Latin lovers

Latin is a language

As dead as dead can be.

It killed the Ancient Romans

And now it’s killing me.

NOT in Hackforth and Hornby village school it’s not. Here Latin is alive and well and entrancing the junior section – one class aged from tiny six-year-olds to ten-year-olds.

“Salvete omnes!” their teacher Julie Lewis greets them. “Salve Julia magistra!” they chorus back, grinning broadly.

The school, near Bedale, is one of the region’s smallest, with only 24 pupils, and a welcoming happy atmosphere.

Despite its size it also does what few state schools manage, especially at primary level – it teaches its children Latin.

This, of course, is not Latin as we know it. This is fun. For a start the children all have Latin names for the classes – so I’m introduced to Flavia, Lavinia, Livia, Bacchus, Neptune, Lucretia and the rest.

Not for them the chanting of conjugations and declensions, or the dense depressing print of Kennedy’s Latin primer. Instead they investigate the cartoon adventures of Minimus, a mouse who lives with a family near Hadrian’s Wall. All based on the real letters found on tablets in the excavations at Vindolanda.

Class 2 teacher Julie Lewis has a classics background and two years ago, just for fun, started an after school Latin club. It was so successful, that since September Latin has become a small but important part of the regular curriculum.

“We wanted to do something to encourage modern languages,” says headteacher Judy Borthwick. “And as we are allowed to include Latin it seemed silly not to exploit the specialist knowledge we have in Julie and so we thought ‘why not?’.

“It’s the basis of so many languages.

It introduces the children to grammar and vocabulary and ties in brilliantly with the curriculum section on invaders and settlers. We tried it as a pilot scheme and the Ofsted inspectors commented very favourably.

Parents, too, are pleased. Whether they did Latin themselves or not, they realise their children are getting a rare chance that not many have.”

Hackforth is indeed special. Only four per cent of state primary schools offer Latin – compared to 40 per cent of independent prep schools. And then it is often as an extra only for gifted and talented pupils. Even at secondary level, you are far more likely to be offered Latin in an independent rather than a state school.

Having said that they don’t learn by rote any more. Back in the classroom, Julie Lewis has written “amo, amas, amat” up on the board – Stuart, the photographer, and I are immediately back at school and start chanting.

He even remembers the declension for “puella” – impressive. But this isn’t for chanting, though. Instead, children are using it as clues to work out who’s doing what in Minimus’s family.

“They like the rules and structure of Latin,” says Julie. “It’s very reliable. As soon as you tell them a rule in English, you nearly always have an exception. This is more straightforward.”

There might be other benefits too.

“Last year we had a boy who had dyslexia, yet he managed very well with Latin. The structure and regularity of it made it easier for him to cope with, which really boosted his confidence. People who are good at maths tend to be good at Latin too.

They like the rules.”

Now they’re pouncing eagerly on words. “Julius scribit.” – Julius is writing. And immediately make the connection with “scribble”. When Flavius iratus est, they quickly go from “iratus” – “angry” to irate and irritated.

“I like finding the words,” says Jupiter, otherwise known as Cameron Fairbairn. “It’s interesting, like doing a puzzle.”

Livia, Venus and Lucretia – Kelly, Daisy and Kate – made Roman shields in the summer and learnt all about warfare. “We marched, sinister, dexter - left, right,” says Kate.

The children also discovered that their knowledge of Latin has already helped them understand some Italian and Spanish on holidays, if only the ingredients on a pizza box.

“It makes things easy to understand,”

says Kelly with that wonderful surprised delight of a new discovery that should always be a part of learning yet so rarely is.

Once upon a time, of course everyone learnt Latin. Only a generation ago it was still an essential qualification for many wishing to go to university, especially if studying medicine or law. And although it’s no longer necessary, it’s still needed.

When mention of Hackforth and Hornby’s Latin classes made the national press, Mrs Borthwick had two phone calls.

“One was from an emeritus professor of a medical school, wondering if he could adapt our course for his students as they really needed Latin and most of them didn’t have it any more.

And the other from someone running a higher education course in horticulture, who said that her students would find it useful. Latin names are descriptive and tell you so much about the plants.”

Latin is still the key to many languages and aspects of our life. Yet some still consider it outmoded or elitist.

“Not here,” says Judy Borthwick, firmly. “The children just enjoy it.”

Ten years ago Latin was in decline.

Then as people realised what could be lost, it’s now going through a minor surge in popularity, led by schools such as Hackforth. New schemes for teaching and learning Latin make it more interesting, more relevant, more accessible, as the children hardly notice how much they’re learning.

Even the grammar sneaks in almost unnoticed.

The lesson ends with a celebration and the class sings: “Felix dies tibi est, Felix dies tibi est…”

Otherwise, “Happy birthday to you.”

Far from being dead, Latin is livelier than ever.

SOME LATIN YOU MIGHT KNOW

Agenda – things to be done

Amor vincit omnia – Love conquers all

Dum spiro spero – while I breathe, I hope.

In vino veritas – there’s truth in wine

Memento mori – remember you will die

Pax vobiscum – peace be with you

SOME LATIN YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

Potentia vobiscum – May the force be with you

Ursus pusilli ingenii sum verba difficilia fastidio – I am a bear of very little brain and big words bother me.

Si fractum non sit, non reficere – If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Bracis meis vescere – Eat my shorts.