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In current American usage the possessive must be formed with 's when the word ends with s, and I think that this consistency prevents a lot of confusion. There may be a couple of exceptions that arise from long tradition, a notable one being "Jesus'"- "for Jesus' sake", for example.
Does anyone know if there's a term for what you might call a double possessive? Say you have a school named St. John's, and you're referring to its basketball team. Do you write (or say) St. John's's, which would technically be proper, or just say "What the heck" and let it go? I'm all for clarity. It may seem awkward, but I'd use two apostrophes.

Don't forget the question mark Les!

What a lovely pedants' thread! aristo, I'd put John's' :)

Sorry, meant to write "St. John's's team" as an example. Doesn't that seem proper? I often see "St. John's team", however.

Another spin on it from aristo to ponder over, cheers aristo, I would think that the double apostrophe would look wrong but you sound right with the basketball team example.

Bernie, I know, what am I like. I start a thread on grammar and miss stuff out. I feel I can grasp onto an excuse. I attended a comprehensive high school because I missed the chance of grammar school by a year.

My brother was taught by Jeshuit priests at a Catholic College in Preston and my sister was taught by nuns at a girls school called Lark Hill.
I was taught at a school that resembled the the crazy goings on of Grange Hill.
I rest my case... Ha ha

The Greeks never found John's body after the battle is correct.

You cannot have two possessive apostrophes in one word.

Torkie and rambler: And I feel that the extra s should be pronounced for clarity's sake (St. John's's)! We won't quibble about St. vs. St I trust. :)

Les, I weny to a very good school......it was approved!

Well then, Torkie, so much for clarity. The team doesn't belong to St. John but to St. John's.

They wern't very good on spelling though!