Vicki Higdon, age 9, of Tecumseh, Okla.,

What is a school of fish?

To a third‑grader a school is a place for learning, but this word is descended from a much older word which meant leisure. This makes sense when you think that getting an education is one of the very best ways to also spend your leisure time. The word school/can mean a group of pupils or students who follow the teachings of the same leader.

A school of whales or dolphins is a large troupe who follows the schoolmaster or leader fish. But this word school has a different ancestor from the school where pupils learn. It is descended from the word shoal, which meant a large troupe of animals traveling together. A shoal of herring is the same as a school of herring, a large group of silvery friends and relatives swimming together through the sea.