The
java ranch question #20:
Can a private method of a superclass be declared within a subclass?
Java Ranch Answer: Yes
"Trick question! Private methods can NOT be overridden, but they can be redeclared/redefined in the subclass, and called directly on the subclass object. But
polymorphism will not apply"
Kathy and Bert Book on Objective 1.2 Private Members page 74, second and third paragraph:
"A private member is invisible to any code outside the member's own class...When a member is declared private, a subclass can't inherit it."
Maybe a better question is:
"Can a method with the same name as a private superclass method be declared in a subclass?"