And undoubtedly this is the case.
Latin is a living language in our country in that it provides half of
our vocabulary. Pupils who would know English well should have a good
knowledge of this living Latin. If the Latinists would shift their
ground to this living Latin and provide means of teaching it fully
and effectively for modern purposes, it is possible that the opposing
schools of thought might here find common ground upon which all could
stand with some degree of comfort and toleration. When Latin study of
the character here suggested is devised, it ought to be opened up to
the students of all courses as an elective, so that it could be
taken by all who wish a full appreciation and understanding of their
semi-Latin mother tongue. Such a study ought to be required of the
clerical students of the High School of Commerce. In the meantime,
however, all will have to wait until the Latinists have provided the
plans and the materials.
In the new so-called English course in the academic high schools
required foreign languages are omitted entirely. In the third and
fourth years German or Spanish is made elective. This gives rise
to several questions. If the foreign language is studied simply as
preparation for the leisure occupation of reading its literature--the
only value of the course in the case of most who take it--why should
not French be elective also? By far the largest of the world's
literatures, outside of the English, is the French.
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