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

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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.

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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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I HISTORY The orfranizntion of the Itoston Latin School hy de- partments allows and enconraKes specialization within : a certain area of educational activity, but collectively the several departments should strive to achieve the common objective of a liberal arts education. 1 Traditionally, history is one of the humanities, and necessarily the teaching of history is part of a genei ' al i ro- gram directed toward the education of the free man. The his- tory department, in this common endeavor has established specific objectives: (1) to encoui-age a critical approach lo the problems of history, (2) to present history as a dynamic subject, (3) to encourage independent reading and exploratory work beyond routine assignments, (4) I to develop the ability to interpret the present in the light i of past experiences, and (5) to train young men for the I duties and obligations of citizenship. At the same time, i the uniciue character of this school thrusts upon us a peculiar responsibility. We are training not only for citizenship but for leadership. Generations of leaders who have attended the Boston Latin School remind us j of the school’s great and challenging mission in this democracy. I In recen t years many students in the history depart- ment have brought honor to the school and to them- selves. Each year since 1947 a Latin School boy has won first prize in the Hearst American History Contest, and, for the past four years with the exception of one year, first prize in the Massachusetts Federation of Labor Conte,st. In the College Board examinations the results i have been creditable and satisfying. The Head of the history department appreciates the unselfish assistance and cooperation given him by the masters within the department. First Row: Messrs. Barry, Sullivan, Godfrey, Pearson (Dept. Head), Neinzoff, Gordon, Murphy. Second Row: Messrs. Avery, Powers, Burton, Bergen, Pheeney, Doherty, Rosenthal. I 15 I A MR. PEARSON Head of 1 c])(irfmntf ! I