Students at St. Michael School in West Memphis have been getting a little assistance in learning English from their principal, Michael Beauregard, through Latin.
For the last two years, students have been learning the etymology, the study of the history of words, mainly those with Latin roots, he said.
This semester he handed the reins of the class over to Sister Mary Christopher, OSB.
Beauregard said he uses a quote from Pope Benedict XVI when he explains the importance of learning this subject to parents.
“I now entered the first class of what today would be called the gymnasium for classical languages (Greek and Latin)… In retrospect it seems to me that an education in Greek and Latin antiquity created a mental attitude that resisted seduction by a totalitarian ideology,” Pope Benedict XVI wrote in 1988 in “Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977.”
Beauregard said he would not officially call what he taught a Latin class.
“For the past two years we have been studying what we call classical roots, mainly Latin, in fifth and sixth grade,” Beauregard said. “It is not specifically studying Latin, it is really studying more the etymology of the English language and how it relates back to Latin. The purpose is to strengthen their English vocabulary but also know a lot of the Latin roots as well. In other words, as they study the Latin roots they learn English. It prepares them to learn any modern language and it has also been proven excellent preparation for ACT and other tests later on,” he added.
Beauregard said he had seen an improvement in their use of vocabulary.
“I will say that their vocabulary, even if they are not sure of the word, they can break it down and come fairly close to the meaning,” he said.
It has made language more interesting to the students.
“They learn appreciation of how other languages are beneficial, not simply communicating in that language but it is also helpful in their own studies,” he said.
In the case of Latin, it is the mother tongue of Western Civilization, he said.
For the past several years, students have also been able to learn Spanish, another language with deep roots in Latin.
It has resulted in additional bonuses, he said. Students are singing a lot of traditional Latin hymns at Mass. They can also pray some of the shorter prayers in Latin.
“They are also learning to appreciate the official language of the Catholic Church,” Beauregard said.
“In general, a Catholic education focuses on studying the greatest spiritual, literary, artistic and cultural achievements of Western Civilization,” he continued. “They learn that so many other subjects are somehow related back to Latin, and it will greatly enhance their knowledge of other subjects…. Their appreciation for world knowledge has been expanded.”
In addition to being the school principal, Beauregard also teaches the sixth grade. He has been principal at St. Michael School for four years and has been on the staff for 10 years.
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