The Latin language is alive and well at St. Mark’s. Sixteen Upper Schoolers performed brilliantly in the Texas State Junior Classical League’s Area C competition at Ft. Worth Country Day School in February. Together, the team won 28 ribbons, including eleven for first place. The
Certamen teams (Latin for “competition”) made it to the finals at all three levels; the Novice team won second, the Intermediate team won third, and the Advanced team won first. Next month, the Advanced team will compete at the state competition.
St. Mark’s Latin instructors David Cox and Claire Strange see the study of Latin as a crucial component of the St. Mark’s education. Beyond the language, Latin students learn about the Roman Empire, considered to be the cradle of Western Civilization, and its literature, law, culture, government, medicine, and military.
“If Rome is the Eternal City, then Latin is the eternal medium, the lingua franca, that conveys the ideas, the spirit, and national identity of the Romans,” Mr. Cox said. “On a practical level, Latin students gain broad vocabularies and a precise appreciation of grammar and syntax. Above all, they have a better understanding of the root and meaning of Western Civilization.”
Congratulations to St. Mark’s Latin students including: Andrew Smith ’18, Rohan Vemu ’18, Cal Rothkrug ’18, Creston Brooks ’19, Max Wang ’19, Noah Carr ’19, Timothy Weigman ’21, Luke Piazza ’21, Spencer Burke ’22, Jonathan Yin ’22, and Axel Icazbalceta ’22.