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

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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.

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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

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Strive For Linguistic Skill improve upon their listening and speaking skills. Foreign culture as well as language is intro¬ duced in each class. This cultural knowledge helps us create the bridge of understanding and appreciation which is essential in achieving in¬ ternational good will. Films, recordings, and pictures showed us life in other countries, and understanding teachers put up with our accents. We don ' t know how well the French or Spanish people will be able to understand us, but we do know the learning experience in these tongues have made us feel like the international “jet set. Mrs. Brown distributes French practice records which are used in a self-improvement program for individual students. Each students receives individual instruction from Mr. Sams in the language lab. This is a study in profile of Larry Eubanks and Mr. Sams concentrating over a technical difficulty. The control panel of the audio-lingual laboratory is an impressive maze of buttons, lights, and dials. 45