Reginald Foster (Latinist) - Latin Classes

Latin Classes

Since the early 1970s Foster had taught during the regular academic year in the Gregorian University in Rome. These classes consist of five "experiences," broken down such that the first, third, and fourth experiences cover basic grammar and practice readings. The second experience is a conversational practice class, and is open to students of all levels. The fifth class is the most advanced class, and is taught at a higher level (much of it in Latin) than just about any other Latin class in the world. These classes at the Gregorian are populated almost exclusively by Catholic clergy, seminarians, nuns, etc., and by a very small number of laymen. The fifth experience, however, tends to attract mostly laymen. In 2004, he was fired for the large numbers of non-paying students.

Foster's summer course, "Aestiva Romae Latinitas", or Summer Latin in Rome, has been held every summer since 1985 at the Janiculum Hill in Rome. He does not charge anything, only requiring students to possess a basic knowledge of Latin, love of the language, and the will to learn more, making the course very popular.

He likes the students to have the Lewis and Short Latin Dictionary (which he strongly prefers to the more modern, but less complete Oxford Latin Dictionary) and the Gildersleeve and Lodge Latin Grammar in class at all times. Class is taught not from a textbook but from his "sheets," which are oversized mimeographs of Latin literature ranging from the earliest texts, ca. 200 B.C., to the latest Papal documents.

Homework is what Foster terms "Ludi Domestici", homeplay rather than homework. These are again oversized mimeographs in Foster's typewritten characters—large and small capitals. Students are to complete these Ludi on their own using their dictionaries and notes from class.

Foster's summer courses consist of two "tracks"—the "iuniores" and the "seniores." Each day (six days a week, Sundays off), his classes meet, beginning around 2:00 p.m., in the basement theater of an elementary school run by nuns not far from where Foster lives on the Janiculum Hill. A typical class day consists of three 90-minute sections separated by short breaks: one session for the iuniores; a joint session for both levels; then a seniores section.

After class Foster also holds informal meetings "sub arboribus" (under the trees) in the early evening at his monastery, called the Teresianum, next to the very ancient San Pancrazio church, for more practice in Latin. Two nights a week are dedicated to conversational Latin, two to reading Latin texts by sight.

On Sundays during the summer, Foster leads excursions into such places as Pompeii, the Roman Forum, and the Castelli Romani. For these gatherings, Foster provides booklets full of Latin texts, maps, and pictures pertaining to that day's trip. Everyone takes public transportation, and these outings are almost invariably followed by dinner at a small Italian restaurant near each locale. Other outings are half-day affairs within Rome. Tours of the Roman Forum and Capitoline as well as an Ides of March tour are popular. Upon request, Foster will also lead "Inscription Reading" tours around Rome before his regularly scheduled tours.

Entry to the summer course is provisional upon completion of a written test, which Foster provides upon request, either via mail or fax. These classes are generally populated by Latin teachers, professors, graduate students, and undergradate students from around the world, as well as a small number of priests, seminarians, and nuns. The course is supported by donors around the world. Foster accepts donations only if they are "voluntary and anonymous."

In 2009, for the first summer in many years, however, Foster's summer school will not be held; he intends to offer his regular academic-year classes beginning in Fall 2009, and to resume the summer school in 2010.

On January 12, 2010 Foster circulated a flier over email indicating that he intends to hold his Latin classes in Milwaukee (where he now resides), both during the regular year and during the summer. The flier reads:

UNIVERSUM LATINITATIS CURRICULUM

A. Annua Exercitatio Communis

• Milvauchiae mense Octobri ad Maium • in triginta quinque congressibus gratuitis • quinque “Experientiarum” sive graduum ab imo ad summum • feriis opportunis interpositis • pluribus cum lectionibus ‘ad libitum’.

B. Aestiva Eruditio Altior

• ibidem mensibus Iunio et Iulio • sexies in hebdomada gratis • duorum ordinum superioris institutionis: Iuniorum et Seniorum • itineribus litterariis propositis • liberis cum sessionibus ‘sub arboribus’.