The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-07
JOHN O'sGRAhDsOh.
At 7 TALKS LATIN
Oil Magnate's Relative Is a Marvel
He Also Converses In French
and German

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass, July g.
In these days of modern teachins'
when the dead languages are railing
like dead leaves from the educatlonal
tree, Il Is indeed unusual 10 near Oh
7-year-old boy who not only reads
Latin. but talks Latin; and the lact
becomes the more interesting when
II Is known that this 7-year-old boy Is
no college professors son, but John
ID. Rockefeller Prentice, grandson OIL
the Oil King and son OF r. Parmaiee
Prentice, whose summer home 10 AZ
Williamstown, Mass.
While the boy and his training arc
interesting, they are not more so tnan
the personality and theories or Ills
tutor, Arcadius Avellanus, HungaT-
ian by birth, who Is demonstrating IN
q practical way his belief that the
ATTN language Is q live language
much more alive than the modern me-
chanical teachers of Latin. The tutors
name IS Latin, and he talks Latin as
II he came from some unknown land
where the old language still lives. He
Is merely talking the father language
OF all languages, but II he should pop
in some day on the immigration OFF,
Gals with his fluent, rolling
tongue, he would be the despair OF the
,inguists at Ellis Island and would be
entered on the unclassfied list OF I'M.
known races.
Talks German and French Also.
Latin is the one subject which Mr..
Prentice's son Is studying this sum-
mer, although he talks German with
his German governess and French
with his mother. His studying Is I'M
der conditions far different from those
of the average boy. His school room
ic the broad veranda OF many
gabled, green rooted house beneath
the shadow Of the hills that shelter
Williams college in fact as well as IN
song. John himself is a merry little
faced lad, with a direct and
serious expression In his blue eyes
that breaks up into a smile that car
ries everything before II when the
boy Is amused OF pleased. In addition
TO his pleasant disposition there Is
q readiness and alertness
abut him that are typical Of the fam
ily: and in his manner there Is no
sign OF the self consciousness or sell
that frequently marks the
spoiled child OF the wealthy parents OF
fiction.
The front veranda Of the Prentice
home, about mile from the college
town, looks opt directly on the Grey
lock range or the Berkshire hills. the
highest mountains In the state: and 1t
is on this veranda that John Prentice
greets his tutor every pleasant morn
ing about 8 o'clock, before they sit
down to a low unvarnished table to
take up the morning lesson. On the
table are few books, and but little
paper. Practically no English 10
spoken during the hour. II any inter
ruption comes they discuss the inch
dent In Latin. The tutor explains the
meaning OF new words by blackboard
illustrations, or other Latin words and
gestures. The boy asks and answers
questins In Latin, only occasionally
voicins an English word to be sure
OF his understanding Of a point He
has acquired this simple natural COM
mand OF the language In about eight
months training under the personal
instruction Of Mr.. Aveilanus.
Simplicity In instruction.
This tutor does not instruct in the
mechanical textbook fashion that Gus
tom has accepted, but by beginning
with the language in a simple natural
way. you would not start an Ameri-
can boy learning English, on the writ
ings of Shakespeare" says he. Then
why should you start the Latin schol-
ar on advanced literature before he is
ready to grasp it?"
He begins his teaching with the
commonplaces Of everyday converse
ton until the pupil becomes fluent
and familiar in the natural use Of sim
pie words. Then he tells the boy
Latin fables, familiarizes him with the
Latin words and the story, and lets the
boy tell the story back to him In the
boys own Latin words. The gram
mar we will take up later, but not
yet" he explains when the boy
gets through he will have a founda.
ton for his education that Will not
be like the wooden stand supporting
the golden cross Of so many college
degrees"
Perhaps 1t is the teacher, perhaps
IL Is the method, perhaps II is the pupil [;
but there Is something about the sue
cess of this big framed man with this
grandson OF riches that makes one
wonder why there ever were unruly
pupils. From the minute that the boy
seats himself at his little rough table
and the tutor begins talking with
many gestures. the boy Is all atten,
ton. He follows every word and
quickly grasps the meaning of new
words. During the past week these
two have been working on a Latin
story Of the wreck OF the steamship
Baltic near New York The boy copies
the story in his own handwriting while
the tutor explains the story in Latin
and has the pupil repeat It In Latin
words OF his own choosing.
Regret When Lesson Ends.
Sometimes the lesson is conversa
ton entirely. But whatever the daily
routine, there is no haste on the part
Of the boy TO have his lesson over
When the hour Is up there is linger
ing ''bene vale" for the tutor as he
departs down the hill with his biz
walking stick, and last call Of "Yo,
will come again tomorrow"
Whatever may be the practically
OF teaching this method in all cases
certain 1t is that this youthful pupi
Is securing most practical basis fol
future study and understanding Of the
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