I took Social Studies IV but was not prepared for it.  What was dumb for me was that I loved Government and Civics and skipped taking it since I took SSIV.  My favorite teachers in H.S. were Lawrence Dilks (a history class, but darned if I can remember which one), Rich Gannon (Jr. English).  Mr Gannon was kind enough to give me things to read because I had read most of the junior English curriculum.  My older brother would pass books on to me, so when the rest of the class read, Catcher in the Rye, I read Nine Stories and Franny and Zooey.