The Latin Honor Society is taking action to preserve and maintain Greco-Roman culture at Commack High School. 

Thousands of years ago, the Ancient Greeks and Romans made advancements in several fields of knowledge that left a lasting impact on the civilizations to come. Philosophy, architecture, science, and even linguistics demonstrate their influence. Modern societies have grown and built upon these very foundations through learning and questioning the origins of various concepts and developments.

This analysis and continuation of Greco-Roman culture is emphasized by the actions of the Latin Honor Society, in which they encourage the involvement of students through events and fundraisers. 

“Greco-Roman culture is the way of life of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. It consists of their daily activities, religious beliefs, politics, societal norms/attitudes, and philosophy. It is important to preserve/learn about Greco-Roman culture because it is the origin of our own culture. For instance, Western thought is highly influenced by Greek philosophy. Also, there is so much that we can learn from the stories/myths written by ancient authors. Although these stories are thousands of years old, the lessons they teach remain relevant to modern life,” said Latin teacher and Latin Honor Society adviser Jody Kass. 

When discussing modern day influences, Kass highlights examples of Greco-Roman legacies. 

“I think Greco-Roman culture is everywhere, but I find it most interesting when I see echoes of it in pop culture. For instance, most spells in Harry Potter come from Latin and Ancient Greek. Plus, so many movies and television shows draw inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology,” said Kass. 

In addition to modern pop-culture and Western thought, Greco-Roman influence can be found in the classroom through specific teaching styles and even through the concept of openly sharing ideas. 

“The idea of the forum was in Ancient Greece and carried over to Rome. The idea of all meeting together to discuss ideas whether it be affecting us culturally or politically. We all still get together and we still do Socratics in English and History. We did one in Latin last year. Just getting together and sharing ideas. It doesn’t matter if your idea is right or if your idea is wrong and we still do that today in the outside world,” said senior Sabrina M., a member of the Latin Honor Society. 

The legacy of Ancient Greeks and Romans is extensive. The Latin Honor Society has played a critical role in encouraging students to learn about this somewhat forgotten culture.

“Through the honor society we’ve had programs like the Roman Olympics, where we emphasized important elements of Roman culture, like togas. We focused on trivia for the political and social elements. This January, we’re doing a trial of Markus Iunius Brutus for the assassination of Julius Caesar. Through that, we are hoping to bring a lot of the customs around Roman views of justice and of the state, and to bring that forward to the students, especially from the historical aspect. The bottom line for the Latin Honor Society is to [make] the Latin program more interesting,” said senior Stephen G., President of the Latin Honor Society. 🔳