Samuel just completed quite an accomplishment. He memorized and presented to Mrs. Lowe, the founder of his school, the poem “Horatius at the Bridge.” It is long. It takes about 30 minutes to recite, but he did it flawlessly. It is part of a program for sixth graders at his school to win the Winston Churchill Award. This is from Mrs. Lowe:
Horatius at the Bridge has been a favorite of school children and a staple of classical education for over a century. Two authors who refer to the poem as a memorable part of their education are Winston Churchill, who reports having memorized the whole poem at Harrow, and V.M. Hillyer, the first headmaster of Calvert School, who declares in his art history series for children that it is his favorite poem. I always tell our students that it is one of my favorite poems, too.
At Highlands Latin School our sixth graders study Horatius at the Bridge in the Winter Term and are challenged to memorize the whole poem (70 stanzas). Students who accomplish this remarkable feat receive the coveted “Winston Churchill Award” at the Closing School Ceremony. – Cheryl Lowe, Founder, Highlands Latin School
Samuel will receive his award at the graduation and awards ceremony in May.
Way to go, Sam!
Anna Resurget 