The following is rumored to be a real news story.

LADUE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PRAISES STUDENT PRANK OFFERING SCHOOL FOR SALE



By Carolyn Bower [St. Louis] Post-Dispatch Thursday, May 25, 2000 | 7:10 p.m.



A classified advertisement that ran this week in the Post-Dispatch offered what seemed like a deal for those seeking a house in the wealthy St. Louis suburb of Ladue.



For sale by owner: 1201 South Warson Road. Open house May 24. Lavish two-story residence, all brick, renovated bathroom, theater/entertainment room, finished basement, intercom system, tennis court and indoor pool. $550,000/offer.



The catch: The property is Ladue Horton Watkins High School. The open house date was the last day of classes for seniors.



Brad Heger, assistant principal at the school, learned about the ad after he arrived at work Monday and listened to his voice-mail messages.



He got dozens of calls on his private line at school about the offer. Heger called those who had left messages and told them that a senior apparently had bought the ad.



I explained to the callers that the ad was a hoax, that we have no bedrooms and quite a payroll to meet.



Heger said the person who designed the ad was a good student who wont be punished. He said the student got most of the details right but priced the property a bit low.



Heger has seen a lot of pranks since he came to the high school in 1974 as a teacher. This one was well thought out, Heger said. It ranks way up there as one of the best.