A Future for the Past: Remarks on the State and Responsibilities of the Classics in America.

Unlike modern foreign languages, but like English and Biblical Hebrew, the Graeco-Roman tradition constitutes a major component of the cultural identity of every native speaker of English, and, as such, should be a mandatory part of every American's intellectual luggage. Because of the academy's relectance to face the fact that our active environment and the demands made upon our schools are radically different from what they were a century ago, however, we have failed to place the Graeco-Roman tradition within its proper perspective and to adjust our teaching aims and methods accordingly, with the result that this indispensable part of our education is in serious danger of being totally eliminated from our schools and colleges. Teachers of Greek and Latin at all levels would do well to reassess the potential contribution of their subject matters to contemporary America and to join their colleagues from other disciplines in the implementation of interdisciplinary courses and degree programs. (Author)