Carpe Diem: U.S. Students Revive Latin and Greek

Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2017

Who says Latin is a dead language? Thanks to the The Wall Street Journal and Nina Sovich for featuring Washington Latin in an article examining the resurgence of Latin instruction in US public schools. Ms. Sovich visited our school this spring and spoke with school leaders, Latin teachers, and our students to hear why we teach this ancient language, what makes it important for all students, and how our students themselves feel about their Latin classes.

The photo featured with this story deserves explanation. Each spring, Bill Clausen’s Honors Humanities class selects a of classical scene, as depicted in a famous work of art, to study and recreate. This year, one section of students (along with Mr. Clausen and Principal Diana Smith) recreated Jean-Léon Gérôme’s “The Death of Caesar”. It is a familiar historical reference to our students and is displayed in at least one of our Latin teachers’ classrooms, and it is also a historical reference that students know from Latin class.

Visit the Wall Street Journal’s web site to read the article.