Why Latin?

Really, why Latin? It is a dead language no longer spoken isn't it? This seems to sum it up.
Dorothy Sayers says it best:

I will say at once, quite firmly, that the best grounding for education is the Latin grammar. I say this not because Latin is traditional and medieval, but simply because even a rudimentary knowledge of Latin cuts down the labor and pains of learning almost any other subject by at least 50 percent.
-- From the National Review .

My girls currently do Song School Latin and Prima Latina. They are 2 different approaches that start with intro to vocabulary through songs, chants, and a bit of grammar mixed.


It is an admittedly light intro to Latin but that is where we are starting and it can't hurt, right? If only the schools would stop concentrating on comprehension, history, and science in the early years are REALLY build strong foundations the results would be remarkable. Beginning language in middle school is far after the prime age for learning that type of thing. Please PUBLIC ED, stop testing and start researching!