Boston Latin School - Liber Actorum Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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THE WORK OF THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MK. IRONS Hriii) of 1 ( ' port mcxt The chief aim of the English department is to enable puiiils to use their language correctly through work in gi ' ammar and composition. It also tries to inculcate a love of reading in the pupils by the study and inter- pi-etation of many of the great books of our literature. I ' he English department takes special pride in the out.standing record of the “Register” in the national competition conducted by the Columbia Schola.stic Press Association. For eleven successive years the “Register,” under the dii-ection of Mr. Marson, has led all other schools in its class (1500-2500 pupils) and gained the coveted Medali.st award (a special prize for unusual di.stinction) six times. Another feature of the work of the English depart- ment has been the Declamation program, which has been carried on almost from the earliest days of the school. Each boy may compete with other boys five times a year, before three teachers, for the pri ilege of speak- ing in the Public Declamations, which occur five times a year and a)‘e o])en to jiarents and friends. Twelve or more of those speakers adjudged the best are selected for the Annual Prize in May. A combination of the school marks with the marks of judges selected from distinguished graduates determines the award of prizes. Mr. Jameson, Mr. Nelville. and Mr. Frank E. Sullivan, who have had charge of the Declamation program in recent years, have kept uj) the high standards of their predecessors. First Row: Messrs. Neville. O’Keefe, Russd, Irons (Dept. Head). Tully (Dept. Head). .Marson. Callanan, Fitin. Second Row: Messrs. Walsh, .Jackson, McCarthy, Rosenthal, 1 a.x’lor, .M .Namara, Sullivan, Spector, F ai ' rell, Sheehan,

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i FACULTY I “Reading makes a full man; meditation, a profound man; discourse a clear man.” “Lost time is never found again.” 19]

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ANCIENT LANGUAGES In the study of Latin we have two sets of aims: the s])ecitic and the more j -enei-al. Specific aims include the ability to i;ronounce and read Latin; the ac([uisition of a Latin vocabulaiw ; the mastery of Latin foimis; the abil- ity to apply simple, fundamental rules of syntax; the ability to turn English sentences into Latin; and the ability to translate easy Latin at si ht. The more genei ' al aims are accomplished through the study of Latin and Latin authoi ' s. One of these is the increased ability in the use of English, with a better understanding of vocab- ulary and a knowlcffge of the simpler principles of lan- guage structure. This accomijlishment should biing about also a greater ability to learn other foreign languages, Erom the study of Latin authors should come the de- velopment of a historical and cultural background with (a) increased knowledge of the life, hi.story, and institu- tions of the Romans; (b) an api reciation of Roman influence on Western civilization; and (c) a broader understanding of social and ])olitical problems of today. From the study of Roman literature there should also come about the develoi)ment of a right attitude toward social relations: service, self-sacrifice, patriotism, honor, respect for authority, self-control, love foi ' law and order, loyalty, courage, and the like. Finally, the study of Latin should bring about the development of good mental habits, such as accuracy, thoroughness, logical thinking, sustained attention, jjer- severance in the face of difliculties, and dissatisfaction with failure or with only partial success. MR, HOI ' KINSON Head of Dopartrnc First Rcw: Messrs. Sullivan, Dolan. O’Donnell, O’Callahan, Hopkinson (Dept Head), Cleary, Roche, Miller, Richards. Secon d R ow: Messrs. PartridKC, Desmond, Locke, Connors, O’Brien, Farrell, .Jameson, Zanor, Sakey.