Give Yourself a Competitive Edge with Latin!

Aiming to attend an Ivy League school? Selective colleges and universities take notice of high school Latin scholars, according to Bloomberg News in Lingua Latina Introitum in. Vniversitatem Harvard Multo Faciliorem Reddit ("The Latin language renders an easier entrance into Harvard University"). Though study of the Classics is no guarantee of admission, it can give some candidates an edge.

London Mayor Wants More Latin in State Schools in England

A couple more articles about Boris Johnson's call for a resurgence of Latin in English state schools:

"Call for Latin Lessons At Schools"

BBC News, March 17, 2010

"Teach More Latin in Schools, says London Mayor"

Yahoo News/Reuters, March 17, 2010

"More State Schools Should Teach Latin"

Daily Telegraph, March 17, 2010

"Boris Johnson Lobbies Tories to Add Latin to State-School Curriculum"

The Guardian (UK), March 17, 2010

"Boris Johnson Hits Out at 'Absurd Decline of Latin in State Schools'"

London Evening Standard, March 17, 2010

Mr. Johnson studied Latin and the Classics as a student and is a graduate of Eton College secondary school and Balliol College, University of Oxford. A product of private education, he is a critic of Latin being reserved for tuition-based schools only.

Latin in the News

It's March and so it's not surprising to see a lot of stories about the Latin language in the news. We have just commemorated the Ides of March (which took place on March 15) and we're gearing up for Rome's birthday on April 21st.

Here's a round-up of recent news stories:

"PLC students battle against Roman empire"

Australian students compete in European CICERO Latin Competition
North Shore Times

March 16, 2010

"BEWARE THE IDES: THS Latin Club recreates Caesar’s funeral march"

Taunton Daily Gazette
March 15, 2010

"Latin Keeps Class Enrapt: Boonville teacher mixes culture, history with language study"

Latin teacher Pamela Koleszar takes proactive measures to keep her Latin program active.

Evansville Courier and Press

March 16, 2010

"Student Spotlight"

Interview with the Colorado Intermediate Level Latin Speaker Film Contest Winner

The Daily Camera
March 13, 2010

The Mayor of London Defends the Teaching of Latin in England

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, wants to "weep with rage" over the disparagement of Latin and Classics education by Edward Michael Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in Britain.

More News About Latin From Across the Pond!

More news today from the United Kingdom!

The Daily Mail is reporting, "Latin in Classroom Comeback As 60 Primary Schools Make Ancient Language Compulsory." According to the article, at one point, only 100 comprehensive schools (similar to American public high schools) offered Latin. Now, one in six of all secondary level schools in the UK provide for instruction in Latin.

It's obvious that the efforts of the Cambridge Schools Classics Project and the Iris Project are making a significant impact on Classics education in Britain!

Latin Inspires, Enthuses!

See Dr. Lorna Robinson's commentary in today's Independent (UK): "Dr. Lorna Robinson: 'Latin Inspires and Enthuses Children." Dr. Robinson directs the Iris Project, a British charity promoting Classics in schools, especially government-funded schools and schools in urban areas.

Edited to add: A companion article, "Haud Mea Culpa, Domina," in the same paper reports on a new initiative to bring Latin into British state primary schools and offers some conversational Latin as well. (American teachers dealing with No Child Left Behind legislation will certainly be able to sympathize with their British colleagues and find useful the translation for "Where does my school come in the league tables?")

The Canadian Opposition Party Leader Does Not Speak Latin

Just in case you were wondering...

From The Canadian Press via Yahoo:

"Mea Culpa: Latin Press Release from Liberals No Magnum Opus"

Learning Latin Lasts a Long Time

A retiree reminisces about what he learned in Latin class over sixty years ago in "Storytelling: Learning from Year of Latin Lasted a Lifetime" (The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 28, 2009)

Vast Hoard of Anglo Saxon Gold Treasure Unearthed in England

An unemployed treasure hunter with a used metal detector has discovered an incredible trove of gold and silver treasure buried in a field in central England.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

You can see more pictures of this unbelievable discovery at the BBC News site as well as the National Geographic, as well as on the photo-sharing site Flickr. (Thanks to Terrence Lockyer for pointing out the Flickr set!)

One piece bears a Latin inscription reading "Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee.")

More stories on this find, which reference the inscription:

"A New Angle on the Saxons" (TimesOnline, 27 September 2009)

"Staffordshire Hoard: Experts Wept at Sight of Anglo-Saxon Gold" (TimesOnline, 25 September 2009)

followed by this wonderful letter in response: "Why Education Must Be a National Treasure: The Danger Posed by Poor Latinity Was Recognized by King Alfred...so why not our Government?" from Paul Gazzoli, of the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge.

Latin in the News!

A few recent newspaper articles about the Latin language and Roman culture:

"Why Learn Latin? To Better Understand Harry Potter," The Herald-Mail, September 18, 2009

"Latin on the Increase at Winchester School," Hampshire Chronicle, September 18, 2009

"Ben Hur Spectacular Premiers in London," Yahoo News, September 16, 2009

Nicole Curry Named Philadelphia Magazine's 2009 Best of Philly Schools Teacher!

Philadelphia magazine has named Phoenixville Latin Teacher Nicole Curry as its 2009 Best of Philly Schools teacher! Nicole combines a wacky sense of humor with some serious curriculum, Macte virtute esto! ("Well done! Bless you for your excellence!")

Read more about Nicole at Phillymag.com and see a picture of her dressed in a toga!

Bringing Latin Home

Latin is not only enjoying a resurgence in public and private schools across the United States. Many families are choosing to teach their children Latin as a homeschooling subject. Heather Duncan, a homeschooling mom and freelance contributor to the Knoxville News Sentinel writes this week about the growing popularity of Latin among her friends. She also interviews a homeschool co-op educator who teaches nearly 100 Latin students each week! Read more in "Latin A Growing Subject At Home."

The Primary Latin Project Promotes Latin in Trafalgar Square

Watch Jeremy Paterson, Chair of the Primary Latin Project in England, standing upon the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, greeting American teachers, promoting Classics, and reading Latin to passersby!

What is the Fourth Plinth? Find out more!

Texas Students Advancing to National Latin Competition

Students from St. Andrew's Episcopal School and Hill Country Christian School of Austin gear up for the highly competitive national Certamen competition to be held this month in Sacramento, California.

Free Yourself by Reading Latin!

A wonderful op-ed piece in the New York Times today from a busy political science professor who has decided to take time out to read Vergil's Aeneid...in the original Latin! He doesn't expect to get any profound answers for the world's troubles, so just why has Alexander Motyl bought a grammar and dictionary? To find the answer, read Back to Latin!

Latin, Why Bother?

Writer and blogger for the London Times Sarah Ebner ponders the usefulness of Latin and Greek studies and asks her readers if they see any point to studying the Classical languages.

There have been many comments in reply, mostly positive, including a great response from Cambridge Classics professor Mary Beard as well as a link to a past entry on her own Times blog A Don's Life.

Like "As the World Turns," But in Latin!

This weekend a very talented group of Latin students from Santa Monica High School premiered their feature-length series "Pacifica," a four-episode soap opera written and acted entirely in Latin, at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica, California. It was a sold out show! Read more about "Pacifica" and its creators in the Santa Monica Daily Press!

Texas Classics Week!

Gratias tibi ago, Karen Moore of Latin Alive!, for letting us know that this week (April 21-25, 2009) has officially been proclaimed Texas Classics Week by Governor Rick Perry!

Latin Inscription Disputes Popularity of Robin Hood

The March 2009 issue of the Journal of Medieval History reports the discovery at Eton College of An English Chronicle Entry on Robin Hood (Volume 35, Issue 1) by Professor Julian Luxford of St. Andrew's University.  There have been numerous stories in the press regarding this story, including the Daily Mail which includes images from the 13th century Polychronicon where the Latin inscription was made in the margins sometime ca. 1460 A.D. by an anonymous monk.  

Resquiescat in Pace, Latina Lingua

CBS News reports on The Death of Latin.



Gratias tibi ago, ArLTBlog!