The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-07


in this direction is by no means small /
He is thus introduced into magazine |
and newspaper work. Two students
report for various newspaper Of the |
city.
Owing to the fact that the high |
school offers SO many courses In Eng
lish each student comes in contact
with the personality of many different
English instructors. This means much
in character development.
The Latin Department
The, Fargo high school offers an ex-
cellent course in latin and the de-
partment is we'll equipped.
The work covers the. four years OF
the high school course. the latin forms
and syntax being taught the first year
and Caesar, Cicero and Virgil the re-
naming three years. In reading these
authors stress is laid on the fact that
Caesar. Cicero and. Virgil were master
workmen in the realm of literature
| which each represented and that now
after nearly two thousand years the
student is reading masterpieces which
have stood the test of centuries and
furnish a mine of valuable thoughts.
With these ideals constantly before the
student, the study of any of the au-
thors-1 cannot degenerate INTO mere
drudgery. a Juggling of phrases and a
meaningless parsing OF latin forms.
The aim Of the first year Is to fa-
miliarize the student with Latin con-
jugations and declensions and the
rules of syntax.s This is largely at
tanned by translating easy, well-con-
atf rpn6pr-
ing English sentences into Latin.
text is used which requires a standard
Latin grammar for reference which
the student will continue to use
throughout the Latin course. In this
way, instead OF having to learn rules
twice, as many of the texts in the
first year demand since the rules are
given in an abbreviated form and
must, be enlarged later, the student
becomes familiar with the language of
the grammarian from the beginning,
an advantage which cannot be too
fully emphasized, We have eliminated
the "Viri Romae" so generally used
as a transition to Caesar, by using, in
stead, a first year text based on the
| Caesarian vocabulary and having ex-
tensive selections from Caesars Com
mentaries.
Time 10 Eeonomized.
The Latin course is planned with
a view to the economy of time and
effort that will at the same time insure
better results. The courses in Caesar
and Cicero are laid out in such a way
| that a special portion of syntax and
grammar is treated each year, thus
emphasizing in each subject the part
that belongs with that year. Syste-
matte work in Latin prose composition
Is an important element of these
years. ~--., @s..
BY the beginning of the second
year, the student has attained a reas-
enable degree of proficiency in Latin
forms and reads continuous prose.
Caesars Commentarie on the Gallo
wars offer excellent material, for young
people and more especially boys, are
fond of the exciting adventures and
thrilling events. While following up
Caesars several campaigns one be-
comes familiar with the customs of
the ancients and the art of war--the
details of which are 80 clearly set forth
by Caesar as he constructs his camp.
builds his wall and digs the trench.
a marvel for its power of resistance,
and superintends the structure of Ro-
man roads or repairs his warships.
Caesar well illustrates the practice of
artful diplomacy as he treats with
Gallo kings and tribes.
In Cicero the student meets an orator
second to none in the world save De-
mosthenes. Cicero talks very intimate
ly with his readers and hearers and
leads them into the. spirit and thought
, of that remote time. BY means of lee
lures the principles and offices Of the
government of that ancient republic
are presented and the student wanders
at will along the Appion Way, up the
'Palatine Hill to the Temple of Jupiter
Stator, or fingers to read the bronze
tablets Of laws in the forum.
System Used in Universities.
, after an acquaintance with Roman
s history and oratorv fitting climax tc
9 the Latin course is the study of poetry
J. which the student gets in Virgil's epic
u "The Aeneid." The student is in &
> position to- read Latin with a fair de-
4 gree of ease and to. appreciate the
1 poetic qualities of the Aeneid. These
are enhanced by the metrical reading
N' which is an important feature of tht
{ work. The system used in the FargC
high school is the one adopted. with
> in the past few years, by the latin de
u partments of the large universities o
the country, which concluded that th
system of reading latin according t
). the quantity of syllables rather thai
O accent Is. no doubt the one used b.
v the Latin poets. In this way the harsl
n effect produced in the Older method
II when the word accent and foot accen
: did not correspond, is abbreviated. !
! class room edition is used in whici
n the long yowels are marked Whe
Is read carefully according to the guam
n titative method, the Latin hexamete
j. verse is set forth to the best advan
il. tage and the sonorous effects are ex
is cellent. During this year the work
l. well rounded Off by Latin prose com
+ position once a week and systennati
10 grammar review. The study OF TIL
e, Aeneid Is of value, not only becaus
Iy 1t furnishes a vivid story, natuT
re touches, storms at sea and depict
III the inimitable journey to the under
D. world. but because modern authors. {
a all nations, realizing the resourcefu
re ness OF the Aeneid, are indebted to
be for happy expressions new conception
i'd and inspiration
IN Latin is no longer an entrance RI
- duirement to the academic departmei
OF OF many universities and colleges b'
fn~ the Il. nrnfasstapaI and tAchnie