Foreword to the Pupils  |
The credo upon which this book is constructed runs somewhat as follows:
Things exist written in the Latin language that are worth reading today.
Latin should be so taught as to develop power to read those things in Latin.
One learns to read by reading.
Material for reading in the early stages should be easy and repetitious, and should introduce new vocabulary in self-evident situations.
The acquisition of the language itself is a sufficiently large task for the beginner. He should not be called upon to deal with situations outside his own experience or to acquire knowledge through the new medium; neither should his problem be complicated by the necessity of learning a formidable grammatical nomenclature or a science of grammar that the Romans themselves managed to do without until its introduction by Dionysius Thrax, who was born 166 b.c.
Omission of formal grammar need not result in inaccurate or incorrect Latin. A tendency to inexactness can be corrected by much oral reading of Latin and by writing in Latin.
This translation of this credo into a beginner’s book is characterized by certain definite features:
Vocabulary—Vocabulary has been chosen on the principle that words most frequently used in Latin literature should appear early and should be repeated often. Lodge’s Vocabulary of High School Latin (Columbia University: Teachers College, 1912) has been used to determine frequency. Words have been divided into seven classes:
Class I.—Words appearing 1,000 times or more in the passages usually read in high schools. These words are all introduced early and repeated frequently.
Class II.—Words occurring 500-999 times. These words appear early and often.
Class III.—Words occurring 100-499 times. In this group nē is omitted because the subjunctive does not appear in these chapters.
Class IV.—Words occurring 50-99 times. This group is largely used.
Class V.—Words occurring 25-49 times. 106 words from this list appear.
Class VI.—Words occurring 5-24 times. 173 of these words are used.
Class VII.—Words not on Lodge’s list of 2,000 words. 73 of these are used, largely in the first lessons to get familiar situations.
A total of 554 words is used in the forty chapters. After the first lessons, each word is introduced in a setting that makes possible its interpretation by reading alone. Every word is repeated in three successive chapters and frequently in later chapters.
That the expression “interpretation by reading alone” may not be misunderstood, by way of illustration the following excerpt The Comic Latin Grammar ([Hartford: Edwin Valentine Mitchell]], p. 12) is added, with blanks in place of words that have been omitted: “The truth is that people are —————————— of crying and find it much more agreeable to ——————————. The sublime is out of ——————————; the —————————— is in vogue. A turn-up nose is now a more interesting object than a —————————— collar.”
Anyone who can read English at that level can supply the first four blanks without even pausing. Anyone who can read English and has the same humorous slant as the author can supply the last. An unfamiliar word can be interpreted as easily as the blank.
For the convenience of the teacher, the basic vocabulary of each chapter is appended at the end of the book and is divided into the classes mentioned above.
Omissions.—The omission of paradigms and other grammatical material is intentional. Form and usage are learned from repetitious reading, dictation, and imitation.
The omission of rules of pronunciation is intentional. Pronunciation is learned by imitation and practice.
The omission of classical flavor is intentional. This may be supplied by reading such a book as Julia by Reed (Macmillan & Co.) as supplementary material after the pupil is reading with some ease (e.g., after Lesson X; the exact point depends on the class).
Procedure.—This material, which is thoroughly tried material, is used by the authors for initial reading with no preceding approach.
Tried dictation and dictation-imitation lessons are appended. Writing should not be done until material is thoroughly familiar. When the pupil has heard and himself reproduced orally with accuracy Latin that he understands directly, he should have practice in writing. This should consist of dictation, in which the only demand upon the pupil is understanding and accurate reproduetion of what he hears; of a combination of dictation that sets a pattern, and imitation of the pattern, by which he learns form and usage in terms of function; and of free writing in which he expresses himself directly and gains a sense of power over the new medium.
A set of topics for free writing is appended.
A list of suggested books for English reading is appended. Pupils are encouraged to read widely in English outside of class that they may gain acquaintance with Roman materials for their next reading.
The authors take this means of expressing their gratitude to those who have made this volume possible. They are especially grateful to Professor C. H. Judd, director of the Laboratory Schools; to Professor H. C. Morrison, professor of education, who was superintendent of the Laboratory Schools at the time the work was begun; to Messrs. Reavis, Woellner, Dewey, and Loomis, principals of the University High School; and to Miss Elsie M. Smithies, head of the Department of Latin in the University High School, for the opportunity to try out ideas and test material.
| Foreword to the Pupils |