Evening star., 1941-04-26
Classical Teachers
Decry Decline in
Latin S Popularity
One Hits 'Pernicious Habit
Of Trying to Graduate
In Three Years

the 34th annual meeting OF the ClaS-
sical Association of the United States
at the Mayflower Hotel this morning
Several suggestions were advanced
on the reason for the decline in the
popularity of Latin, and one was the
fact that many colleges now require
only two years of the language for
entrance. Another theory advanced
was that high schools are now con-
centrating so heavily on studies of
the social sciences that Latin is being
pushed out.
Superintendents of schools also are
far more likely to hire an English
teacher who can teach some Latin
than they are to hire Latin teacher
who can teach some English, it was
pointed out. One delegate said
many students avoid Latin due to
"the pernicious habit of trying to
graduate in three or three and half
years and just taking what is neces-
sary."
Describes Local Methods.
Mrs. E. V. Stearns of Roosevelt
High School here discussed the local
methods of teaching Latin and said
Washington teachers are endeavor-
ing to make their work functional
and their classes democratic.
I'VE avoid methods of compul-
sion" she said. I'VE also avoid ap-
peals to fear, rivalry and vanity. and
we aim at interest and understand
ing as motive powers. We are work.
ing out ways of teaching widely
varying levels of intelligence in the
same classes" Papers were also
presented this morning by Miss Eliz-
abeth White of Junior High School,
Butler, Pa. and the Rev. Francis A.
Sullivan, S. j., of st. Andrew-on-
Hudson, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Conferences were led by Prof.
Franklin B. Krauss of Pennsylvania
State College and Sister Julia OF
Trinity College. A luncheon was
held at Sidwell Friends School.
Dean Doyle Speaks.
Dean Henry Grattan Doyle OF
George Washington University sug-
sest a return to old-fashioned in
dividualism" in classroom lnstruc-
ton at meeting of the association
last night.
DR.. Doyle discussed a recent PAM
phlet entitled Captivating Educa-
ton and took issue with several
of its conclusions.
The speaker expressed sympathy
with the view that some modern
education has tendency to become
increasingly vague and e1eml-
nate" in that it seeks to substi-
tute subjects like biology and So
cial studies for courses which re-
uuire a traditional amount OF work
to master.
Another element of this point
of view, he said, is the feeling OF
the hopelessness of individual effort.
There is no emphasis on industry,
reliability, punctuahty, Christian
ethics or American idealism."c DR..
Doyle said the present situation is
a challenge to the old-fashioned
educator who believes in the in
dividual and the probability that
he will win out if given the OPP
portunity.
Mrs. Doyle Speaks.
In talk preceding that OF DR..
Doyle, Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle,
president of the Board of Educa-
ton, called on the professors and
instructors of the classic languages
"to keep the lamp burning" in
these uncertain days, for some OF
us will always be grateful"
DR.. Doyle told of the work Of
the Modern Language Association
and it's efforts to stimulate the
study of French, German, Spanish,
italian and other tongues despite
the petty disputes" which have re-
suited from the present world situ-
alton.
DR.. Doyle was introduced by Prof.
James Stinchcomb of the University
of Pittsburgh, editor of the CLASH
cal Weekly, who presided at the
dinner, and Mrs. Doyle was intro
duced by Miss Mildred Dean of
Calvin Coolidge High School, presi-
dent of the Washington Classical
Club and chairman of the local
committee.
Other speakers last night were
Miss Susan E. Sherman of the New
Bedford CMass) High School, rep
resenting the New England assocla-
ton, and Prof. A. P. WAGNER of
the College of William and Mary,
Virginia, representing the Middle
West and South association.
Ostracism System Described.
When it came to getting rid OF
people they didn't like, the ancient
Greeks had word for it and also
q method-ostracism which was
described to the delegates at yester-
day afternoons opening session by
Prof. T. Leslie Shear of Princeton
University.
Excavations at Athens during the
past 10 years have uncovered 744
acknowledgements of pottery and
vases used as ballots on which the
old Hellenes scribbled the names OF
the people they wanted to eliminate,
he explained.
The question as to whether Virgil
copied from Horace, or vice versa,
was brought up when DR.. Charles
T. Murphy of Princeton reported
finding similarity of thought and
expression in the Vergilian eclogues
and Horatian epodes, in the Ver-
gillian Georges and the Horatian
odes-and concluded that these two
old friends copied from each other
He described the situation as "two
mature minds reacting on each
other to inspire some of their noblest
poetry"
Recent discovery through exca-
waiting of several papyri containing
excerpts from the New Testament
were described to the group by DR..
Lionel Casson of New York Univer-
sity. The find was in some ruins II,
Nessana in Southern Palestine, close
to the Egyptian border.
II Held in Forging |
IOf 1000 French |