Hillsdale Academy Hosts Lecture On Merits Of Studying Latin
Andrew Holm delivers first lecture in a series devoted to classical education topics
Hillsdale, Mich. – On Wednesday, October 24, Hillsdale Academy Latin teacher Andrew Holm addressed a room of parents, students, and community members to make the case for learning Latin. He argued that the so-called “dead language” is often studied for its useful purposes, such as for increased vocabulary, advantages in legal and medical careers, and improved standardized test scores, yet it offers even more to the classically educated student.
“Education is a Latin word. Its root meaning is ‘to raise,’ ‘to rear,’ or ‘to nurture’…As Christians, we want our children to engage beyond this world,” said Holm, who has taught Latin for 16 years at Hillsdale Academy. “What I tell my students in Latin is that we are not translating word for word. We are translating ideas.”
Modern education, stated Holm, is concerned with hard facts and skills, which are necessary but insufficient. Classical education adds a third dimension: wisdom. Holm admitted that the ascent to the higher things is no easy climb, but added that it produces grit, a quality essential to any pursuit of excellence. The difficulty of Latin develops virtue and wisdom in an academic setting.
Hillsdale Academy’s curriculum includes four years of Latin in high school. The students begin with elementary Latin grammar and conclude by studying classical texts in Latin. Holm, quoting Aeneas from Virgil’s Aeneid, concluded that he hoped his Latin students would “someday look back upon these things with joy.”