Making the Grade: Language classes give middle schoolers head start

That famous series about a boy wizard may be the first introduction some students have to Latin, but they soon realize learning it has distinct advantages, said Alan Farnsworth, Walton High School’s only Latin teacher. Each morning, Farnsworth gives up his prep period to work with the youngsters who arrive at his Marietta school for a 65-minute class before the Walton buses drive them back to their middle schools.

“A lot of them come for the academic enrichment; they know the extra study will benefit them academically,” said Farnsworth. “They know the romance languages come from Latin, and some of them are taking French and Spanish at the same time. Others know the impact Latin has in government and law. So they come in expecting a fairly rigorous academic environment, and they know they’ll get something from it.”

When the early classes kicked off about nine years ago, only 30 middle-schoolers expressed an interest. But participation has steadily grown; this year, 60 students from Dickerson and Dodgen middle schools signed up to be at Walton Monday through Thursday for the early class, and sometimes on Friday for additional practice.

Once the middle schoolers move up to Walton, they can continue their Latin studies through to the Advanced Placement level. About 230 students are part of the Latin program, and Farnsworth expects there may be a need to hire a second teacher soon.

“We’re bursting at the seams,” he said. “We’ve had more than 30 in our AP class alone. The middle school classes have been key to our program being so successful. When they took it out of the middle school 20 years ago, it almost crushed our program, but getting students started in eighth grade has made a difference.”

Three years ago, the morning program expanded to include Chinese classes as well.

“We had a lot of our high school students asking about Chinese, and we thought if we could get eighth graders started in it, they wouldn’t want to drop it,” said Judy McNeill, Walton’s principal. “But they also know we have a strong Latin program and that our students have won awards in that language. They recognize it as an important part of the humanities. They’re not just getting a course out of the way; they realize the great background it gives them.”

The Chinese class has drawn about 30 participants, with more interest coming from students who have no knowledge of the language.

“When we started, many of the students were of Chinese descent, and their parents wanted them to continue with the language,” said McNeill. “Many of them knew some of the language, but they have no reading or writing skills. Now, we’re seeing students who are not familiar with any of it.”

The early sessions have an additional benefit beyond academics, McNeill added. “These students come to Walton and realize it’s very different from an eighth-grade class. That helps them get adjusted to what it’s like to be here and what our teachers’ expectations are. It’s just another edge.”