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<P>Greetings!</P>
<P>I have mentioned that I am a teacher of Latin and German in a Catholic grade school in Ohio, "the heart of America." My students are therefore 11-13 years old, with a few at age 14.</P>
<P>Our parish is fairly wealthy, with practically all parents having college degrees. I had them read "A Christmas for Shacktown" and a "A Letter to Santa" by Carl Barks (thanks to the people on the forum here who found it online). I asked them to look for Latin-based vocabulary in the stories.</P>
<P> To be sure, most students said they either enjoyed the stories or that they were "okay."</P>
<P>What was disconcerting was the large minority of students who could not follow what was happening. I had some wrinkled faces and noses: "It got boring, and I couldn't follow it." "I don't know, it didn't seem to make any sense."</P>
<P>When pressed about what specifically was "boring" or what "didn't make any sense" they of course were inarticulate, and usuallty just shrugged.</P>
<P>Even more disconcerting, these comments were not always coming from the "bottom feeders."</P>
<P>I just keep hoping this is not a trend! Again, a majority liked the stories.</P>
<P>Best Wishes and Merry Christmas!</P>
<P>L. Schulte</P>
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