I think some of those schools are examining the soundness of that alumni auto-admission policy—until we had friends transferred in by major employers within the area who were given spots at that same school, immediately, in the middle of the year.

The experience that we had and many others have had with private school admissions indicated to us that the process is a financial, social, and political one that may have little to do with the children in question. In fact, one trustee of another private school, which we didn't apply to, told me point blank they always have spots for children of "powerful people" who may come to town, even in midyear.

While I hope the Lewises (the family featured in one of the articles) reach their goal—and your article may help—reality appears to be different in Charlotte private schools. I attended a fine private school in junior high and a fine prep school in high school and don't believe those type of games were played with my admission. I am not sure the same can be said of Charlotte private schools, and I believe that is an issue that should be of concern to a community seeking open, quality private education. Strong and open private education is as important to Charlotte's economic future as a strong public education system. From my vantage point, transparency on the private side is lacking.

I'm happy with my kids' school, but I make the point above because I don't think my thoughts are isolated.

(Name withheld)