English Dept. Drops Latin Requirement

A basic knowledge of the Latin language is no longer a prerequisite for honors in English. In announcing the change yesterday, Herschel Baker, Acting Chairman of the English Department, denied that the move represented a lowering of standards. "It is merely a liberalization," he said.

In lieu of the old requirement, one of the last vestiges of the classical tradition at Harvard, honors candidates may substitute a full year of an upper level course in French, German, or Italian. The course grade must be B or above.

Previously, students who did not have three years of Latin or two of Greek at secondary school had to secure a grade of A or B in any term of Latin 1 or 2, or secure a satisfactory grade in any term of Greek 1 or a higher Greek course.

Secondary School Deficiency

The move became necessary because of the many secondary schools which no longer teach Latin or do not teach it sufficiently well, making it difficult for many good students to meet the requirement, Monro Engel, assistant professor and head tutor in English explained.

Engel predicted that the department's standards will rise rather than fall because the move will encourage a larger number of better students to take English.

Douglas Bush, professor of English, who was on leave last spring when the English Department began procedures to change the Latin requirement, wryly noted, "The more Latin people know the better. . . . But that's true of any subject, I suppose."