The University of Texas Publication No. 4536 September 22, 1945 THE LATIN LEAFLET Issued by the Department of Classical Languages in conjunction with the Texas Classical Association in the interest of Latin teaching in the high schools of Texas Mrs. Ernestine F. Leon, Editor W. J. Battle, H. J. Leon, Mrs. Minnie Lee Shepard, Anna Gardner (ex officio), Associate Editors Fall Number · 1945 Price Ten Cents Additional copies may be obtained from University Publications, The University of Texas PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY FOUR 'tlMES A MONTii AND ENTERED A$ &ECOND·CLASS MATTER AT THE POST OFFICE AT AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNDER THE ACT OF AUGUST 24, 1912 CLASSICS IN THE PRESENT WORLD On a recent college entrance examination in first year Latin, students were asked to give reasons for studying Latin. One candidate wrote, "Latin is very useful in science. Most of our bones are Latin." Though he expressed himself with more enthusiasm than exactness, the boy had obviously found his Latin of practical help. Likewise the many young men in the armed forces who have enrolled for courses in first-year Latin and Greek under U. S. A. F. I. have stated definite reasons for electing these courses. Some are considering professional training, interrupted by the war or decided upon as a result of their experiences in the services. Ministerial students are studying Greek; those in medicine or pharmacy, Latin. Yet an even larger proportion have elected the classics in order to further their own cultural development. Some have a desire to read the New Testament or the Greek classics in the original. Several men of Greek ancestry are taking advantage of this opportunity to familiarize themselves with the parent language. Others have elected Latin to obtain a better under­standing of English grammar, for studies in comparative literature or philology, as a foundation for advanced work in Romance languages or to become familiar with the literature and civilization of ancient Rome, the basis of that of western Europe and America. This return to the classics by young men beyond the high-school age, who have faced varied circumstances and carefully considered their careers, should impress younger students with the value of Latin as a basic study to be mastered during the high-school period. CLASSICS AS PREPARATION FOR MEDICINE President Donald J . Cowling of Carleton College, writing on "Liberal Arts in the Postwar World," in the current number (October, 1945) of the Association of American Colleges Bulletin, says the following on page 391: "In 1938 I had some correspondence with the Secretary of the Association of American Medical Colleges in Chicago regarding the type of training desired by medical colleges. He said, 'What we want is men with an educa­tion without any vocational slant. Preparation for medicine should mean a good fundamental education, with the minimum of science and more of the humanities and cultural subjects. We stress particularly sociology, economics, genetics, literature, philosophy, psychology, and, I would add in capitals, LATIN and GREEK.'" FALL TERM ENROLLMENT The cheering news comes from several cities that Latin enrollment has increased for the current year. Austin has a beginners' class in each junior high school and two in the senior high school, which has also three second­year classes and a fair-sized class in Cicero. This will hereafter alternate with a year in Virgil. In San Antonio, Brackenridge has two classes and Thomas Jefferson shows an increased enrollment in Latin, though the school has a somewhat smaller student body than last year. Wichita Falls senior high school boasts seven classes in Latin. Fort Worth and Dallas also have growing numbers of Latin students. It is to be hoped that other schools are showing a similar tendency. THE LATIN TOURNAMENT Victory came too late in the summer to allow time to set up machinery for a 1946 Tournament. We trust that the contests will be reinstituted with renewed enthusiasm in another year. THE W. J. BATTLE CLASSICAL SCHOLARSHIP The W. J. Battle Classical Scholarship, generously donated by an ex-student and former classics major in honor of Dr. Battle, will be awarded annually to a meritorious student majoring in Latin or Greek at The University of Te~as. Students entering from the high schools are eligible for this award. Latin teachers who have a promising senior planning to enter the University and to major in the Department of Classical Languages are urged to write about this to Dr. H. J. Leon, The University of Texas, Austin 12, Texas. For the present session the Department awarded the Scholarship, which amounts to one hundred dollars, to Janet Strauss of Corpus Christi. Miss Strauss is the first recipient of this Scholarship. FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS Starting with the Winter Semester of the current academic year, all courses in beginning foreign language at the University will be offered on a basis of eight semester hours, instead of six as heretofore. Classes will meet five times a week, two of the periods being devoted to oral drill, in the case of the modern languages; to practice in grammar, in the case of the ancient languages. The first-year course in each language will be numbered 406 and 407, instead of A. Since this intensified course is expected to offer the equivalent of from one and a half to two years of work according to the previous method, the courses hitherto numbered 1 will be discontinued and students will pass from the beginners' course into the course numbered 12, or one of equivalent grade. E.g., in Spanish the sequence will be as follows: first year: 406 and 407; second year: 12 or 13. In Latin the numbering of the courses following the beginners' course is more involved, since provision must be made for those entering with varying credits from the high schools. The new numbering of the Latin courses, as compared with the old system, is as follows: Old Number New Number Latin A 406 and 407 la 407 (Grammar and Caesar) lb 311 (Cicero and Ovid) 12a 312 (Virgil) 12b 316 (Cicero's De Senectute and Terence) 16a 316 16b 317 (Selections from Prose and Verse) Greek 1 will become Greek 406-407, but the numbers of the other Greek courses will remain unchanged. In the modern languages a placement test will be given to those students who enter with some knowledge of the language for which they wish to register. On the basis of this test they will be placed in the appropriate course, regardless of entrance credits. In Latin there will be no such place­ ment test, but students will be enrolled in the class for which they have the prerequisite credits from the high school. If, after a trial period, it becomes evident that they should be in another class, they will be transferred without any effect on their credits. In the Winter Semester instruction in the Hebrew language will be offered at the University for the first time in more than twenty years. The instructor will be Rabbi Joseph Rudavsky, a graduate of Brooklyn College and the Jewish Institute of Religion. This course, numbered Hebrew 406 and 407, has been placed temporarily in the Department of Classical Languages. COURSES IN CLASSICAL CIVILIZATION The Department of Classical Languages plans to expand its offerings in Classical Civilization as the now absent members of its staff return from war service. The courses in Roman Civilization have continued without interruption. A course in the Classical Element in the English Language is being offered in the current Fall Term. The introductory courses in Greek Archaeology and Roman Archaeology are to be restored in the coming Winter and Spring Semesters. It is hoped that the courses in Greek Civilization and in the Greek and Latin Literature in English Translation will be restored in the near future. LATIN WEEK REPORTS TEXAS LEADS THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS CELEBRATING 1945 LATIN WEEK! Wouldn't this be a gratifying headline in the national report of Latin Week activities? It may be true, but how are we going to know unless every Texas Latin teacher who participated in any way in the celebration sends in a report? In asking for a report, the Latin Week Chairman of the Classical Asso­ciation of the Middle West and South writes: "I hope and expect that Texas has made its usual splendid showing." Our Latin Week issue of The Latin Leaflet published in March, has received unusual commendation. Its results should be evidenced by teachers' reports. To every Latin teacher: please make this report a must on your list of immediate things to be done, and mail to: Mrs. Minnie Lee Shepard Main Building 2606 The University of Texas Austin 12, Texas AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME FUND: REPORT TO LATIN TEACHERS Nine hundred and seven dollars ! That sum is the remarkable response of eighteen schools and twelve individual contributors to the American Academy in Rome membership drive during Latin Week. Of this amount, $900 is in bonds, $4 in stamps, and $3 in cash. The list of contributions sent in thus far is as follows: Austin High ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$ 50.00 Cleburne High __ ___________ _ ------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Conroe High --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Dallas: Forest Avenue High ----------------------------------------------------------25.00 Fort Worth: E. M. Daggett Junior High ----------------------------------------------------25.00 Paschal High -----------------------·--- --------------------------------------------------50.00 Polytechnic High -------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Galveston High -------------------------------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Goose Creek High ---------------------------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Greenvi\Ie High -------------------------------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Longview High --------------------------------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Marshall ~igh ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Port Arthur: Thomas Jefferson High, $4 in savings stamps and ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 San Antonio: Alamo Heights High ---------------------------------------------­25.00 Texarkana: Miss Ida McCain -------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Waco: Waco High --------------------------------------------------------------------------------100.00 West Junior l:{igh -----------------------------------------------------------------­25.00 Mrs. Marian C. Butler ------------------------------------------------------------100.00 Unidentified High Sch,'2ol (please identify!) ----------------------------­25.00 !!'he University of Texas: Classical Club ----------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Minnie Lee Shep.ard ----------------------------------------------------------------25.00 25.00~;~~~!; ffe~a~~~~0dii~~~~--:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 25.00 Loyd McKemey ------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 Claire Craddock, Janet Strauss, Alvin Whitley, Anna Buchanan --------------------------------------------------------------------------25.00 J. Heston Welborn --------------------------------------------------------------------1.00 ~iss Moss Richardson, Canyon ---------------------------------------------------­2.00 Mr. Charles L. Barrow, Greenwich, Conn. ---------------------------------25.00 Dr. H. J. Leon, The University of Texas___________ __ _____________________ _ 50.00 With this excellent start, we should be able to continue our drive this year with greater enthusiasm and expectations. Schools and teachers that did not participate should be stimulated to join in this movement for the classical cause. There is also the possibility of interesting friends of the classics that have means, who can help education and reduce their income taxes at the same time. LetJs work every week with Latin Week energy! Send all contributions to Dr. D. A. Penick, Main Building 2707, The Uni­versity of Texas, Austin 12, Texas. If you wish to buy your own bond, follow these instructions: Buy only Series F bonds, made out to Texas Classical Association, an unincorporated association, Austin, Texas THE ANNUAL APRIL MEETING PRESENT AT THE MEETING Dr. W. J. Battle, Austin; Grace Boone, Fort Worth; Myrtillie Bradfield, Highland Park, Dallas; J. N. Brown, Denton; Mattie A. Brown, Waco; Mrs. Marian C. Butler, Waco; Mrs. J. W. Downer, Waco; Mrs. Bessie Ellis, Fort Worth; Dora Flack, Dallas; Annie M. Forsgard, Waco; H. E. Gibson, Seguin; Allene Gray, Cleburne; Mrs. Mabel M. Hughes, Waco; Dr. and Mrs. H.J. Leon, Austin; Elor Osborn, Waco; Dr. and Mrs. D. A. Penick, Austin; Mrs. Lollie E. Pierce, Waco; Mrs. T. K. Provence, Wills Point; Mrs. Mary K. Send6n, Waco; Mrs. Minnie Lee Shepard, Austin; Mildred Sterling, Waco; Doris Thompson, Waco; S. E. Wronker, Terrell. MINUTES OF THE MEETING, APRIL 21, 1945 The regular meeting of the Executive Committee of the Texas Classical Association and the Tournament Committee was held on Saturday, Aµril 21, 1945, at Hamilton House, Waco, Texas, at 11 :45 A.M. with Miss Anna Gard­ner, the President, in the chair. The minutes of the 1944 meeting were read and approved. The treasurer reported a balance of $133.09 on hand. Dr. Battle stated that no action had been taken as yet on the translation contest proposed by a former student of the classics at The University of Texas. Dr. Penick reported that this alumnus had donated $2,500 toward a scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Battle. Miss Flack stated that there was no report from the Tournament Com­ mittee. Miss Thompson announced that The Torch would appear the follow­ ing week. Dr. Battle reported that the Present Status Leaflet was well received. Mrs. Shepard requested that more reports on Latin Week be submitted. Dr. Leon said that the University Press had been very cooperative in publishing the Leaflet. Miss Gardner called attention to the article by Dorothy Thompson in the Classical Outlook in support of classical education. Mrs. Leon brought up the matter of dues. Miss Gardner asked that she be authorized to appoint Mrs. Shepard and Dr. Leon as a committee to draft a postal card to be sent to all whose names appear on our lists, announcing the cancellation of unpaid dues and asking for a dollar contribution from those who wish to be in good standing as of 1945. Miss Flack moved that this be done. The motion carried. Miss Thompson, chairman on publicity, called for reports on Latin Week. Mrs. Shepard reported for the University. As this is the two thousandth anniversary of Caesar's invasion of Britain, Dr. Leon gave a public lecture on Roman Britain. Dr. Battle and Mrs. Shepard arranged an exhibit of pictures of Pompeii in the cases in the main corridor of the University Library, and another exhibit of his rare editions of Virgil, the oldest dated 1529. On Wednesday the department held a tea to students and friends in Dr. Battle's library. The following week Dr. Penick presented a lecture on the Christianization of Britain. Miss Allene Gray described the celebration at Cleburne, which began on Sunday with church attendance by the Latin classes in a body. Monday and Wednesday were devoted to word-study in English. On Tuesday a program was given for the junior high-school students. A Queen of Latin, chosen by votes at one cent each, was crowned. The money realized will buy a bond for the Roman Scholarship fund. Entertainment was furnished by games and dancing. Thursday was devoted to an open house for parents. There were exhibits of classical pictures sent from overseas, posters, articles on the bulletin board, and library exhibits. Miss Gardner reported for Paschal High School, Fort Worth. Though other school events took from the interest in Latin Week, the department gave a tea, displayed pictures of the Mediterranean and other exhibits, such as essays and notebooks. A fifty-dollar prize was awarded to the highest senior Latin student and the winner's name engraved on the Latin trophy cup. A show was given to raise money for the bond. Mrs. Ellis of Polytechnic High, Fort Worth, stated that though she is doing library work she helped Latin Week by having appropriate displays, held a Judgment of Paris contest, had a program with the play from the Leaflet and had Latin students wear special badges. Mr. Wronker of Terrell said that it has been his custom in the last few years to have his third-year students devote Latin Week to reading The New Deal in Old Rome, by H. J . Haskell. Mrs. Provence at Wills Point began with Sunday services at one church and then had students attend Wednesday evening services at another. Latin students wore distinctive badges ail week, talked on Latin to lower grades, prepared the food and program for the annual banquet held on Tuesday, and had a tea on Thursday. Appropriate posters were displayed in the library all week. The Hitler-Caesar play was given on one program and a picture show was presented under the auspices of the Classical Club. A picnic on Friday ended the celebration. Mrs. Send6n reported that her junior high school at Waco attended the senior high tea, gave the Hitler-Caesar play, held a slave auction the pro­ceeds of which go to the purchase of a bond, and had a banquet. Mrs. Hughes of West Junior High School, Waco, said that her students attended the senior high play, entered The Torch essay contest, wore badges, made posters, and went to the senior high banquet. Mrs. Shepard read from Miss Miller's report from Forest A venue, Dallas. Here Latin Week was celebrated with an oration, plays, songs, honor awards, a banquet, editorials in the press, and a fun frolic to raise money for a bond for the scholarship fund. Miss Flack announced that Dallas is planning to increase the teaching of Latin, French, and Spanish in the schools and drawing up a statement of the reasons for teaching foreign languages. Miss Thompson reported for Waco Senior High School. The Mayor issued a proclamation instituting Latin Week. A girl student took part in a city radio program on Latin Week. Appropriate posters were displayed in the school and in the city public library. Similar exhibitions were given in town and before service clubs. An essay, "You can't escape Latin," appeared in the Latin magazine. Assembly programs were given in the various junior high schools. An open house, attended by two hundred, was held in the library. Over fifty dollars was made for the war bond for the scholarship fund by raffling off a Roman cake. Latin phrases were displayed in the class­ rooms. Mrs. Shepard was guest speaker to an audience of ninety at the annual banquet. Following these reports, the body adjourned for lunch. After lunch there was a discussion of the fund for university membership in the American Academy in Rome. Dr. Penick mentioned the possibility of a membership in tl\e school at Athens also. Notes on Latin enrollment were then given. Miss Gray's Latin students have increased from 75 to 102. Mrs. Hughes has a large beginners' class at West Junior but other enrollments vary. Dr. Leon remarked that due to war conditions there is a small enrollment in advanced courses at the University but beginners' classes show an encouraging increase. Misses Thompson and Gray and Mrs. Shepard were appointed as committee for the Junior Classical League. Miss Thompson reported that two copies of The Torch have appeared. Texas has over a thousand members in the Junior Classical League, chapters varying from thirty to over a hundred. There are eight thousand members in all for the entire country. Dr. Leon mentioned the fact that a committee on entrance requirements at the University is laying stress on the humanities, sciences, and mathe­ matics for entrance and that a curriculum is being planned to strengthen the amount of the humanities in college work. Dr. Battle moved to thank the Waco committee for the arrangements. The motion was seconded by Dr. Leon and carried. Dr. Leon then moved to meet in Waco next year. Mr. Brown seconded the motion and it carried. Dr. Penick moved adjournment. ERNESTINE F. LEON, Secretary-Treasurer. Other reports of Latin Week activities, subsequently received in the mail and filed, were from Abilene, Myrtle Trantham; Cleburne, Allene Gray; Greenville, Mrs. Norine P. Morris; Port Arthur, Cecil Provence (consul); Paris, Sallie Seckel and Martha Hankins. FINANCIAL STATEMENT Balance, April, 1945 -----------------------------------------------------------------------$133.09 Dues collected at meeting ----------------------------------------------------------------18.00 Response to postal cards ----------------------------------------------------------------30.00 Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$181.09 Disbursements, postal cards ---------------------------------------------------------3.50 Balance on hand, October 1, 1945 ----------------------------------------$177.59 ERNESTINE F. LEON, Secretary-Treasurer. The response to requests for contributions reached 10 per cent, which is considered fair, especially since our last complete list is from 1940. Please notify the secretary-treasurer of any change of your own address or of others who have been members so that we may have a reasonably accurate list for both the Texas Classical Association and the Department of Classical Languages at The University of Texas. Send communications to Dr. H.J. Leon, Main Building 2705, The University of Texas, Austin 12, Texas. TEXAS CLASSICAL NEWS In the absence of several members of the department in war service Dr. William A. McDonald has joined the staff of the Department of Classical Languages of the University for the current year. Dr. McDonald is on leave from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He has done important archaeological work in Greece. We hope that members of the Classical Association will have an opportunity of meeting Dr. McDonald at some time during his stay in Texas. Miss Dora Flack is now dean at Sunset High, Dallas. Miss Doris Thompson has been put in charge of the department of jour­ nalism at Waco High. As director of the Latin Tournament Miss Flack had a good opportunity to display her executive ability. Miss Thompson used her journalistic gifts in editing The Torch, which she will continue to edit for the current year. Members of the association must regret that both of these workers are no longer engaged principally in the Latin field but we are glad of their recog­ nition and assured of their continued interest in the classics. Lt. Oscar S. Powers, U.S.N.R., is still stationed at Frankfurt-am-Main. Major 0 . W. Reinmuth of the A.M.G., recently lunched with Lt. Powers in Frankfurt, but has just returned from a year in Germany, where he aided in reorganizing the educational system. He is now recruiting personnel for work in education in Germany. Civilians interested in a year contract on a good salary scale may communicate with Major 0. W. Reinmuth, Civil Affairs Division, War Dept., Washington, D.C., c/ o Lt. Col. G. Buell. Mrs. Shepard has been appointed committeeman-at-large of the Committee on Educational Policies of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South. Dr. Leon will again serve as Vice-President for Texas. IN MEMORIAM Dr. W. A. Oldfather of the University of Illinois, who addressed the Texas Classical Association in 1940, met death by accidental drowning in May. Dean Gordon J. Laing of the University of Chicago, who addressed the Association a few years earlier, died early in September. Dr. T. Leslie Shear, known for his archaeological work in Greece, espe­ cially as director of the Athenian agora excavations, died suddenly on July 3. Dr. James E. Stinchcomb, who had edited the Classical Weekly for the last several years, died early in August. A special loss to Texas is the death of our member Dr. J. S. Mcintosh, head of the Department of Classics at S.M.U., after an illness of several months. VISUAL INSTRUCTION? ASK THE LATIN TEACHER! And that is just what I am doing. It is my belief that the Latin teachers have led the way in Texas in the use of visual educational aids, a field that is currently making headlines in educational journals. To help establish this thesis, will not every Latin teacher take a few moments to answer these questions? 1. How long have visual aids been used in your school? How long in the Latin work? 2. What do you use? pictures? slides? models? etc. Where do you get your material? 3. Have you a machine for slides? Was the Latin teacher instrumental in getting it? 4. How helpful have you found such aids in your work? In these days it does no harm to point out to the world the modernism of classical folk, and the mere enumeration will bring its own reward in pride of accomplishment. Please mail your answers to: Mrs. Minnie Lee Shepard M. B. 2606, The University of Texas Austin 12, Texas BOOK NOTE Douglas, Lloyd C. The Robe. Houghton, Mifflin Co., Boston, 1942. 15th im­pression, 1943. $2. 75. The Robe, first published in 1942, is still listed as one of the books most in demand at libraries and book stores. We should not have thought it necessary to mention it here except for the fact that student after student has been asking about classical references in the book. The author had an interesting idea, the fate of Jesus' robe and its effect on those who came in contact with it. He wrote his story without any careful development of plot, character, or regard for known details of history and setting. He introduces as contemporary historical characters, Gaius (the grandson of Augustus), Julia, and Sejanus, all of whom had died before the time of the narrative. Fictitious relatives of the Caesars have names which are not found in the imperial family. Practically all the double and triple names which occur, both masculine and feminine, disregard Roman usage. His hero, Marcellus Lucan Gallio, for example, has three cognomina. A mar­ried woman is Cornelia Gallus. These inaccuracies could have been remedied by reference to an elementary textbook. Recourse to any handbook on private life would have served to avoid many other blunders. To have ancient Romans wearing silk and cotton (a curio even to Pliny) and drinking orange juice is almost as incorrect as to repre­sent them wearing nylon and drinking cokes. A Roman officer wearing a toga with sleeves at a state banquet would be paralleled by General Mac­Arthur accepting the Japanese surrender dressed in a frock coat and a shirt with ruffles. There are errors in geography also. Inhabitants of Arpinum should be called Arpinates not Arpinos. This might be passed over, but a lighthouse on the coast at Capua, a city which is, as many a G. I. knows, more than fifteen miles inland, is inexcusable. Descriptions of life in Palestine are also taken from the author's imagina­tion. He has the Jews of the first century keeping dogs and conies as pets. That these were regarded as "unclean animals" will occur to anyone familiar with Old Testament prohibitions. Indeed, readers will gain a much better idea of the times and personality of Jesus by consulting the text of the Gospels than by wading through nearly seven hundred pages of The Robe.