Such as it is with Latin programs across the country these days. Some schools, in an effort to scale down their spending, have decided to shed courses from their curriculum. Usually, these are cited as courses that are not a part of the central core of the public school education system – i.e. English, Math, Science. We obviously feel that this is an oversight and an injustice to students and to their future, but that is something we can discuss at another time. There is a school that is bucking the trend, however. At a time when most are cutting back Somerset Academy is adding a Latin program.

Despite its popularity among its students, parents and community, Doctors Charter School closed its Latin program. As a result, Somerset Academy seized the opportunity to build one of their own with the same teacher, John Ricard.

The program will start simply, with Latin I, building from its 8th grade student population while also offering courses to 9th, 10th and even 11th graders. The idea is to offer high school credit to 8th graders, which will get them their 2nd year of a foreign language out of the way after only their 9th grade year. This will form a strong base for the Latin program and help to establish a tradition at the school.

The 8th graders, however, are not the only ones with interest in the program and for whom it would benefit. Current high school students – in 9th, 10th and even 11th grades – will benefit as there is time to take Latin I this year and Latin II next year. This would not only fulfill their language requirements, but also give them the added benefits that an education in the study of Latin can bring them – just in time for college.

New Latin program being promoted for Somerset Academy students

There are several orientations taking place this week at Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines and there will be a booth available for the students there to get more information on the program and the benefits of studying Latin. (Chances are, some of those very students will be referred to Romae.org to get more information) In fact, Somerset Academy has already posted a link for a promotional flyer advertising the new Latin program that is being installed this year. Students, if they are interested, are being encouraged to sign up and change their schedules accordingly.

Learn More

Latin offers various benefits to anyone who undertakes the difficult and challenging task of studying it. This is also why the study of Latin is widely recognized as an unmatched academic endeavor for prospective college students by universities. Here are a couple of links that can help potential Latin students make the decision to take the plunge:

Latin at Somerset Academy flyer

Why Study Latin? Middle School Students

Survey of College and University Admissions Personnel about value of taking Latin

Why Study Latin flyer (2003)

National Junior Classical League – largest classical organization in the world today, comprised of junior and senior high school students

According to an October 7th article in the New York Times, there have been consistent increases in Latin courses in New York schools over the last several years – and the trend is continuing around the country. Latin is now replacing German as the third most taught language in school curricula, and its steady climb continues. Keep up the good work Latin teachers, students and supporters of classical education!

There is a side project called Rome Reborn 2.0 where there is an attempt ti digitize the ancient structures and byways of Rome – although the web site looks a little “underdone”.

In the meantime, check out this video explaining Google Earth’s project:

In order to for you to go back in time to ancient Rome, just go to Google Earth and download the player and fly around ancient Rome yourself!

This will be a more general meeting place for students, scholars and enthusiasts of Latin and Roman history and culture. You can ask for help with your Latin grammar or if you come across a tricky passage. You know how those Roman authors are!

Also, you can discuss various aspects of Roman history and culture. Magic? Religion? Science? Whatever itch needs scratching.

ROME, Italy (Reuters) — Archaeologists have discovered a more than 2,000-year-old Etruscan tomb perfectly preserved in the hills of Tuscany with a treasure trove of artifacts inside, including urns that hold the remains of about 30 people.

The tomb, in the Tuscan town of Civitella Paganico, probably dates from between the 1st and 3rd centuries B.C., when Etruscan power was in decline, Andrea Marcocci, who led digging at the site, told Reuters.

“It’s quite rare to find a tomb intact like this,” said Marcocci, who had suspected one might exist in the area after work on a nearby road scattered pieces of artifacts.

“When we found fragments outside, we thought we would find that the tomb had been violated. But the main burial room was completely intact.”

Inside the tomb, a narrow corridor led to a small burial chamber, about 2 meters long and 1.79 meters wide, he said. It housed about 80 objects including vases and mirrors in bronze and ceramic. Urns holding human remains were also found.

“It’s quite exceptional to find so many objects in a tomb so small,” Marcocci said. “Some of the vases (urns) were fairly small, so we think they were probably for children.”

One of Italy’s first and most mysterious civilizations, the Etruscans lived north of Rome in present day regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Their civilization lasted for about 1,000 years, reaching its height roughly from the 7th to the 6th century B.C., before its cities were replaced by Roman settlements.

Much of what is known about the Etruscans derives from other lavish burial sites, decorated with paintings and filled with vases and other objects. LINK

EU Could Revive Latin as a Working Language
Posted on August 29, 2006

By Jonathan Luxmoore: The Vatican’s daily newspaper has called for Latin to be made the official working language of the European Union, after attempts by the new Finnish presidency to promote its use in EU departments.

“While Latin has been given up as a compulsory subject in schools over recent years, interest in the language is growing in Europe and other parts of the world,” the semi-official L’Osservatore Romano said in a commentary.

“In these circumstances, it would constitute a suitable instrument for international communication.”

The paper said a Latin-language news programme, Nuntii Latini, had been broadcast weekly for the past decade by YLE, Finland’s equivalent to the BBC, making the ancient Roman language “potentially contemporary.”

It added that Latin formulations had been found for numerous modern phenomena, such autocinetica (motorway), supervenalicium (supermarket), fullonica electrica (washing machine) and pilae coriaceae lusor (soccer star).

Besides Finland, which has a tradition of classical scholarship, other countries have reported a growing interest in Latin, whose renewed use as a once-universal language has also been encouraged by the Catholic Church.

The Finnish government set up a weekly news summary in Latin when it first assumed the EU’s rotating presidency in 1999, and has repeated the service, alongside English, French and Swedish, since taking over the six-months presidency for its second term on 1 July.

Classics scholars have insisted use of the language would “turn EU jargon into poetry”. As examples, they said the Common Agricultural Policy could be rendered as “Ratio communis agros colendi” (“common scheme for cultivating the fields”), while the EU’s Acquis Communautaire, or body of laws and regulations, could be Latinised as “Corpus legum institutorumque iuris Europaei.”

“Using Latin is a way of paying tribute to European civilisation and it serves to remind people of European society’s roots, stretching back to ancient times,” explained Mia Lahti, editor of the Finnish presidency’s website.

“Latin isn’t dead – it’s still very much in use in different forms across the world today. After all, Italians, French and Spaniards all speak a new form of Latin.”

Several Italian newspapers have backed the L’Osservatore Romano proposal, while noting that Finland itself was never part of the Roman Empire.

LINK