David Grene's life

The Times Literary Supplement has a review by of a posthumously published memoir by David Grene (of Grene and Lattimore fame), called 'Of Farming and Classics'.

Today's Independent

David

There’s quite an interesting six page feature on Ancient Rome in the Independent today (Extra, pages 1-6) based around a forthcoming book on Rome called Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a day. Well worth a read if you haven’t already seen it.

All best

Kris

New Summer School Director appointed

Rob Soames, husband of our ArLT President, has taken over as Director of the 2007 ArLT Summer School in Cambridge.

The Summer School, which is a recognised INSET event for teachers of Classical subjects, runs from Sunday 22nd – Wednesday 25th July 2007 in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

A stellar array of lecturers includes Dr. Nigel Spivey on Roman portraits, Professor John Henderson on the Nature of Man, Dr Scott Scullion on Oedipus Tyrannus, Professor Jonathan Powell on Old Latin and Dr Caroline Voute on the transition from A level to university Classics. Bob Lister will run a workshop on improving students' reading skills.

The list can be seen here, and the full timetable (subject to tweaking) is here.

Expect lots more news as Rob works at the details … Meanwhile, you can contact the Summer School Secretary, Pauline Cox-Smith,
158 Beecham Road,
Reading RG30 2RE
pcoxsmith(at)btinternet.com

Various links

Many news items, particularly archaeological news, come under the heading of interesting but not vital for teachers.

I may gather these over a period and offer them in a lump.

Here are three from today:

• Mosaics from the Gardens of Lucullus, The Times.
• Replica busts of Roman emperors, Hamptons.
• Tourist guide to Bath, A.P.

"It's all Latin to Westminster (East Memphis) students"

From Memphis Commercial Appeal.

It's all Latin to Westminster students

Westminster Academy students dressed in togas and recited Catiline Orations, which works within the school's tradition of teaching students rhetoric and logic.

Mary Katherine Jorgensen listens to her classmates. Westminster Academy focuses on giving its students a “Classical Christian” education, one that includes Latin from grade school.

As 12 nervous ninth-graders walked into a room at Ridgeway Baptist Church, their third-grade counterparts snickered at the older kids dressed in togas and sandals.

But their attire was for more than simple role-playing. For this group of students at the Westminster Academy in East Memphis, this was a big test.

Their challenge? To recite — in Latin — 30 lines of a speech that philosopher Cicero delivered in 63 B.C. to the Roman Senate.

Josh Moon was first up, and he performed ably, moving his arms with passion as he spoke and being mindful to look at fellow classmates, who were serving as the Roman senate.

Classmate Ellen Conrad, who followed Moon, said the experience was exhilarating, if a bit nerve-wracking.

“I think this is something I'll have forever in my memory,” she said.

Students at Westminster aren't unfamiliar with the language: Latin instruction starts in kindergarten.

Westminster places strong emphasis on students learning history, rhetoric and logic.

School director Dr. Michael Johnson said the school's work in teaching students how to answer good questions will pay big dividends as the kids get older.

“Rather than giving students the answers, we are trying to allow them to find answers on their own.”

The Latin oration plays a part in that.

“We want them to have confidence,” Johnson said.

The 336-student school, started in 1996, focuses on giving students a classical education with a Christian perspective.

Students said working on the translation was a fun way to learn about history, which makes Johnson, who teaches the Latin class, quite pleased.

“Every subject is an opportunity to learn about God,” he said. “The story He is writing about (the students) connects to every story ever told.”

Throughout the grades, the school uses fables, art and philosophy to teach students to “love that which is worth loving,” said Peter Baur, the schools' director of institutional advancement.

With that in mind, the school's instructors hope their approach creates great thinkers who are ready to take on the world.

“Our desire is to teach kids how to think,” Baur said.

“They are walking the path with these unbelievably powerful minds.”

— Dakarai I. Aarons: 529-6515