Calling all lovers of language in Healdsburg

If you’re a language lover, possibly you formed that love when you took Latin in high school and/or college. I'm passing this request on in order to help Healdsburg resident, Janice Sinclaire, keep Latin classes at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Janice does so much for our community. Her husband, Tom Brand, is Executive Director of our local non-profit Raven Performing Arts Theater.

Below is Janice’s request:

Santa Rosa Junior College Latin Program

Historically, the Latin program at Santa Rosa Junior College has offered four semesters of Latin, plus an additional 2 or 3 units of "special study." In the last year, the Latin program has been cut back to Latin I only. At the end of October, 2009, SRJC felt compelled to eliminate the program altogether, not because of a lack of interest on the part of students, but because Latin does not lead to a major at SRJC.

I have been able to convince the dean of the department, a linguist who understands the value of Latin, to reinstate Latin II for the spring, 2010, semester, and Latin I and III for fall, 2010. In exchange for that commitment, I have agreed to help raise $2500 by January 30, 2010, and an additional $2500 by June 15, 2010.

Through my involvement with the program over the last 6 or 7 years, I have come to see the value of Latin study for the students at SRJC. It is not uncommon for first year students to enter the program with little or no English grammar skills. I have often heard students express their astonishment that they finally understand English grammar, thanks to their Latin study.

Because of the nature of the language (not only do verbs conjugate, but nouns decline), students become better writers and speakers of English, not just Latin. These improved skills make it much more likely that they will succeed as college students - much more likely not only to graduate from SRJC, but to continue to a four-year university.

In addition, in my experience, the study of Latin through SRJC has led most of the students to the study of French, Spanish or Italian: several I know have gone on to study classical Greek and even Arabic.Several classical leagues have come on board to help me research grants for the future of the program. However, these are long term projects due to the nature of grant writing and the formal grant mechanism at SRJC.

In addition, I will be exploring the possibility of a joint program with Sonoma State University; SSU currently has 4 graduate students in theprogram who need Latin II this spring in order to graduate in May. It only makes sense that SSU contribute to the program, as they are relying upon it for their own students. Because the funding mechanisms differ at the two schools, this too is a long term project.

Your tax-deductible contribution to this effort will save the Latin program at SRJC. In a way, this crisis has been a good thing for many of the students in the current Latin I class. They realized that they'd better get involved and are therefore writing letters and organizing a Latin Club to have more visibility on campus and off. I truly believe that we can not only save the program, but make it stronger. Thank you very much for your interest, and if you have any additional questions, please contact me:

Janice Sinclaire: 950 Canyon Road Geyserville, CA 95441 (707) 857.3031 Jansin@sonic.net. Make the check out Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, indicate on the memo line that it's for Latin II and mail to me at P.O. Box 1170, Healdsburg, CA 95448 (c/o Janice Sinclaire)

Photo: From U. of Michigan archives: A Latin documentary text, actually an acknowledgment of debt. 2nd Century AD. Caesarea, Mauretania.