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

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GERMAN At the end of the freshman year all l)oys must make a choice for Class III between the two electives, Greek and German. Roughly speaking, three out of four boys elect German, which they must then study tor at least two years. In the Senior year German becomes an elective. Usually about thirty boys continue the study for the third year. These boys, who have shown lu’ohciency in the language, prepare them.selves by diligent work to win extremely high marks in the German Achievement Test for college entrance and to obtain scholarshii) awards. Of the class of 1954 more than fifty per cent of the Senior German class continued successfully the study of the language at c(rllege. Roys of only two years’ prep- aration have also been able to continue the .study — especially at M.I.T., where, after a refresher course, they proceed with the work in scientific German. The good results prove that, during the two years of preparation in German, great efforts are made by mas- ters in the German Department to give a sound founda- tion in basic vocabulary and elementary grammar. Pu- pils are taught, by con.stant jjractice, to read and write the language and, by means of easy conversation and special language records, to understand and speak it. The German Department insi.sts that boys also learn the e.ssentials of geography and culture in Germany and follow pertinent current events. The German Club, sponsored by Mr. Herbert Zoll, but run by the boys themselves, presents programs of in- terest to students of German. Members listen to speak- ers, see films, and read news])apers to make their meet- ings worthwhile. Mli. VAX STEEXHEIUiEX Head of Deparfmenf ( First Row: Messrs. Weinert, Van Steenbergen (Dept. Head), Zoll. Second Row: .Messrs. Triantafel, Miller. I 13 1

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MR. KOZODOY (III 1)1 l)i ' j)arliiii ' iil MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT ] Iathematic.s has been an integral part of the course of study at Boston Latin School throughout its long and l)roud history. Today, more than ever, we find that a knowledge of the fundamentals of this subject is of utmost importance lo the educated person. In nearly all tields of endeavor, the influence of mathematical methods makes itself felt more and more. The various courses in mathematics offered in the school have as an initial goal inculcation of orderly habits of neatness and accuracy in the student’s work and in his thinking. In this subject, logical sequential thought is the core of the course. Beyond this, there is to be found in all phases of the coui’ses in mathematics a continuing stress on the interdependence of cause and effect, on the development of the ability to determine ultimate conclusions from known data. For those students who demonstrate superior mathe- matical competence and power as well as the inclina- tion to study beyond the minimum requirements, there exists a course which prepares candidates for admission lo technical institutes. The growing and urgent demand for trained technicians and technologists with a good mathematical backgi’ound has resulted in a continuing search for ways and means to increase the scope and content of mathematics courses at the secondary school level. A start has been made in this direction in our school. It is the hope of the [Mathematics Department that revisions in the curriculum will enable our pupils in the jiear future to enter college with sufficient preparation to permit them to begin at a higher level in college courses than is presently possible. It is ecjually our hope that his may be effected within the general framework of the traditional training upon which the fame of our school rests. First Row; Messrs. Caffrey, Cheethani, Dobbyn, Kozodoy (Dept. Head), Gretsch, Klein, Gilbeit. Second Row: Messr. Vara, t ' asey, Rejian, Colbert, McLaughlin, M. Wcinert, .A. (Ji-eenhalge, Branca.

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MR. LEVINE H ) iil of I r iKiit FRENCH ' riu ' Fi’ench Department has always been faced with two prol)Ienis: the first, that every student in our cho d is re(iuired to take French foi’ three years; the second, that a comparatively small number will choose the elec- tive Senior Fi-ench course. V’or the first three years the hb ' ench teachers strive to give students a sf)und under- standing of basic French, which consists of the gram- matical constructions of the language, the useful vocab- ulary of every-day life, necessary verb work, and the ability to understand S])oken French and to use it in ordinary conversation. The reciuired textual reading helixs to broaden the .student’s ho)-izon with reg:ard t(j the history, geogra])hy, and social life of France. In the fourth year of French the student is preparing for the College Board Achievement Test: and, he is gaining, in addition, proficiency in oral woid , in-omoted partly by the use of s])ecial phom-graph records. The “Cercle Francais, an extracurricular activity — with otticers chosen from the fourth-year students, but with many members from the three-year boys — has helped to bring honors to the French Department. Some of our outstanding students have been presidents of the French clubs of Harvard, Boston College, and Brandeis; and one of our to]) students won tir.st prize in the New England contest of the American Association of Teachers ' of French. At present we have two of our former .stu- dents on the faculty of the Pb’ench dei)artments of Har- vard and Bo. ton College. First Row: Messrs. Fitz( ieiald, Levine (Dept. Head), Sculfv, MeCiiLlin. Second Row: .Messrs. O’I.eary, Fontaine, Clark, Donovan.