Subjects of Study

The history department at LCS focuses on training its students in traditional historical inquiry, resting on a strong foundation of historical grammar and literacy. In order to achieve these goals, the history department relies heavily on primary documents drawn from the narrative of the western tradition. Students are required to read and write and begin writing individual research papers in sixth grade. Beginning in seventh grade, students write and prepare a five-to-seven page research paper, and many choose to present those papers at the regional and state levels of the National History Day competition. Students have other opportunities to be involved with the western tradition, including Medieval, Renaissance, and Colonial Days. These events involve student research and performance, and also include dress, cuisine, and literature. Older students prepare original presentations for Classical Night, which is open to the community. For two consecutive years, students have participated in a major reenactment of a Civil War battle. Students are encouraged to engage in history with depth and passion, in order to place themselves rationally and firmly in their own world.

Language is the common tool used by a culture to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas. It shapes an individual’s relationships with other people, and different languages shape those relationships differently.

A classically educated student should understand the way language is embedded within cultural practices and world views. To this end, LCS provides students with classes in Spanish, Latin, Greek, French and German.

The classical languages, Latin and Greek, train minds in the foundation of our Western tradition. Acquisition of Latin and Greek provides students with insight into the English language, the Romance languages, and the vocabularies of law and science. Most importantly, knowledge of classical languages grants students access into the minds of the greatest thinkers spanning the entire history of Western civilization.