Maybe It's For 'Avenue'

[posted by Callimachus]

Here, we collectively lamented the demise of the old custom of naming public schools after great Americans of the past.

But after reading this, maybe it's just as well. If you can't do it right ...

OGDEN, Utah - The Ogden School District needs a big eraser. After naming a new school "James A. Madison Elementary School" in May, a history teacher pointed out this month that the fourth president of the United States didn't have a middle initial.

"I'm blindsided," school board member John Gullo said. "I hate being embarrassed."

This also is telling:

The board voted May 23 to approve the school name as "James A. Madison." The majority of board members chose Madison because the school borders Madison Avenue. Several board members also said they feel James Madison was a great president.

[hat tip]

I have no idea in hell where they got the "A" from, unless they somehow stumbled onto a reference to Dr. James A. Madison, a relatively obscure great-nephew of President Madison.