| The Latin language survived in nineteenth century American culture because it resonated with a set of cultural expectations that defined an educated man. Moreover, Latin's advocates drew upon a vocabulary that privileged such subjects that promised to furnish and discipline the minds of the youths who pursued them. Latin was considered preeminent among these traditional school courses. By the early twentieth century, however, Latin had entered a period of decline as colleges abandoned entrance requirements in it. Primarily, Latin declined as a required school subject because definitions of the educated man no longer included a proficiency in reading ancient texts. Women, and to a lesser extent African-Americans, were gradually introduced to the classical course, cause for further redefinition of a gentleman's education. Psychologists played an unwitting role in undermining the legitimacy of Latin requirements by questioning the science of the mind that men during the nineteenth century believed. Finally, Latin teachers themselves, in an effort to popularize the ancient language, adopted techniques that made Latin fun but at the cost of its elitism. The decline of Latin is a story of unintended consequences. Latin declined but not because of the efforts of those who opposed it. Rather its history became entangled by reform efforts, led by teachers seeking a simplified college admissions process, that harbored little animosity toward the ancient language. |
