European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Coming alive in America by Lee Mitgang associated press or a dead language. Latin is lately showing surprising signs of life in american schools. As school reformers continue to Hammer Al the chemo of basics there am signs of a Renaissance in latin study among . Youngsters in the last several years. The latest evidence 67,000 High school students across tha country look he National Lalin exam in March a Competition in which the highest scorers receive medals car if Clies and 10 scholarships Worth 11,000 each. When the exam was first Given in 1979, about 16.500 look the Leal according to Edward Phonsy head of the classics department at the University of Massachusetts .,1 Amer to and president of the american classical league that sponsors the multiple Choice exam. The modern language association in new York is completing a Survey of language study by students at Ca Saks ghost two and four year colleges and spokeswoman Rachel Fine said she expected it to show an increase in latin study compared with three years ago the previous Survey period. The Junior classical league an organization with 50 stale chapters consisting of Junior High and High school students studying Lalin had 49,469 members in 1985 latin limps along in Britain associated Pressl Atin once the sine qua non of a British education is fighting an Uphill Battle to stay in the curriculum. Time was when an ability to translate Caesar s commentaries on the gallic War went hand in hand with running an Empire and sine qua non still sounds smoother than indispensable  but today you can get into Oxford or Cambridge without knowing your Ambo from your Amabis just As americans can gel into Yale or Harvard without knowing Amo Smas and Ama. In the 15 years since tha ancient roman Tongue ceased to be a compulsory subject to earn a High school diploma in Britain the number of latin students has alien sharply while ancient greek has All but vanished. The debate resurfaced recently when it came out hat in London which has 300,000 High school students the number choosing to study latin Tor their diploma was Down irom 877 in 1976 to just 286 last year this year Only 30 of London s 146 High schools Era altering latin studies. Latin is o dying language in Britain s schools lamented Tjie times of London it seems that in is Only a matter of Lime before latin vanishes  the Issue goes beyond linguistics into the perennial debate Over whether the preoccupation with the classics is Britain s problem or its salvation. To those who say the classical heritage is Brilain s virtue critics reply that latin and greek for too Long eclipsed the sciences leaving Britain Al a technological disadvantage. To those who say a living language like German ii More useful than a dead one like latin in this pan european age critics respond that the modern tongues cannot be fully mastered without a grounding in latin the times concentrated its tire on the inner London education authority claiming its elected Lapwing Bosses who identified latin with elitism imperialism divisiveness. Short hair school uniform and ins academic aspirations of the White Middle  Mot so responded Ilea Leader Frances Morrell in a letter to the times willing in latin to drive Home her Point she wrote turn in nos costume list Magnam sacks Vou do us a mighty Insull. The London authority says it is one of the few actively trying to keep latin studies alive and the Only one that employs a full time classics inspector. Bui Worrell was quoted As saying latin had too prominent a place in the curriculum Ahei All living languages have got of take precedence Over dead ones letters responding to the times broadside indicated that latin s death or survival had Little to do with class. A headmaster in Brixton one of London s poorest inner districts wrote to extol his school s latin course White headmasters  affluent county of Hampshire reported that latin studies in their Patch had ail but vanished. Latin has always generated Strong feelings. Columnist Anne Smith says the mental discipline imposed by learning latin still serves her Well. Had it not been for the patient construction and analysis Learned in the latin room i d never have been Able to fix my Mother s washing machine As i did she wrote be Henlly in the scotsman newspaper. But most generations remember latin classes As a Nightmare of parsing phrases from ancient texts and conjugating serried ranks of verbs under the Beady Eye today you can get into Oxford or Cambridge without knowing your Ambo from your  86, the latest figures available according to league spokeswoman Geri Dutra. That compares wilh32.026 members in 1979-60. Greek also is enjoying something of a revival the classical league sponsored a Nal Nal greek exam Competition earlier this Spring and according to Phinney 967 students look it compared Wilh the Mere 56 who braved it in 1930, the first year it was administered although Lalin has been viewed As a dead language some students arc studying it Hopes of improving their English skills and their performance on standardized College Entrance exams ii reflects increased interest in Basic skills subjects. It s pan of a National trend Phinney said in Wisconsin for example Lalin was the most popular foreign High school language in the 1960s but Tell behind in the 1970s. But the state department of education reports that 2,500 of that state s High school students Are taking latin up 26 percent from i98. In Indiana about 6,000 slide Nasare studying latin. Special programs to teach Lalin to disadvantaged students in Philadelphia have grown in popularity. Lalin study is also reported thriving in states like Virginia Texas and and California of a Robed Cane Wie Ding teacher. No latin primer was Ever Complete without this tone honoured Dilly scribbled on its Flyleaf Lalin is a language As dead As dead can be. It killed the ancient romans and now it s killing  today s defenders Al latin blame its unpopularity on bad leaching. It became unfashionable to study latin because parents would Tell their children of you Don t want to study Lalin. 1 did and i haled it " Belinda Dennis a teacher and member of the association Tor the Reform of latin teaching said in an interview some Lalin Tevere have gone As far As to translate pop songs into latin to attract their pupils interest. The Rev. Nicholas Dunn of prior school in Shrewsbury won fleeting Fame in 1967 by rendering these boots Are made for walking into the ancient Tongue. He s still at it aged 75, singing his latin to Ansilion of doing the Lambeth walk Over the phone to a reporter  vespers to noonium. Invenes Omnus Prog ski  but it looks like a losing Battle. Latin is even dying Oul in the Vatican. While the holy see still issues major documents in latin Many senior churchmen including some cardinals can t read it. The Vatican tries to update it with latin renditions of modern expressions but Violenta Verona Viii abduct to is a Clumsy substitute Lor sky jacking. Dennis says latin is needed to help students master technical terms prepare to study european languages improve spelling and grammar and learn the origins of Western culture. In Britain the old teaching methods have been abandoned in Lavor of an approach that stresses latin s links with English and ils everyday use in roman times. Many latin teachers look to the United states Lor inspiration speaking enviously of Philadelphia s pioneering work in using latin As a Bridge to literacy in deprived inner City schools. Rudolph Masciantonio director of foreign language studies Tor the Philadelphia school District says that knowing 1he latin word Manus hand helps pupils tackle dial cult English derivatives like manuscript manipulate manufacture. They absorb it like a sponge and enjoy h  accurate and discriminating language is part of the defense of our civilization and latin does it As none other can says John Rae. Former headmaster of London s Elile Westminster school but in an interview he admitted that latin s future was cloak. "11 it s a Choice in a crowded syllabus Between leaching latin or Spanish i d say get on with teaching Spanish. It s More  sunday May 10, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 17