IN ANOTHER SECTION of the print media, a columnist declared: Long live Latin. It reminded me that a fellow co-worker not only derided me but upbraided me for expressing my love for the language.
The incident occurred many years ago, yet I still retain psychological scars tinged with sadness and regret that like many other subjects Latin has been thrown into the proverbial dustbin of education.
Persons who know better are suggesting that religious knowledge, English Literature, civics, history and Latin are irrelevant for a modern school curriculum, yet employers are complaining that students are leaving school but are not suitable for the world of work.
What are replacing these subjects on our schools’ timetables?
There is evidence showing lack of a thorough knowledge of grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary and other prerequisites in a number of local publications.
Stories abound that persons have difficulty completing simple application forms.
There was a time when first form students of the day without the use of an English dictionary knew the meaning of words such as transportation, circumspection and agricultural, they knew what it was to carry something across, to look around and that agricultural had something to do with a farmer or farming.
It appears that we aretaking one step forward and two steps backwards, or have we thrown out the baby with the bath-water?
I join with Reudon Eversley in saying “Long live Latin”, but I go much farther and say bring back all those subjects that have made a difference and can still benefit present and future generations of students.
– MICHAEL RAY
