The Ariel school is an experiment in financial literacy with real-life oomph: Each incoming first-grade class gets $20,000 that the children ultimately get to pick stocks for and manage. The goal is to add an I -- investing -- to the three R's, according John Rogers Jr., chairman and chief execuative of Ariel Capital Management, a Chicago money-management firm that established the school in 1996.

At a time when pensions are being phased out and people must rely more on their own investment smarts, Rogers thinks saving and investment should be an integral part of the curriculum at schools across the nation. "It's important to have all the reading and writing and arithmetic skill sets, but we can't think of anything else more important than to be able to be financially viable and competent as you start to build your working career," he said.

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The concept is simple: Ariel's experts manage a $20,000 portfolio for each class until sixth grade, briefing them regularly, and then begin turning over the decisions to the children. Upon graduation from eighth grade, each class returns the initial investment amount to the school for another first-grade class and donates, invests or pockets the profits.

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Porn or clothes. I don't know what else might be important when you're 14. I suppose some of them will be looking towards the future. A new car. Or mebbe the theory is right. Kids who are taught about money matters when they're young will be more savvy about saving. The first batch of first graders are currently high school juniors. Time will tell.