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The Annoyed Man wrote:Latin is not essential to understanding English. French will do nicely. Where Latin (or classcial Greek) comes in is as an adjunct to the study of ancient history. Without a knowledge of ancient history, you cannot fully appreciate modern history. And without a knowledge of modern history, you don't know where you're culture has been, and therefore you can't know where your culture is headed. And if you can't know where your culture is headed, then you are indeed doomed to repeat the mistakes of history.

I wholeheartedly agree about how Latin not only teaches you the language, but also the history of ancient Rome, which is an invaluable tool in the understanding of how history is currently being made and how it will be made. However, I do feel that I learned a great deal about English just from taking Latin. As a former Latin student, you can appreciate how structured and ordered Latin was, with very few exceptions to its rules. Many of these grammatical rules carried over to English. I didn't know what a gerundive was until I took Latin. Of course, this may say something about my English teachers in the past, or my attention span during English class... My Latin teacher was wonderful, and I still keep in contact with her to this day, 15 years and counting.

WEC wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:Latin is not essential to understanding English. French will do nicely. Where Latin (or classcial Greek) comes in is as an adjunct to the study of ancient history. Without a knowledge of ancient history, you cannot fully appreciate modern history. And without a knowledge of modern history, you don't know where you're culture has been, and therefore you can't know where your culture is headed. And if you can't know where your culture is headed, then you are indeed doomed to repeat the mistakes of history.

I wholeheartedly agree about how Latin not only teaches you the language, but also the history of ancient Rome, which is an invaluable tool in the understanding of how history is currently being made and how it will be made. However, I do feel that I learned a great deal about English just from taking Latin. As a former Latin student, you can appreciate how structured and ordered Latin was, with very few exceptions to its rules. Many of these grammatical rules carried over to English. I didn't know what a gerundive was until I took Latin. Of course, this may say something about my English teachers in the past, or my attention span during English class... My Latin teacher was wonderful, and I still keep in contact with her to this day, 15 years and counting.

Makes sense, since English doesn't have them (not be confused with a gerund). My daughter is the language expert in our family and could probably tell you all about gerundives and paradigmatic verbs.

I am doing good if I can write a sentence you can understand (I prove that here all the time).

Maybe this should be #11

For now, we have a new president-elect. In the spirit of reaching across the aisle, we owe it to the Democrats to show their president the exact same kind of respect and loyalty that they have shown our recent Republican president.
Starting tomorrow, if not sooner.

2008 ANN COULTER

As shrill and abrasive as she can sometimes be....I still agree with her most of the time.

flintknapper wrote:Maybe this should be #11

For now, we have a new president-elect. In the spirit of reaching across the aisle, we owe it to the Democrats to show their president the exact same kind of respect and loyalty that they have shown our recent Republican president.
Starting tomorrow, if not sooner.

2008 ANN COULTER

As shrill and abrasive as she can sometimes be....I still agree with her most of the time.

It sure is amazing how much the obamamaniacs want us to support the president elect.

This past week I have heard Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, and others publicly state their support, I am not that gracious.

In order for an individual to receive my support in the office, their actions must also illustrate their love of my country more so than their words espouse their love of my country.

Maobama's actions have never done this. As soon as he does so I will support him.

Anygunanywhere

anygunanywhere wrote:

flintknapper wrote:Maybe this should be #11

For now, we have a new president-elect. In the spirit of reaching across the aisle, we owe it to the Democrats to show their president the exact same kind of respect and loyalty that they have shown our recent Republican president.
Starting tomorrow, if not sooner.

2008 ANN COULTER

As shrill and abrasive as she can sometimes be....I still agree with her most of the time.

It sure is amazing how much the obamamaniacs want us to support the president elect.

This past week I have heard Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, and others publicly state their support, I am not that gracious.

In order for an individual to receive my support in the office, their actions must also illustrate their love of my country more so than their words espouse their love of my country.

Maobama's actions have never done this. As soon as he does so I will support him.

Anygunanywhere

I think they offer their support in the spirit that "for the good of the country" they want him to succeed. I feel the same way actually. These are unique and troublesome times with nation wide financial woes that threaten our entire economy. It is a poor time not to support our president in his efforts to stabilize things.

Now, let me clear...I vehemently oppose his left leanings and many of his fundamental political beliefs, but I must support his efforts as president to help turn things around.

We will see if has the "right stuff" or was just blowing smoke.

nitrogen wrote:You know what's horrible?

My wife is in special ed, and a LOT of her intake is kids from PRIVATE SCHOOLS that are doing even WORSE than kids in public schools. It's so bad she's said she will NOT send any child of ours (god forbid she actually gets pregnant) to a private school.

Times have changed. Those Latin and Ancient History classes I took were at a private prep school - Webb School in California. I'll grant that a prep school afforded me opportunities others might not have had, but I would also point out that the teachers there at the time were all young, not very well paid (but provided with on-campus housing), idealistic, dedicated to the idea of a first class eduction, and there was NO UNION.

Although it was not a parochial school, there was a mandatory non-denominational chapel attendance once a week; and mandatory twice weekly assemblies in which upper class students had to lead a team of speakers who would each lecture the assembled school on various topics. One team I was on had to do a lecture about the planets in our solar system. I had the burden of trying speak about Uranus without giggling and with a straight face to the assembled students. Corporal punishment was practiced, dispensed by upper class honor committeemen using wooden paddles. There was a rigorously enforced honor system, which relied almost exclusively on peer pressure. In short, it was very old school. Virtually my entire class were accepted at the finest universities in the country.

My point is that it is not whether or not a school is private or public that determines its success as an educational endeavor, but whether or not it hews to old school values and discipline. The extent to which an educational institution goes slouching off to Gomorra is the extent to which its educational product is people who are not prepared for real world survival and excellence.

Yeah, but whaddaya gonna do?

Work on developing a better sense of complacency and you'll be just fine.

nitrogen wrote:You know what's horrible?

My wife is in special ed, and a LOT of her intake is kids from PRIVATE SCHOOLS that are doing even WORSE than kids in public schools. It's so bad she's said she will NOT send any child of ours (god forbid she actually gets pregnant) to a private school.

I see a lot of this too. Mainstream culture wants the child to make certain grades and to feel good about himself/herself. Not as much emphasis is put on achievement and learning from mistakes. Children aren't allowed to fail, and teachers often find themselves having to defend a student's failing grades, especially if that student is in special education. Both public and private schools are bowing to public pressure.