Context for my question:
In present-day America, inner-city grade schools are a challenging environment—for both the students and the teachers. The issues that plague these schools include:
Students displaying rank disrespect for teachers. E.g., swearing at teachers, openly mocking teachers, ignoring teachers
Students engaging in violent or inappropriate behavior (so much so that these schools have full-time security personnel). E.g., fistfights, knife fights, gang-related violence, theft, sexual acts
Students' lack of participation in learning. E.g., absenteeism, failing to complete homework, failing to complete in-class assignments
The point is that the above list are not occasional occurrences at the present-day American inner city school, but daily and regular realities. They represent the "norm."
How similar were the American inner city school environments of the 1950s?
What challenges were most significant back then?
Is it accurate when senior citizens lament that inner-city schools were more wholesome and productive environments "back in the day"?
Followup:
Does our conception of the "inner city" even map to the reality of the 1950s?
My understanding has been that the modern "inner city" didn't really become a thing until after white flight, disinvestment, and urban renewal had conspired to create the kind of concentrated poverty that we see today, but I'd be really interested to hear from someone more knowledgeable.