Classics

Department Members

Mrs. Ginger Emshoff
Mr. Brad Gholston
Mrs. Michelle Graves
Mr. Harry Isensee

Latin plays an important role at St. Thomas’. It is required of every student every year starting in the sixth grade until he or she completes the study of Vergil. For many students this means they will finish Latin in their junior year.

Why Latin?

We believe Latin is important for many reasons. The major language of the Western world for more than two thousand years, it is the parent language of French, Spanish, and Italian, among others, and is a cousin to Greek, Sanskrit, and the Germanic languages. Thus, a good understanding of Latin facilitates learning both the Romance and the Germanic languages. English itself is overwhelmingly indebted to Latin.

It is far easier for a student to learn English vocabulary when he or she can analyze the basic Latin roots and infer the definition rather than memorize meanings in a vacuum. Latin is also an invaluable aid in teaching English grammar because basic grammatical concepts become clearer in a student’s mind when presented in the logical structure of the Latin language. Finally, the ability logically to deduce sense from statement, i.e., comprehension, is greatly increased.

The Program

The sixth grade through eighth grades are spent mastering the basic word forms, vocabulary, and grammar of the Latin language. The eighth grade level is correlated in the history program with an intensive study in Roman history and civilization. Eighth grade students participate in the American Classical League’s National Latin Exam, in which they regularly excel.

In eighth grade, the students are divided into two levels: regular and honors. New students arriving after the sixth grade are placed at the beginning level within their peer group. Students with initiative in the regular track may switch to honors if their grades warrant it.

Textbook: Ecce Romani series