Ben L Smith High School - Aquila Yearbook (Greensboro, NC)

Page 55 text:

Ven , Vi6i, Vic . . .The Language Of Rome Latin is a living language in more ways than one, and Mrs. Harmon can prove this to anyone who doubts it. Latin has exerted a great influence on our own language today, and we learned that more than sixty per cent of our vocabulary is de¬ rived from it. It is still written and spoken today as evidenced in the Roman Catholic Church, and so many other languages were influenced by it that a traveler can understand foreign tongues much better if they can boast of a classical lan¬ guage background. In Latin 1 and 2 we are shown how we are part of the ancient heritage which Latin repre¬ sents, because studying it makes the individual understand other cultures as well as his own. In Latin 3 and 4 we become even more aware of Roman culture as Caesar marches vividly be¬ fore us. The language department offered Latin 5 and 6 this year, and those who are wise enough to study advanced Latin are thrilled by the beauty and power of oratory and poetry. Classic Language Department: Mrs. Virginia Harmon teaches all levels of Latin. Tom Johnson points to a model of a Roman camp in the time of Caesar. 43

Page 54 text:

Dave Morrah was a most welcome guest during a class session on humorous writing. Floodgates Of Expression Opened By Adventure Of Creative Writing Those of us who enjoy self-expression were offered the opportunity to write creatively this year. We met on an informal basis to develop variety in writing through the imaginative use of language. We kept journals with personal im¬ pressions, reading notes, and ideas gleaned from class discussion, and we published our best of¬ ferings in magazine-style. Guest speakers included Dave Morrah, noted humorist; Mrs. Jean Newman, writer; and Miss Virginia Atcheson of our own faculty. The class participated in school activities by writing for the Teen-Age Record and the EAGLE EYE and composing the scripts for the band half¬ time shows. We hope to win the N. C. poetry con¬ test and have some of our work accepted for the N. C. English Teacher ' s Student Edition. Mrs. Scarborough checks a reference as Bill Wright, David Burns, Janice Sprinkle, and Paul Welch look on. Linda Ramsey, Janice Sprinkle, Chris Peer, Paul Welch, and David Burns put the finishing touches on the creative writing publication. 42

Page 56 text:

Modern Language Classes One language makes a wall; it takes two to make a gate. With this bit of philosophy, the foreign language teachers are working steadily to build the gate. Through a sequential program of three levels, we learn to communicate ideas and to understand the target language as spoken by natives. In French and Spanish, Level One teaches lis¬ tening ability and comprehension; Level Two re¬ quires reading ability as w ell as verbal profici¬ ency. Level Three requires reading and writing development through the study of literature. In the language laboratory, both French and Spanish students are given the opportunity to Spanish students study dia¬ logues and repetition drills with the use of the tape re¬ corder. This gives them the advantage of hearing the native voice and imitating the acents. Modern Language Dept., Seated: Mrs. Argyle Brown, Chairman; Standing, left to right: Mr. Jon Sams; Mr. Henry Whitaker. Mrs. Brown illustrates pho¬ netic symbols in French so that students may perfect their pronunciation in the French language.