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Why do we Study Latin?

On a Practical Level: There are two main reasons why Latin can be useful on a practical level. The first is, because the Latin language is so well ordered and lacks all the complications and exceptions of the English Language, its study can be very helpful in understanding concepts of Grammar. Because it is an inflected language (meaning that the endings change based on how the word is used), it is very easy to identify what place the word holds in the sentence (subject, object, indirect object, etc.). The second (and most obvious reason) is that studying Latin will enhance a student's vocabulary and spelling skills since many English words (70-80 percent) find their roots in Latin. I can also tell you from experience that it can be very helpful on the verbal part of the SAT! As Catholics: Part of why Catholics study Latin is to help instill in our children a love for the traditions of our faith. The exquisite traditional prayers and hymns of the Church, such as St. Thomas Aquinas' Adoro te Devote and the Salve Regina are treasures as important to us as the fine paintings of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Additionally, for those who attend a Latin Mass (whether Tridentine or Novus Ordo), familiarity with the language will be very helpful in following along and understanding the Mass. Related Articles: (from the Memoria Press website) The Language that Rose from the Dead by Rev. Randall Payne Latin is the Next Step After Phonics by Cheryl Lowe, author of Latina Christiana Taking Latin Seriously by Cheryl Lowe, author of Latina Christiana Additional Thoughts: I would add another reason for studying Latin: That continued study of Latin will enable a child to read Classical Latin authors in the original. Virgil, Cicero, Catullus, et al. can only be truly appreciated in Latin. And also, the ability to read the originals is invaluble to those going on to study Western literature, as many Classically trained homeschoolers go on to a Liberal Arts programme do. I know that my knowledge of Latin (and Greek) gave me an advantage in my University English courses. Most scholars of the past (until just recently, in fact) knew the Classical languages,and so quotes in books, articles and commentary are in the original. contributed by Désirée Caron

Why Study History?

Studying history gives us a certain amount of perspective when considering happenings today. Those who don't study history can tend to conclude that things used to be great and we're now living in the worst of times and things are continuing to go downhill. This can give them a sense of hopelessness and complacency with regard to the world today and a very pessimistic attitude about trying to do anything about the problems of today. The truth is that mankind has battled with (and sometimes lost to) great evil since the beginning of time. The perspective we gain from studying history, of course, also inspires us with the stories of people in other times who have acted heroically in the face of great obstacles.

We know that life experience tends to develop wisdom. We value the input of older relatives and friends who contribute wisdom and insight to our questions and problems. To a certain extent, studying history allows us to tap into some of that "life experience" for ourselves.

Probably the most famous quote about the study of history is "Those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it." We can learn from the errors of others and see certain things from a perspective other than our own. While certain errors of our own day loom very large to us, the dangers of taking other ideas to an extreme may be more subtle. For example, learning about the Albigensian Heresy (from sources such as St. Dominic and the Rosary by Catherine Beebe) holds a warning for our time about the dangers of taking conservative views too far.

We see how God raises up Saints and Heroes to combat every great evil faced by our Civilization. We see how even "ordinary" people (such as Oskar Schindler) can "rise to the occasion" when faced with great evil. We see examples and inspirations in historical figures for the difficult tasks that we need to face today.

As Catholics we are interested in seeing the role our Catholic faith played in history and recognizing the contributions of Catholics who have gone before us. We search for materials which include this point of view, but don't neglect other important aspects of History that aren't as directly related to our Catholic faith. A book which presents only the good side of Catholic history may not really be as Catholic as one which is more honest in its approach.

Also See: Why do we Read Historical Fiction?

Related Links:

Teaching History and Science - the Who's and Why's by Dr. Anne Carroll

Light to the Nations: Reclaiming the Catholic Historical Imagination by Rollin A. Lasseter

Why Study Shakespeare?

Since I was homeschooled for my high school years, my introduction to Shakespeare was somewhat different than the average American's today. I read my first Shakespeare play in a 9th grade Catholic reader. The book was an older text with some brief notes for each Act and some black and white photos from a stage production featuring Katherine Hepburn. The play was A Merchant of Venice. Since I had no previous experience with Shakespeare and was working through it on my own, I found the notes quite helpful and after that play I was hooked. Although in grade school I was quite a good student and an avid reader (having gone through The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lord of the Rings and The Little House on the Prairie), I had never tried anything as classic as Shakespeare (and certainly not read any of the children's versions), but still found the transition rather easy. Much of Shakespeare's "wit and wisdom" are commonly known today because he still is (by the grace of God!) read widely in high schools of America today. I don't see the need to wait till high school for Shakespeare, particularly with the nice children's versions available. Although I'm not a big proponent of reading children's versions of every classic novel available, William Shakespeare's influence is so good and so widespread, that I believe an earlier introduction can be an excellent thing. Language - Studying Shakespeare's plays gives us an understanding of the origin and meaning of many words and phrases commonly used today which have their origins in Shakespeare's works. The challenging language stimulates the mind and the imagination. This challenge can be very satisfying challenge because the stories are creative, enjoyable and sometimes very funny. The stories are meaty and can really make you think. They are rich with discussion material and "learning opportunities". Shakespeare had an amazing understanding of human nature and so his stories can give us a great deal of perspective on life in general. Catholic perspective - rooted in Catholic philosophy (stories mention Purgatory, etc. e.g. Hamlet) - moral problems and questions wrestled with in the stories....most especially the consequences of sin. Specific examples from parts of MacBeth...How justifying and committing one sin (in this case a very serious one) usually leads to more and more problems. MacBeth kills the king in order to gain power but finds himself committing more murders and other atrocities in order to cover up his actions. We also see the dangers of "the occult" by how his ambitions were amplified by consulting with the witches. I noticed when reading MacBeth in college (which was probably my third time through this particular play) that MacBeth commits (in order) the crimes punishable in the innermost rings of Hell according to Dante's Inferno (Book One of the Divine Comedy). Common Experience - Given the wide-spread study of Shakespeare in America's high schools and colleges, his plays form a "common experience" for many people. Examples from Shakespeare can readily illuminate discussions about politics, the faith, various moral topics, etc. Ideas for Making Shakespeare Accessible: Shakespeare Readings: Our family has offered Shakespeare nights several times now to a number of local families. We pick a play, assign parts ahead of time and read an entire play over the course of an evening. The parts are assigned a little ahead of time so readers can have a chance to review their parts ahead of time. There is a wide mix of talent within the group, so we try to shuffle the parts around a bit - adults and kids participate together (this has been a nice way to encourage dramatic reading). People show up with a few small props and a little bit of acting goes on (death scenes seem to be a favorite!) but the atmosphere is fairly casual (one reader has to bring her own braille text!). This format, which has run two or three hours with some light refreshments afterwards (little ones - except nursing babies - stay home with babysitters) has turned out to be a really big hit - from grandparents all the way down to the nine and ten year olds!!! It has worked well for us to offer this every 2 or 3 months.

Related Links:

The Bard of Avon from Ye Hedge School Article: "Shakespeare Scholars Say the Bard was ... Catholic?" from The Catholic Educator's Resource Center Interesting example of Shakespeare as a tool of "common experience" from a Fox News article Shakespeare for Children by Charles and Mary Lamb

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