I remember through out much of my school days until I graduated from high school in 1964 I had to walk about a mile to school each day. It was a lot shorter distance than my parents had to walk 25 years earlier. Your right now, kids dont walk to school. Even if their parents wanted to they would be worried sick about what might happen to them these days.
Nowadays, in most districts, you are not permitted to walk to school...you have to take the bus....too much fear of lawsuits if the little one gets hit by a car or something.
I had the option of taking the bus in my last couple of years of high school...I chose to walk. Friend of mine would always ride -- I got to school long before her bus did. :)