Very few of my teachers from the 60s and 70s remain alive but I'd sure like to have had this type of discussion with them. I have fond memories of lots of "fostering" going on at the same time as the 3Rs. I did have a great conversation with my 6th grade teacher/principal after I was an adult, through college and the military and out in the world of work. He had some interesting recollections about class sizes in those "Baby Boom" days (ca.1966), with my group having about 35 students. I suspect such a class size would induce an attack of "the vapors" for today's teachers.
LOL!
I started 1st grade in 1966 - there were at least 50 to a class and by the time I hit 8th grade there were still close to that many in my class, although lower grades had started getting smaller, from smaller enrollment numbers. In HS there were about 35 to a home room and classes ranged from 25- 35. My daughter is now in 9th grade and she says most of her classes are between 25 and 30, with the exception of her French class - that has only 11.