“Ps. I also was heavily influenced by
The Jesuits that ran the parish”
Again, I’m just citing this. You sure didn’t gain debating skills from the Jesuits, who were experts at such.
the Parish Priests? they were omnipresent. they came in to read us(the boys) the riot act when things got real nasty and told us of the horrors of Sex, VD and Smoking the one who pulled me and my buds (7th or 8th grade) to tell the horrors of cigarettes, smoked like a chimney around the church/school grounds. the girls got meeting with the nuns about how to keep their knees together, etc.
debating...you are correct. I do not DO debating well.
but for someone to go through 10 years of school there and not get affected(by the good and the crud) would be near impossible....
and yet, I got a good education(3 Rs) for the most part and am glad I went there and not the union run public schools.