A Handbook for Latin Clubs — Story, Setting & Ideas

Programs as Scaffolds

The core of the handbook is its thirty-two program outlines, each keyed to a topic such as "Pompeii," "Roman Slaves," or "Roman Roads." These are not lesson plans but skeletal agendas: a list of possible readings, activities, and discussion points. Paxson explicitly states that programs are "purposely been made too long for one session," giving the teacher latitude to adapt. The topics move from concrete Roman life (house, children, soldier) to literary figures (Caesar, Cicero, Vergil) and then to broader cultural themes (myths, modern Rome). This sequence suggests a progression from the familiar to the abstract, but the handbook does not prescribe a fixed order. The programs function as modular units, each self-contained yet part of a larger mosaic of Roman civilization.

The Practical Turn: Resources and Community

Paxson devotes considerable attention to the material needs of a club. She recommends purchasing Perry pictures and Berlin photographs of classical subjects, and she urges cooperation with the city library board to acquire essential books. She even suggests that a high school alumnus "might present a book to his Alma Mater" or offer bound magazines. This advice reveals the handbook's intended audience: teachers in small towns with limited budgets. The author's voice is that of a colleague sharing hard-won strategies, not an administrator issuing directives. The preface's closing Latin tags—usus est optimus magister and Horace's Dimidium facti, qui coepit—underscore the theme that action, not theory, is the best teacher.

A Curated Anthology of Voices

The second half of the book presents a selection of poems and prose pieces for club use. The excerpts range from Eugene Field's "A Plea for the Classics" to Longfellow's "Enceladus" and Schiller's "Hector and Andromache." The poems are not merely decorative; they serve as springboards for discussion. For instance, "Enceladus" uses the myth of the giant buried under Mount Etna to explore themes of oppression and resistance, while "Perdidi Diem" reflects on the Roman emperor Titus's regret over a wasted day. The inclusion of works by Matthew Arnold, John Addington Symonds, and Rennell Rodd shows a preference for Victorian and Romantic treatments of classical themes. The anthology is eclectic but purposeful, offering varied entry points into Roman culture.

Movement Between Scenes: From Rome to Modernity

The handbook's structure enacts a deliberate movement between ancient Rome and the modern world. Early programs focus on physical sites (Forum, house, roads) and social roles (slaves, children, soldiers). Later topics include "Modern Rome" and "Italy of To-day," bridging past and present. The final program, "O Tempora! O Mores!"—a Latin exclamation meaning "Oh the times! Oh the customs!"—invites comparison between Roman and contemporary morals. This recurring juxtaposition is reinforced by the anthology, which pairs ancient subjects with modern poetic treatments. The handbook thus models a method: start with concrete Roman details, then connect them to enduring human questions. The teacher is encouraged to move fluidly between eras, using the club as a vehicle for both historical understanding and present-day reflection.

Readers should approach this handbook as a period document that reveals early twentieth-century American educational priorities. The emphasis on club activities, visual aids, and community resourcefulness reflects a progressive-era belief in active learning. The book's value lies not in its pedagogical theory but in its concrete suggestions for bringing Roman civilization to life in a small-town classroom. Teachers may find the program outlines adaptable, while the anthology offers a window into how classical themes were once mediated through Victorian and Romantic poetry.