Brad's experience in France, if duplicated, indicates a sea change 
among the French in France.  Over the last 50 years, I have heard from
scores of exchange students who complained that, when they tried to speak
French in France, they were answered in often very poor English.  My
cousin learned some conversational Welsh.  According to her, every time she
spoke French, she was answered in English.  She would look puzzled and spout
some Welsh.  Then, and only then, would she receive an answer in French.

N. Scott Catledge

P.S.  I am a mixed bag: I strongly favor English only in the USA but also
strongly support the teaching of foreign languages beginning in elementary
schools--not just Spanish.  All elementary schools could not be set up in
large cities; however, both target schools and separate language academies
have been used successfully.  A few districts did it by student perceived
capacity to learn.
Spartanburg (SC) City Schools had a fantastic French program in the '70s.
The highest ranked students started French in the 3rd grade with a French
teacher from France.  In Junior High, the next best students started in 7th
grade with a mixture of French teachers from France and specially certified
USA teachers.  The next group down started in 9th grade; the final group in
10th grade.  Unfortunately, colleges were not prepared for students who
could easily exempt the first two years.  After a student at Columbia
College exempted her first two years of French, the school would not allow a
Freshman to take Junior courses, so she switched to Spanish.  We passed the
word to counselors about which schools the best students should avoid. 
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