VOL. XXVI, No. 2 Spring 2010 NATIONAL LATIN EXAM SPQR NEWSLETTER SPQR ACL/NJCL NATIONAL LATIN EXAM REPORT 2010 In 2010 more than 150,000 students applied to take the thirty-third National Latin Exam. Participation in the Exam has increased each year since its inception in 1977, when approximately 6,000 students enrolled. Students from all fifty states participated this year, as did students from 13 foreign countries, including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. This year for the first time, students from Singapore also took the NLE. In addition, students in one U.S. territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands, participated this year. During the second week in March, over 138,000 students in 2,743 schools took the National Latin Exam in their own schools, and the exam was administered in 21 colleges and 11 elementary schools. Also participating were 1,694 students from 335 home schools. This year 945 more students took the exam than in 2009. The breakdown of awards for each exam (the number correct out of forty) is shown below, above each category. continued on page 2 LEVEL TOTAL PERFECT GOLD SILVER MAGNA CUM TOTAL AWARDS Intro 17,655 795 4,682 ribbons, Cert. of Outst. Achievement for 37-40 2,680 Cert. of Achievement for 35-36 7,362 Latin I 35-40 32-34 30-31 27-29 51,907 269 4,927 5,213 4,589 7,732 22,461 Latin II 35-40 32-34 30-31 27-29 34,931 173 3,508 3,757 3,233 5,372 15,870 Latin III 33-40 30-32 28-29 26-27 14,842 14 1,205 1,690 1,718 1,964 6,577 Prose III 34-40 32-33 30-31 27-29 4,490 6 444 392 418 712 1,966 Poetry III 35-40 32-34 29-31 25-28 1,916 4 198 186 227 310 921 Prose IV 34-40 32-33 30-31 27-29 3,101 6 303 247 321 594 1,465 Poetry IV 36-40 34-35 32-33 29-31 6,760 81 940 617 638 1,036 3,231 Latin V 35-40 32-34 30-31 28-29 2,284 12 291 242 223 210 966 Latin VI 37-40 34-36 32-33 29-31 284 3 47 42 25 35 149 Totals 138,170 1,363 11,863 12,386 11,392 17,965 53,606 Exam Report 2010 continued from page 1 There were 568 perfect papers in Latin I-VI. A answer sheets would be mailed by the United Parcel congratulatory letter has been sent to the principal of Service to the Exam administrator or principal by February each school with copies for the student, the Latin teacher, 20, 2010. and the student’s permanent record. In addition, a Clement Testing Service mailed out the exams, answer special hand-lettered certificate was sent to each of these sheets, and instructions and scored the returned answer students. The twenty students who have three years of sheets. The company also mailed out the results, awards, perfect papers, the four students who have four years of exam answers, and a congratulatory letter to the teacher perfect papers and the one student who has five years of by April 20, 2010. A copy of the congratulatory letter for perfect papers are being sent the Carter Stubbs Drake the principal was included in this package. The national Goad Memorial Book Award in addition to the special percent correct for each question is included as well as the certificate. percent correct on each question for the individual school. In the Introduction to Latin Exam, which was taken Both percentages are being provided in order to help by 17,655 students, 7,362 students won awards. As the teachers and students assess strengths and weaknesses. average number correct on this Exam was 34, students The members of the NLE Advisory Committee are who scored 35-36 correct out of forty received Certificates Susan McDonald, Chair (FL), Nancy Czupik (OH), Liane of Achievement, and scores of 37-40 received Certificates Houghtalin (VA), Caroline Switzer Kelly (NC), Stephen of Outstanding Achievement and purple ribbons. The 795 Lee Pearce (LA), Tom Sienkewicz (IL), James Updegraff students who answered all 40 questions correctly were sent (CA), Matthew Webb (NH), Sandra Woodward (UT) a special congratulatory letter from the NLE Committee. and Athanasia Worley (KS). They will be meeting at the There were 942 seniors who won gold medals on the 2010 ACL Institute to review and discuss the 2010 exam. Latin III, III-IV Prose, III-IV Poetry, or the Latin V-VI The members of this Committee represent the various Exam. These students are eligible for one of the twenty- geographic areas of the country, middle and high schools, one $1000 scholarships, including one from an anonymous colleges, and public and private schools. donor. In addition, a $2000 scholarship will be awarded The National Association of Secondary School for post graduate study leading to the teaching of Latin Principals has voted to place the National Latin Exam on and/or Greek at the elementary, intermediate, or high the Advisory List of National Contests and Activities for school level. These scholarship awards and those for 2010-2011. This list will be distributed to all secondary the National Greek Exam will be announced by NLE schools in the United States in September of 2010. Scholarship Chair, Ephy Howard, at the ACL Institute For the Introduction to Latin, Latin I, II, III, III/IV at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, in Prose, and III/IV Poetry exams, there are 40 multiple- June. The National Latin Exam Scholarship Committee, choice questions on grammar, comprehension, mythology, formed in 1983, consists of Ephy Howard, Chair, and derivatives, literature, Roman life, history, and geography. members Conrad Barrett, Judith de Luce, Gaylan DuBose, The Latin V-VI exam contains two Latin passages as Edith Foster, Sue Gillen and Sandra Woodward. Linda the basis for 40 multiple-choice questions on grammar, S. Montross serves as the Scholarship Liaison. The comprehension, historical background, classical literature, scholarship recipients from 2009, 2008, and 2007, are and literary devices. The time limit for the exams is 45 eligible for an additional $1000 if they continue their study minutes. of Latin and/or Greek. In 2009, the National Latin Exam The Steering/Writing Committee consists of Jane H. awarded $44,000 in scholarships. Hall, (Co-Chair), Mark Keith, (Co-Chair), Joe Davenport, The Maureen O’Donnell Oxford Classical Dictionary Sally Davis, Elizabeth Heimbach, Ian Hochberg, Patricia Award, given to students who win four gold medals, is Lister, Betty Merrill (Newsletter), Linda Montross, being sent to 474 students this year in recognition of their and David Winn. Christine Sleeper, one of the original outstanding achievement. The 83 students who have won founders of the NLE, has been honored with Emerita five gold medals will be sent special book awards. The status. The committee began writing the exams in the 2010 PERFECT PAPER and GOLD MEDAL winners will spring of 2009. By the middle of August it began the be published in Torch U.S., the publication of the National difficult task of reviewing each exam with respect to the Junior Classical League. level of difficulty, accuracy, and content. After several In August, the National Latin Exam office sent the revisions, the exams were sent to consultants Michael application for the 2010 National Latin Exam to teachers Bales, Sheila Dickison, John Donohue, Kathy Elifrits, who participated in the 2009 NLE. Upon receipt of Kevin Gushman, Ruth Haukeland, David Perry, and the application and payment, a postcard was sent from Wallace Ragan for their in-depth critiques. Acting upon the NLE office to the teacher, verifying the number of their suggestions, the Committee made further revisions. applicants and informing the teacher that the exams and After a final reading and revision, 167,000 copies of the 2 continued on page 9 Gaudeamus Igitur: Christine Sleeper Christine Fernald Sleeper is among the original “founding mothers” who gave birth to the National Latin Exam in 1976. This group of women included Jane H. Hall, Maureen O’Donnell, Sally Davis, Linda Montross and Marty Abbott. The NLE thanks Christine for her many contributions over the years and is proud to recognize her with EMERITA status. At 93 she is still involved in the affairs of the NLE. She was born in Nottingham, New Hampshire, on September 20, 1916, the only daughter among her parents’ seven children. Until 1927 she attended school in Nottingham, followed by schooling at the Robinson Female Seminary in Exeter. Upon her graduation in 1934, she entered the University of New Hampshire, from which she graduated in 1938 with a major in French and minors in Latin and English. She received her Masters from Radcliffe in 1939 and spent the next two years teaching Latin and French at Pinkerton Academy in Derry. From 1941-1943 she taught in Lexington, Massachusetts. Christine was fascinated with the idea of flying, and, in 1941, she obtained her private pilot’s license. She had been the lone female in the class of twenty applicants. Putting her teaching career on hold with the outbreak of WWII, she accepted a position at Boston’s Logan Airport as an assistant air traffic controller. By December 1944, Christine had joined the American Red Cross and saw service in Italy and France. She married West Point grad Raymond Sleeper in 1946 and became an Army wife. She was the mother to six children.