Recently, Latin teacher Eugénie Fawcett wrote to me to share that “on January 18, the Upper School Latin students attended the Pioneer Valley Classical Association’s annual Classics Day, thus participating in a tradition started over three decades ago. Recently, the Classics Department at Mount Holyoke College has hosted this event, which is open to hundreds of Latin students in Western Massachusetts, and professors, MAT candidates and Classics majors from Mount Holyoke and U. Mass. (Amherst) give workshops and judge contests.
Every middle school and high school student present must attend a workshop and enter one of the contests. Individuals memorize and recite specific Latin passages for the Oral Interpretation Contest, make and wear a costume for the Costume Contest, or create a painting, mosaic, sculpture or model, with a Greek or Roman theme, for the Art Contest. Schools may enter teams of four in the Latin or mythology certamina, which are run like quiz bowls. In addition, docents at the Mount Holyoke College Museum hold workshops, during which students don gloves and handle and inspect ancient coins.
Everyone always has a wonderful time at Classics day, as it is exciting to learn new things about the Greeks and Romans, and see in what ways older students from other schools are inspired and energized by the Classics!”
Congratulations to Mrs. Fawcett and our BCD Upper School students, who won twenty-two awards at Classics Day 2013! In the words of one BCD student attendee, “BCD once again schooled the competition!” All sixth graders at BCD begin their study of Latin, a program offered through the ninth grade. Latin is an important core program at BCD for many reasons including:
- Most of the English language is composed of words that come from Latin or Greek words, with Latin being the larger of the two. Students who learn Latin vocabulary are exposed to the Latin root words, prefixes, and suffixes, thus strengthening their English vocabulary.
- Studying Latin expands students’ vocabulary and enhances their reading comprehension skills, thus benefiting their study of other subjects. Furthermore, because Latin students must read carefully for proper translation, they develop the habit of reading closely for accuracy.
- Through understanding how to translate back and forth between Latin and English, Latin increases comparative analysis skills and improves critical thinking skills.
- Latin offers a very in-depth study of literature and history.
- Students that have studied Latin tend to have better writing skills because they have learned to express their thoughts clearly and concisely. And, although English does not derive directly from Latin, most of its grammatical rules do.