Franklin Classical School

Latin at Franklin Classical School

“Is it not the great defect of our education today that although we often succeed in teaching our pupils “subjects”, we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how to think? They learn everything, except the art of learning.”
Dorothy Sayers, The Lost Tools of Learning

Latin can produce more groans than a herd of sick cattle; it also produces as many delights. Watching a student decipher a difficult passage and translate it into English prose that is delightful to the ear is a joy. Arming students with tools for Latin study and watching them use those tools has yielded and continues to yield more results than students themselves usually imagine.

Listed below are several benefits and advantages of studying Latin.

Students acquire an expanded vocabulary since a vast majority of our English words are derived from Latin.
Latin is an inflected language, that is, words have suffixes added to roots, and the suffixes (inflections) determine the function of the word in the sentence. Studying Latin grammar helps tremendously in learning English grammar.
The literature of Western civilization is saturated with Latin, and understanding Latin leads to much more understanding of our literature.
Students who continue to study languages, particularly the Romance languages (Spanish, French, Romanian, Italian, and Portuguese) find language mastery far easier after Latin study.
Latin is a precise language, more so than English. The language follows its rules the majority of the time and has few exceptions. Students must constantly pay careful attention to details in Latin which develops precise thinking skills. These thinking skills are easily transferred to other areas of study.
Students gain a better understanding of the infancy of our civilization. The influence of the Graeco-Roman culture can be found in our architecture, political structures, names of constellations, and in some of our traditions. (carrying a bride across the threshold)
One of my biggest delights has been watching students during our studies of some of the classic myths recognize that modern paganism has root in the paganism of the Greeks and Romans. Our discussions sometimes become theological as we discuss gods made in the image of man with no hope for redemption instead of man made imago Deo (in the image of God) by the perfect One who has provided redemption for us. As Peter Leithart wrote in his book, Heroes of the City of Man, “Reading Greek and Roman literature highlights the difference between a world formed by polytheism and a world that worships the One Living God.” It also “…helps us identify the effect that the gospel has had on the world. Pagan literature can be used as a weapon for Christian warfare because it gives insight into the works and ways of the enemy.”