over a period varying from five to seven or eight years, obtain something more than a reading knowledge of Latin? And yet, granting that much "discipline" is got, and not a little grammatical knowledge acquired, many does not truth require us to say, most? students who receive the bachelor's degree, have no confidence in their ability to read Latin, except with dictionary and grammar. That is, they have not read and cannot read Latin with a view to its importance as literature. They have too often read merely certain prescribed "selections" greater or less in quantity, Reasons for unsatisfactory results. rather than acquired any ability to read Latin as a language. Many reasons might be adduced in explanation of such results. Two at least are prominent, viz.: inefficient (or mis-directed) teaching, especially during the period of preparation for the college, and bad habits of study. Faulty teaching. Modern methods have so far emancipated us from the educational notions once commonly accepted, that we no longer cram a pupil with the Latin Grammar (exceptions, notes and all) before he is called upon to put to use any of the knowledge acquired, but it is yet too frequently true that the teacher neither has himself any definite aim in his teaching, nor does he set such an aim before his pupils as an inspiration to study. The great majority of boys who commence Latin are never made to understand, nor so much as told, that there is any objective result or end to their work. They are not encouraged to try to learn to read Latin as they are in the case of the modern languages. Consequently, if they start out with, or acquire, any enthusiasm in the work, they are apt to lose it. The second cause of at least some of our failures every genuine teacher appreciates and deplores. The very general use, even by elementary pupils, of "ponies," "cribs," "inter Vicious habits of study. linears," and like labor-saving helps has come to be regarded in many quarters as a necessary evil connected with teaching Latin and Greek: "necessary" in the sense that no ordinary class questioning can to any extent obviate it, for every teacher knows that a boy reasonably well-drilled in the elements can use his "pony" and then prepare himself for the questionordeal.1 The latter may, or may not, detect the use of the translation; it cannot per se prevent it. Assuming these facts to be correct, any relief ought to be welcomed by the teacher. In some schools little or nothing remains to be desired, for in many places improved methods have displaced such as deserved to go; in others methods and results are alike poor.2 Well-meaning teachers would seek a pleasanter and better way, if they could. Reading at sight. In a letter to the writer a classical teacher once used these words: "I believe that the salvation of classical studies in this country is to be found in sight-reading" and the state of the case seems to justify the opinion. This ability to read Latin at sight should be the first end aimed at by the teacher in his teaching, and by the pupil in his study. The student should be made to understand at the start that his ability to read the language is the first and, perhaps for him, the only thing essential in his study of the language. Until the pupil can read Latin well, such subjects as com 1 Of course there is a legitimate and helpful use to which translations may be put. The remark above refers solely to the work of boys at a stage when learning to translate should be an important part of their work. 2 An immense impetus to good teaching in secondary schools would result, if the college, instead of subjecting candidates for matriculation to examination on certain prescribed books, should require all to show ability to read and write Latin and Greek and should test knowledge of grammar, the elements of mythology, "antiquities," etc. parative grammar and textual criticism should be severely let alone, and many students—perhaps the most — will never care, nor be able, to do more than learn to read Latin as literature. And in order to read Latin fairly well, much less grammatical knowledge is necessary than is often thought essential, provided that it be thoroughly learned and perfectly at command. How much grammar will suffice? Says Mr. D'Archy W. Thompson : 1 "We find that all that requires unreasoning memory may be reduced to the following heads: (1) The five declensions, which include all adjectives and participles; (2) the rules for gender, and exceptions; (3) the four conjugations, active and pas Amount of grammar necessary. sive, which latter voice includes sum; (4) the irregular verbs eo, volo, nolo, malo, possum; (5) Syntax: two pages. All this might easily be comprehended within twenty-four octavo pages." While many teachers would doubtless take exception to this estimate and prefer to add to the quantum here prescribed, it is undeniably true that, if regard be had merely to the minimum necessary to a reading knowledge, much less is now insisted on or prescribed by the best introductory books than was formerly considered essential before the learner was allowed to read an author like Caesar. What, then, is reading at sight, or extemporaneous translation? By it we mean reading Latin previously unseen, that is, getting the thought in the order and form of the Latin itself by adding one idea to another until the clause or sentence is complete, although every word may not be clear at first sight-reading without a slavish dependence on lexicon What is sight-reading. 16 · 'Day Dreams of a Schoolmaster,' Edinburgh 1864, p. 62. — Many a live teacher has proved that the title of J. M. Whiton's 'Six Weeks' Preparation for Reading Caesar' is not a misnomer. The amount read in a given time will, ceteris and grammar. How to make it practicable and easy. How can reading at sight be made practicable and easy? Certainly not by the unaided efforts of the teacher. And yet from him must emanate both inspiration and help, if the pupil succeed. How then can the teacher help his pupil to acquire confidence in himself and ability to read? By insisting that reading-at-sight shall in a natural way commence early in the Latin course of study, even with the work in the "Latin Lessons" or "Principia." When the simplest paradigms of noun and verb have been learned, the teacher, using the vocabulary now at the learner's command, may form new combinations (phrases and even short sentences, as soon as the simple sentence is reached) both orally and on the blackboard for extemporaneous translation, and likewise until the reading of the first text is begun. But certainly, when the student begins to read his first author regularly, reading at sight should be insisted upon. The case of the student once enslaved to the "pony" is well-nigh hopeless, but, if the early temptation be removed or overcome, there is little danger that the student will fail to appreciate the better way. Let the teacher impress upon him the necessity of availing himself of every opportunity for practice, both in the preparation of his daily tasks and in special work. This should be consistently kept up. That is, he must somehow get daily practice and can most Reading at sight must be insisted on. 1 It is in some respects unfortunate that we have in our practice departed so far from good methods of teaching, that we are at last actually compelled to use an expression like "reading at sight" to mark the distinction between the prevailing habit of "digging out" the meaning by the assiduous use of grammar and dictionary and of seeking the meaning of the original in a sensible and natural way, as in the case of a modern language. Which should be constant. readily find it in connection with his regularly assigned work. But in the case of the average student, voluntary efforts in the line of special reading cannot be depended on. The teacher must in some way utilize the every-day work. To this end the first (private) reading of all his lessons must be at sight. Otherwise he will probably fail to get the requisite amount of practice, for class reading under the eye of the instructor cannot be frequent enough or sufficiently ample to ensure this desired amount, and, besides, in the sight-reading work the main business of the teacher will be to guide, to reiterate suggestions, and to see that the learner use the means at his command rather than to help the student directly over every difficulty, and thus preclude the very training that he needs, in order to learn to read rapidly. Without practice no person would expect the suggestions of a professional elocutionist, however valuable in themselves, to train the voice with as little reason can the student expect that the efforts of the best instructor can do for him what, in the nature of the case, he must largely do for himself. How to enforce practice in sight-reading outside of class. How shall outside practice in reading at sight be enforced? While encouragement on the part of the teacher can inspire hope and continued effort on the part of the best pupils, many will not exert themselves to do it, unless driven by fear of failure. Here certainly examinations can be practically utilized. In some schools passages to be read at sight have an important place in every paper set in both pass and final examinations. The value of this part of the paper might be gradually increased, if deemed best, and it would be a stimulus to outside effort on the part of the student, had he to work with a view to a final examination in reading at sight from a given author before being allowed |