Page 57 - 1916 February - To Dragma

136 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

language is absolutely dead; out-of-date, and useless, u n t i l he h i m -
self is d o u b t f u l of its value; and this doubt lurking deep in his con-
sciousness must be banished i f he is to derive the benefit f r o m the
course that should be received.

Probably i n the work of the first year the best method w i l l be
constantly to point out to the student the English derivatives from
each new word in the vocabulary, having him memorize both. Later,
at intervals, i t should be shown how the English vocabulary has
been increased, and how the sense of the E n g l i s h w o r d has been
simplified as to meaning, and shades of meaning, by the learning of
the L a t i n word. T h e n , i f L a t i n is the first language, aside f r o m the
English, to be studied, the student should be made to feel the beauty
of seeing a new language u n f o l d . Besides the mechanical work,
the constant reminding of the student of these two facts w i l l arouse
an interest to see what the f u r t h e r study of the language w i l l bring.

T h e first of the second year is probably as discouraging a period
as any w i t h which the teacher has to contend, but i f we can bridge
the first six weeks, the rest of the work is easy. I n connection w i t h
Cccsar the interest of the class is furthered by the references to
Ancient History, the comparison o f Caesar as a general w i t h other
great commanders. W i t h i n the last year the fact that Europe is
waging its war i n the same territory i n which Caesar carried on his
conquests lends interest to the subject.

I n reading the orations of Cicero, the plan of the development of
the oration and the almost faultless style of his oratory give untold
value to one studying English composition and rhetoric. A close
study of the literature of this age of Rome, the reading of the lives
of the writers f r o m Plutarch or some secondary writer increases
interest.

A student who has arrived at the place where he is ready f o r
Vergil has been convinced that he is interested i n the Roman lan-
guage and literature, so now the field of the teacher is broader and
more pleasant. The development of the plot of the story is inter-
esting, but is almost unimportant i n comparison w i t h the realization
of the beauty of the poetry. Comparison with that of our greatest
English poets reveals to the student that Vergil is a veritable source
book f o r the literary masters of later ages.

Gayley's Classical Myths and Gerber's Myths of Greece and Rome
are almost indispensable in explaining the superstitions and religious
beliefs of the Romans.

I n the study of Cicero's later work, De Senectute, the student
becomes a sharer i n the l i f e of a l l ages. I n his sublime subject, the
immortality of the soul, Cicero has given us that which is a universal