Americans Abroad: Getting Off the Base

Each weekday morning, a blue U.S. Air Force bus grinds slowly up the hills of Sonnenberg, West Germany, between ancient gabled houses and the ruins of a castle. At the Konrad Duden elementary school, it discharges a noisy load of American grade-school children from nearby Wiesbaden. Minutes later they are answering Frau Hertha Viehweger's questions—in easy, fluent German.

"Wieviel Tage hat die Woche?" asks the teacher. Hands fly up. "Die Woche hat sieben Tage," answers twelve-year-old Carol Ross, with just a trace of Boston in her eager voice. In the next classroom. Teacher...