Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-03-18
LATIN THEIR TOPIC.
OF TEACHERS HELD AT
MlDDLEBURY COLLEGE.


Papers Read and Discussions Held-An
Impressive Revival of the Roman Chorus
a Growing Feature of the Program.
The convention of Latin teachers of
the fitting schools of Vermont closed
very successfully Saturday noon at the
college chapel. Over twenty visitors at
tended, among whom were some of the
most promine mt educators in Vermont,
and the sessions were marked by snap
and go that made them especially profit
able. At the opening meeting Friday
Afternoon, an address of welcome was
made by President Brainerd, after which
Principal Hoyt of Middlebury presented
paper on the relation of Latin syntax
to Latin literature, as practical problem
in high schools and academies. He
advised somewhat literal translation in ad-
vance, but in review a rendering in freer,
more idiomatlc speech; in other words,
he would employ the advance for syntax
and the review for training in English.
Miss Smith, preceptress of the Middle
bury high school, next treated the i'm
portance of historical background in
studying Latin, pointing out its necessity
and advocating the graphic method of
presentation. A spirited discussion fol-
lowed, as to whether history should be
separate study, doubt being expressed
by some as to the possibility of the
teacher having time for both. The clos
ing feature of the afternoon program,
and perhaps the most important point
considered by the convention, had to do
with the recommendations of the Com
mission of New England Colleges on En-
trance Examinations, which Middlebury
college has been among the first to
adopt. Professor Eaton gave the history
of the Commission, of which he was for
several years the Middebury represen-
tative, and Principal Botsford of Man
5 chester followed with a paper on 1.-THE
report of the New England Commission,
a step in the right direction" He
argued against the oldtime "quantity"
drudgery and in favor of the equality"
test as pointed toward by the report.
At the Saturday morning session the
+ first paper was by Professor Billings of
4 Troy Conference Academy; "How
much time shall be given to Latin prose
I during the first and second years?' The
resulting discussion dealt largely with
the comparative merits of the earlier
books which classified constructions
artifcially and the modern books with
miscellaneous constructions based upon
Latin texts, the prevailing opinion seem.
ing to be that the modern method is
more conducive to the strengthening of
the pupils judgment. The relative i'm
portance of the literary and syntactlcal
phases of Latin study was next treated by
Principal Howes of Brandon, who
summed up his attitude in a syllogism :
the most important phase of any study
should be made most prominent; the
literary phase of Latin study is the most
important; the literary phase should be
made most prominent. Principal Morrill,
of Bakersfield next considered the rela-
ton of science studies to language
studies, pleading for a symmetrical de-
velopment and advocating earlier and
broader science work to educate students
into closer sympathy with their sur
roundings. Principal Crawford of Bel
lows Falls, in introducing discussion as
to the teaching of English grammar
through the Latin, argued strongly In
favor of instruction in the broad syn
tactic principles which are Latin and
English alike, and also for the earlier in
PRODUCTION of Latin study. Afterward
came various appreciative words regard
ing the convention as whole, and the
sessions were at an end.
The crowning feature of the program
was the entertainment of Friday evening
and for its exceptional success the
sophomore class in Horace is to be given
the highest praise. Arduous work was
necessary for such presentation of the
Roman chorus as was given to the
audience that crowded the chapel and
the issue proved that no detail had been
omitted. The costumes were in all par
ticulars faithful to the originals; from
the dressing of the lauTel-crowned hair
to the lacing of the sandals, accuracy of
portrayal was the prime consideration.
Truth, however, again proved to be
beauty, and it was a scene of rare i'm
pressiveness when the thirty-four singers
and musicians moved slowly up the
central aisles and grouped themselves on
the platform. Three odes were sung
the work of the singers alternating with
a vivid, illustrated presentation, by Pro
fessor Sanford, of the Rome of the days
of Augustus. Later in the evening the
members of the convention and the
faculty were entertained in the Phron
tisterion by the Class of 1900, the recep
tion being a pleasant close of a memor
able ''evening with Horace" to which
the receivers of the following invitation
issued on sealed parchment, had beer
asked:
CENTESIMA
CHASSIS