The last statement is completely wrong; there were many avenues to study foreign languages, either for adults or children. Children could attend schools that specialized in foreign language instruction, and extracurricular classes were also available. Same went for adults that could study languages as full-time students, or attend after-work classes, or participate in a directed self-study. Private tutoring was easy to find in major metro centers. I have to mention though that the quality of foreign language education in regular schools was dismal. While in school, I participated in an after-school study group that studied Spanish under a guidance of a university professor (for free), and a part-time job that I took over the summer allowed me to pay for French tutoring. My school had an exchange program with schools in Manchester, with plenty of opportunities to become fluent in English.

Speaking of a middle class, it was not unusual that a factory worker's salary exceeded that of a high-school teacher with a university diploma.