Report on the J.A.C.T. Latin Summer School 2008

“Thankyou for making me love Latin!”

The 28th JACT Latin Summer School once again saw just over 100 students devote 10 days of their summer to intensive study of Latin. Wells Cathedral School was able to give us an extra house this year, which gave us a little more room to spread out. It was particularly pleasing to have enough beginners to run 3 groups and there was also a pre-GCSE group for the second year running. I was delighted to welcome back 2 students who had started out with the summer school as exceptionally keen 14 year olds, 1 of whom had even persuaded his friends to come. It was also pleasing to see a number of PGCE students with us and we remain keen to support this group in particular in any way that we can. There was an unusually large number of students from abroad this year, including 2 professors from the US who had come especially for ‘intensive study’. 45 students came from various parts of the state sector, whether comprehensive, grammar or 6th form college and 28 were from independent schools. A further 23 were either at or just about to attend university, giving us a good range of both age and background. The students were, as ever, full of enthusiasm and ready for some hard work. The fact that it actually was ‘summer’ for much of our time made things even better.

“After the initial shock, I loved it... I will be back for more next year!”

The pattern of the summer school remains much as it was when I first started, with a focus on texts at the core of our study. However, the changing needs of students now mean that we run both basic and more advanced grammar clinics, both of which proved popular. Grammar notes are also available on line now as we endeavour to offer students additional support. There is an increasing number of requests for intensive Latin grammar and it may well be possible to run a group to cater for these students, although the difficulty remains ensuring that they are all at roughly the same level if they are to work together.

“I feel MUCH more confident with my Latin... a truly amazing experience!”

I was once again able to put together a team of both experienced and new staff. New to the summer school this year were Sarah Quick (an ex-summer school student herself) and Sophie Potter, both fresh from their PGCE at KCL, along with Kate Murray from University College School in London. Vicky Bingham once again took on the role of Director of Studies, as ever doing an excellent job with the groups and also putting together one of the best lecture programmes I can remember. One of the best parts of the summer school for me each is year is catching up with old friends and this year we welcomed back Bob Cowan,  Aisha Khan, Francis McIvor, Alex Boyt, David Stephenson, Lucy Howard and Stephen Graham. They were, as ever, an excellent team and fantastic company throughout. Lindsey Cullen returned as Director’s assistant, doing an excellent job and ensuring that everything ran smoothly, anticipating our every need and doing so much to help make the summer school a success. My thanks to this year’s excellent team who gave so much of their time and energy and particular thanks to Vicky whose time with the summer school will at least have to be put on hold as she tackles the new challenges of being a mum.

“I really enjoyed meeting pupils, teachers and lecturers and working with them on the same subject was an exciting challenge.”

Thanks to the continuing generosity of our sponsors, we were once again able to offer support to all those who needed financial assistance. The summer school wishes to record its gratitude to those sponsors whose continuing generosity helps to make it all possible: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, The Jowett Copyright Trustees, The Craven Committee, University of Oxford and the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge.

“I cannot thank you enough for all you have done during the JACT Latin Summer School.”

The lecture programme got off to its customary excellent start with our annual visit from Anthony Bowen to help us all with the ‘The Sound of Latin’. Genevieve Lively from the University of Bristol, making her fist visit, followed with a thoroughly entertaining lecture on ‘Finding the Funny in Roman Comedy’ which managed to have us both laughing and thinking at the same time. Next came a flying visit from Professor Matthew Leigh, one of the most loyal and enthusiastic supporters of the summer school over the years (having been a student himself in the very early years). It is always a pleasure to welcome Matthew back and he once again allowed us into his most recent scholarship as we looked at ‘Vergil and Early Roman Epic’. The very high standard was maintained the following evening with the visit of Elly Cowan from the University of Leicester (also giving her the chance to visit her husband whom she so generously loans to us each summer).  Bob and Elly vied for the honour of longest title and she weighed in with ‘Soldier and Sycophant? Vellieus Paterculus and the Fall of the Roman Republic’. I think most of us would admit to knowing very little about Velleius Paterculus but Elly’s excellent lecture really got everyone thinking. Bob himself then hit back with ‘Welcome to the jungle: A walk on the wild side with Juvenal.’ Bob always somehow manages to combine scholarship, humour and excellent visuals and this was once again a lecture of the highest quality in every respect. That just left us in the safe hands of Stephen Bird, Head of Heritage Services in Bath. Stephen has lectured every single year that I have been at the summer school (and a couple before that) and he was once again on top form with ‘The People of Roman Bath’.  I am extremely grateful to them all for providing such an excellent programme.

“... a winning combination of friendliness, excellent teaching, interesting lectures, beautiful location and exciting trips...”

Our trips out were, once again, extremely popular and, unusually, coincided with good weather. Sunday’s outing to Caerwent saw a large group enjoying a guided tour of the remains and a picnic in the sunshine before travelling on to Caerleon to try out the barrack room in the museum and re-enact gladiatorial battles (albeit with a Frisbee) in the amphitheatre. Stephen Bird then kindly hosted our evening trip to Roman Bath once more, always a highlight of the summer school, and a good number then came on my tour of Medieval and Georgian Bath. By this time, the summer school was almost over, which just left our now famous last night party and performance of Plautus, all with the audience in classical fancy dress.

“Thanks again for a great 10 days.”

After 19 years of the summer school and 11 as Director, the time has come to move on and I am, as I write, just starting out as Head of Hereford Cathedral Junior School. The summer school is in safe hands for the future, with new co-directors in David Stephenson and Alex Boyt. David has been with the summer school for the past 7 years and Alex actually started as a beginner in my class at Bath. My grateful thanks to Wells Cathedral School, whose Headmistress and staff always make us so welcome and do so much to contribute to the success of the summer school. It has been a pleasure to welcome the Headmistress, Elizabeth Cairncross, to some of the lectures again this year and she very kindly presented me with some Wells Cathedral School cufflinks at the end of the last lecture. It was good to see Barbara Bell with us too, who first set up the summer school all those years ago. For 2009, the happy blend of friendly atmosphere and intensive study will continue in Wells but, for me, the end has come. My thanks finally, of course, to the many tutors and lectures, past and present, who have contributed so much of their time over the years and to the many, many excellent students with whom I have come into contact over the years.

“I will never forget the JACT Latin Summer School, which taught me so many things in such a short time and in an amazing way!”

Tim Wheeler
Director
JACT Latin Summer School