Thebeginningsoftheweek-Endcourse: Somerecollections

1

TheBeginningsoftheWeek-EndCourse: SomeRecollections

ThefirstWeek-EndRefresherCoursewasheldin1946.Therehasbeenoneeachyeareversince,sothattheCoursehasbecomearegularandnormalactivityofARLT.MostpresentmembersoftheAssociationmayhaveforgotten,ordonotknow,howandwhytheCoursebegan,andsoIgladlyaccepttheEditor'sinvitationtowriteaboutit.My ownmemory ofthebeginningswashazy untilIconsultedthereportsprintedinLatinTeaching.Thesebroughtbackthedetailsvividly,andquotationsmadeinthisarticlearetakenfromthosereports.

The'onelybegetter' wasFrankLockwood,whohadrecentlybecomeHead­masterofWilliamEllisSchool.Ifollowedhisleadwillinglybutwithsomeapprehension:fouryearsinthearmyhadleftbothmyLatinandmyteachingtechniquerusty,andI wasstillsomewhatinhibitedbytheduodenalulcerthathadcausedmetobeinvalidedoutoftheforces.

Lockwood'sideawasthattheCourseshouldbeseverelypractical.Somelecturesmightbescholarly,butmostwoulddealwithteachingtechniques.AbovealltherewouldbeDemonstrationClasses,genuineandunrehearsed.TheCoursewouldbeajointeffortofboththeClassicalAssociationandARLT.TheseAssociationshadrarelyworkedtogether,andJACTwasatthattimenotevenadream.sothisideawasnovel.Butitdidmean thatDemonstrationClasseswouldbegoodexamplesofbothtraditionalandnewermethods.

LockwooddidalltheworkoforganisingthefirstCourse,helpedandencouragedbyMr.F.Kinchin-Smith,ClassicsTutorattheLondonUniversityInstituteofEducation.HehadsenthisstudentsregularlytoobserveLockwood'sandmylessonsbeforethewar.In1946accommodationwasnoteasytofindinLondon,and itwasKinchin-SmithwhoarrangedforthecoursetomeetintheInstitute.On theFridayeveningheopenedwhatLockwoodcalled'thefirstassaultoftheHome-GuardWeek-EndCourse'withalectureonTheNeedsoftheClassicsToday.Therewere,hesaid,sixofthem:bettermethodsofteaching,betterteachers,better syllabuses,acloser linkwithothersubjects.visitstoGreeceandRome,andbetterorganisationamong Classicsteachers.Howmanyofthesehavebeensuppliedbynow?OtherlecturesweregivenbyMr.R.W.Moore.HeadmasterofHarrow,Mr.E.W.Hickie.H.M.I.andMissA.Woodward.

TheSaturdaywascrowdedwithDemonstrationClasses.LockwoodtookaFirstYearclassinLatinbytheDirectMethod.Hismainpurposewastoshowhowtosavetime.Firsttherewasashortgameof'Romaniv.Barbari',in whicheachsidewasaskedgrammaticalquestions,andthewinnersalwaysassumedthenameofRomani.Afterthiscameaquickwrittentestoffivequestions,andthentheclassreadthestoryofNausicaa,not translatingtheLatin,buthaving theircomprehensiontestedbyquestionandanswerinthatlanguage.TheydemonstratedtheircomprehensionfurtherbyactingthestoryinLatin.'Thelessonendedwithanovelformoflearningvocabulary,obviouslyrehearsedbefore.Theboysformedthemselvesintotheshapeofaship,andannouncedinLatinwhatparttheyrepresented.Therewerealsowinds.secundiandadversi,andthunderandlightning,andtheseperformedappropriateactions;andofcourseNeptunewaspresentwithhistrident."

Lockwoodhadswepthispupilsthroughalessonthatamplydemonstratedhistacticalobjectives:"Economy,i.e.theuseofeverymovementinthelessontogoodpurpose;accuracyonthepartofthepupils;impressionofideas,vocabulary,grammaretc.bynewandcompellingmethods;participationofthegreatestpossible number of pupils."

Thenextdemonstrationwasacompletecontrast;itwasalesson in SixthFormCompositiontakenbyT.W.MelluishofBecSchool,Tooting.HisboyshadalreadymadetheirownversionsoftheEnglishpassage, andwere nowtoproduceacorporateversion.EachhadaLewisandShort,towhichhemade"constantandintelligentreference".Theaudiencewasimpressedwiththe"humbleandunassuming"wayinwhichMelluishledtheclass,andenviedtheskillwithwhichhemadehispupilsalmostbelievethathissuggestionsweretheirown.Thisdemonstrationclasswasverypopular,andMelluishwasaskedtorepeatitseveraltimesinlateryears.

I(Heavenhelpme)tooktwoDemonstrationClasseswithaSecondYearFormfromRaynesParkSchool.Inthe firstIintroducedthemforthefirsttimetotheSubjunctive,throughthemediumofIndirectCommand.Irevertedtothestock drill ofsurgo,ambulo,revenio,sedeo,whichluckilycontainsthefourconjugations;theboyshadmet itintheirveryfirstlesson,and hadpracticed itinsomeformor otheratthebeginningofeverysubsequentlesson.Ihadalwaysused it tointroducenewtenses,andinthepreviousweek hadalteredthecommandssurge,ambulaetc.toiubeotesurgere,iubeoteambulareetc.Theboyswereusedtoregardingthisdrillasameansoflearningsomenewbitofgrammar,andsowerewide awakewhen,afterrevisingiubeotesurgereetc.,Iintroducedthemwithashowofawetoimperotibiutsurgas.

Thenewdrillwasrepeatedseveraltimesand"finallythePresentSubjunctivesofthefour'stock'verbswereinscribedontheblackboardinfull.Atthatpointapupilasked'Quidest?''Modussubiunctivusest,barbariceSubjunctive,'wasthe reply:andthatwasall.InconclusionMr.Peckettinitiateda game...toconsolidatethetermsofthelesson.Three'volunteers'werecalledfortoimpersonateacenturio,atribunusandanimperatorrespectively.Thecenturiogaveadirectcommandinnouncertainvoice,'Surge!'Thetribunussaid'lubeotesurgere',anditwasthedutyoftheimperatortosay'lmperotibiutsurgas.'Thesameprocesswasrepeatedwiththeotherverbs.Stageprops:oneservice-dresscapwithredband,oneIieutenant'sbattle-dressblouse,onesetofchevrons."

DuringthesecondlessonwereadapassagefromPonsTironumdealingwithIndirectCommand.Theboyshadalreadybeentrainedtoask 'Quidsignificat?'whentheycameacrossawordtheydidnotunderstand,butI alsoaskedquestionsinLatintotestknowledgeofwordsandphrases,andexplainedunknownwordsbyknownLatinequivalentsorsketchesontheblackboard.Ialsoconstantlyasked'Quid est aliter Latine?' to practise alternative ways of expressing IndirectCommand.

OntheSaturdayeveningtheboysfromBecSchoolactedthestoryofUlyssesandCirce in Latin,andmyboysperformedinLatinaplayaboutPolyphemuswhichtheyhaswrittenthemselves."AftersomerowdyandirreverentsongsbyMr.Peckett'sboys,theeveningclosedwithaperformancebythesameboysofanothersimpleplay,'Puerquialudoseabstinuit'".

OntheSundaymorningtherewasanexhibitioninWilliamEllisSchooloftextbooksandARLT'sArchaeologicalAids.Over160membersofbothassociationshadattendedtheCourse,"aboutthreetimesasmanyastheorganisersintheirmostoptimisticmomentshadhopedfor". ManywhoattendedweretoplayprominentpartsinARLTandintheteachingofLatinlateron.

Ihavedweltsolong uponthe firstWeek-EndCoursebecauseitsetthepatternforitssuccessors.Atthem,duringthenextfiveyears,therewerelecturesbyF.R.Dale,B.L.Hallward,R.W.Moore,Prof.T.B.L.Webster,R.L.JamesandProf.L.R.Palmer.G.M.Lynecamein1947totalkaboutthenewlyfoundedOrbilianSocietyandtoshowhowActaDiurnamightbeusedinclass.In1948J.T.Sheppard,ProvostofKing'sCollege,Cambridge,gaveawittyandcharminglectureonMiltonattheUniversity,andin1949L.P.Wilkinsonofthesamecollegegave alearnedandlucidpaperonCiceronianismthroughtheAges.

Amongsuchscholarlylecturesitisperhapsinvidiousofme tomentiononeofminecalled'Getting DowntoIt'.ButI didputforward in itfourbasicprincipleswhichstillseemtometobeusefulinteaching anysubject.Thefirstwasthatteachingmustbedonebyexamplesandnotbyrule:therulemustonlycomelater,whenpupilshaveunderstoodsufficientexamplestobeabletogeneraliseaboutthem,andtouse in adifferentcontexttheinformationtheyhavegained.ToillustratethisprincipleItoldthestoryofthefarmerwhotrainedapigtoswitchontheelectriclightinitssty,byshowingithowtopresstheswitchwithitsnose:wheneverthepigdidthisnot onlydidthelightgoon,butalsoaplentifulsupplyoffoodfellintothetrough.Thenthefarmer,proudof hissuccessasananimaltrainer,movedtheswitch,andthepigstarved..

Twootherprinciplesreinforceoneanother:a)neverconfrontpupilswithmorethanonedifficultyatatime, b)alwaysbuildtheunknownupontheknown.ThereforeanyonewhoisteachingLatintobeginnersmusttakehisexamples fromtheexperience ofhispupilsintheclassroom,ontheplaying-field, intheirEnglishhomes(andnowadaysinfrontofthetelevision).Hecannot,atleast intheearlystages,takeexamplesfromRomanlifeandhistory,unlesshispupilsarealreadyfamiliarwiththem.Thefourthprincipleisthatifpupils,afterbeinggivenanumberofexamples,stilldonotunderstandthenewmaterialtobetaught,itisnottheirfault,buttheteacher's.Hehasusedexampleswhichareeithernotvividenoughorareabove theirheads,and hemustfindotherswhich theycanunderstand.

Duringthefirstfiveyearsweaddedotheringredientstothecakewhichwasalreadypalatable.Forinstance,in1947therewasaLatindebateonEqualPay."Themotion'Nemulierpetataequavirissibipraemiapensi'wasproposedbyMr.Bentliff,whoopenedinastudiedlymajesticCiceronianmanner,andeventuallygotdowntobrasstacks,orwhathecalled 'aenosungues',inamostconvincingfashion.AfterhimMr.Fawdryspokefortheoppositioninawittyanddebonairspeech.WithhimwearecertainthatClaudeRaineswillgodowntoposteritybetterknownas'ClaudiusPluvius'."Whenthechairmanfinallyasked,'Nonnefeminaquaedamultimumverbumdicet?',oneyoungladygotupandsimplysaid'Dico',andbroughtthehousedown.Themalechauvinistmotionwaslostby20votesto30.

Theaccountofthe1949CourseinLatinTeachingsays:"MentionmightperhapsbemadeofMr.Peckett'sfight....withthefilm-stripprojector.Itwasnotobviouswhohatedtheothermore;butthelatterwonintheend,andproclaimed.itsvictoryinacloudofacridsmoke.Mr.Pecketthadthereforetopostponehislecture."Thestrip,whichIshowedlater,dealt withGreeceon PostageStamps.Ithadbeenmadewiththehelpofascientistonmystaff,andwaslaterpublishedthroughARLT.TheAssociationwasearlyinterestedinfilmstripsandothervisualaids.

In1950,soLatinTeachingsays,I"struckanewnotebygivingademonstrationofRomaninfantrydrill,asitmighthavebeen,completewiththeauthenticcommandsdugupfromasixthcenturyauthor." Icannotrecollectnowwhothat author was. But I do rememberasthesquadmarchedoff, itwaskept instepbythe'centurion'whoshouted'Sin,Dec,Sin,Dec....', wordswhichIfeelaremoreconjecturalthanauthentic.

ButtheDemonstrationClassesalwaysremainedthecoreoftheCourse,andLockwood,Melluishand Icontinuedwiththem,sometimesinLatin,sometimesinGreek.Itwasverygratifyingtofindotherswillingtodolikewise. K.L.Fawdry,theninhisearlyyearsofteaching,wasthefirstoftheseboldspirits.In1947hedemonstratedFirstYearworkwithaBstreamreadingLatinForToday,usingagooddealoforalwork.HeshowedclearlythatsomeuseoftheDirectMethodisworthwhileeveniftheteacherdoesnot'gothewholehog'.Healsorefutedthe objectionthat"DirectMethodisall rightforclever boyswithabrilliantteacherandagreatdealoftime."

NextyearMissD.WinterfromBromleyHighSchoolgaveademonstrationoftraditionalsecondyearwork, andMissS.MackinderfromSt.Ursula's,Greenwich,gaveanunusuallessononRomanDressandHairstyles,usingafilmstripwhichherpupilsthemselveshadmade.SomeofthemwereinRomancostume.By1948A.R.MundayhadjoinedmeatthePriorySchool,Shrewsbury,andhegave ademonstrationofFirstYearLatinwhichwassofullofvitalitythat"Assomebodysaid,'Ithadtobeseen tobebelieved.'".Thiswasthefirstofmanydemonstrationsthathewastogive.DuringtheThirdYearlessonwhichhetookin1950hedeliberatelyusedforthefirsttimethewords'OralMethod'.HedidsotodescribemoreaccuratelythemethodwewereusingatthePriory,bywhichwealwaysintroducedanewpointofgrammarorally.Healsowantedtodistinguishthismethod,withitscarefullydevisedsystemofintroduction,rule-making,practice,testingandscrupulouslearningofaccidence,fromamisconceptionoftheDirectMethodwhichhadbecomecurrent;forsomepeoplebelievedthatthisconsistedinnothingmorethangettingpupilstobabbleLatininclassandleavingtheresttosomekindofmagic.

In1949MissE.Heath,whohadbeenpresentasastudentatthefirstWeek­EndCourse,broughtaclassofgirlsfromSt.Alban'sHighSchooltodemonstrateinalivelywayhowshewasteachingGreekbeforeLatin.In1948mentionhadbeenmadeof"anewLatinCoursebeingwrittenbyMr.PeckettandMr.Munday."ThatCoursewassoontobepubIishedasPrincipiaandPseudolusNoster,andin1950 J.S.Shields,HeadofBasingstokeGrammarSchool,andlaterTreasureroftheClassicalAssociation,usedPrincipiainademonstrationofFirstYearLatin.Hewas"aboldmantoadopttheDirectMethodaftersomanyyearsofteachingontraditionallines",buthedid soremarkablywell.Itwasamazinghowheconjuredusefulvisualaidsfromthesleeveofhisgown,includingtwobunsand abottleofmilk.NextyearShieldsdemonstratedwiththesameboysintheir5thtermofLatin;theywerenowableto tacklesuccessfullyapassagefromAeneidBookII. In1950Mr.MundayusedinhisFirstYearGreekDemonstrationtherawmaterialsofthe GreekCourse whichheandIwerewriting.Thiswaspublished,afterafurtherfourteenyears'testing,asThrasymachus.

I endthese recollectionsoftheearlyWeek-EndCourseswith1951,becausethatyearmarkedformeatanyratetheendofastage in theirhistory.In1951ItookaDemonstrationClass inGreekwithaFirstYearSixthForm.Therewere,ifIrememberrightly,nineboysintheclass,andallwereintheBeginners'ClasswhichIdemonstrated in 1947.AllofthemweretogotoOxfordor Cambridge,mostwithOpenAwards,sothatforthemawheelhadalmostcome fullcircle.

IntheOctoberofthatyeartoo,inanswertoaconstantdemandforWeek­EndCoursesintheprovinces,thefirstofseveralwasheldinBristol,sothattheLondononewasno longerunique.IrememberlittleofwhathappenedinBristolexceptthatitwasablydirectedbyDoraPym.IwentwithDr.LoehrywhogaveademonstrationwithaclassofsometwentyboyswhomwetookwithusfromShrewsbury. TheyallsleptinsomewhatcrampedconditionsonthefloorsofvariousroomsinDoraPym'shouse.Wehadtogetupinthenighttoquellanuproarwhichstarted,soweweretold,becauseoneboytrodonanother'sear.Andnextmorningthatgoodlady.undauntedbyrationing,regaledusallonfriedeggsandsausages forbreakfast.

In1951,whenthenumberattendinghadrisentoover200, thechairmanofadiscussionasked"howmanypresenttaughtpurelybythetraditionalmethod.ItwasamusingandamazingtofindthatalmosteveryonepresentacknowledgedsometinctureoftheDirectMethodinhisteaching."Lockwood,Mundayandmyselfallfeltsomesenseof achievement.NotthatwehadconsciouslytriedtopropagatetheDirectMethod.ButLockwoodandmyselfhadbeentaughtbyDr.W.H.D.Rouseandhisstaff,whohadinventedthatmethodofteachingLatinandGreek;andMundayhadbeentaughtbyLockwood.Wehadallenjoyedbeingtaughtthatway,andweenjoyedteachingthatway.AboveallwelovedthewideareasofGreekandLatinliteraturethatwehadbeenenabledto read.Wehopedtobeabletopassontootherssomeofthatloveand enjoyment ,anditlookedasifwewere,tosomeextentsucceeding.

C.W.E. Peckett

Formerly Headmaster, The Priory School, Shrewsbury