Fabulous Faculty: Interview with Denis Caslon,
Legendary Faculty Member

By Marc Sevastopoulo 2011

The following interview was published in The Neff Times, a newspaper published by Scott Neff’s third grade class..

M.S. Mr. Caslon, how long did you teach at St. Bernard’s?

D.C. Twenty-three years.

M.S. What inspired you to become a Latin teacher?

D.C. I was well qualified in the subject and I needed a job.

M.S. Why did you choose St. Bernard’s?

D.C. I didn’t. I was in touch with several other schools when Mr. Westgate, the then headmaster, kindly offered me a position (possibly because our academic back grounds, Oxford and Harvard, were similar.)

M.S. I have been told that Latin is a dead language. Why should we study it?

D.C. That’s an often asked question by those whose Latin is still ahead of them! There are several good answers, but I will limit myself to one: a young person’s education, certainly in the Western world, is not really complete without some exposure to Latin. The ancient Romans, whose language it was, conquered and occupied most of Britain about 2100 years ago, and remained there for several centuries. Their influence on the English language (and spelling and grammar) survives to this day, and to an extent that is scarcely to be believed. While some schools have unwisely eliminated Latin or made it an elective, St. Bernard’s has never wavered. So it won’t be all that long before you’re learning how Perge Sed Caute comes to mean what it means! And, for your information, there are at least twenty words in the above paragraph that come to us directly from Latin!

M.S. Why is Latin your favorite language?

D.C. It isn’t necessarily my favorite. I also like Greek and Russian.

M.S. I heard that you produced a highly popular show at St. Bernard’s, a spelling bee. Would you consider returning to St. Bernard’s to repeat your success?

D.C. Most unlikely! “The St. Bernard’s Super Bowl,” interrupted by specially written commercials and dramatic episodes of the ongoing soap opera “As St. Bernard’s Turns,” had to be the most labor-intensive assembly of all time.

M.S. What are your best memories of teaching at St. Bernard’s?

D.C. Friendly, enthusiastic (most of the time, anyway!) students and congenial, supportive colleagues. Make no mistake, St. Bernard’s is a very fine school.

M.S. Thank you, Mr. Caslon.

No. 34, Summer 2006, page 7

M.S.	Mr. Caslon, how long did you teach at St. Bernard’s?
D.C.	Twenty-three years.
M.S.	What inspired you to become a Latin teacher?
D.C.	I was well qualified in the subject and I needed a job.
M.S.	Why did you choose St. Bernard’s?
D.C.	I didn’t. I was in touch with several other schools when Mr. Westgate, the then headmaster, kindly offered me a position (possibly because our academic back grounds, Oxford and Harvard, were similar.)
M.S.	I have been told that Latin is a dead language. Why should we study it?
D.C.	That’s an often asked question by those whose Latin is still ahead of them! There are several good answers, but I will limit myself to one: a young person’s education, certainly in the Western world, is not really complete without some exposure to Latin. The ancient Romans, whose language it was, conquered and occupied most of Britain about 2100 years ago, and remained there for several centuries. Their influence on the English language (and spelling and grammar) survives to this day, and to an extent that is scarcely to be believed. While some schools have unwisely eliminated Latin or made it an elective, St. Bernard’s has never wavered. So it won’t be all that long before you’re learning how Perge Sed Caute comes to mean what it means! And, for your information, there are at least twenty words in the above paragraph that come to us directly from Latin!
M.S.	Why is Latin your favorite language?
D.C.	It isn’t necessarily my favorite. I also like Greek and Russian.
M.S.	I heard that you produced a highly popular show at St. Bernard’s, a spelling bee. Would you consider returning to St. Bernard’s to repeat your success?
D.C.	Most unlikely! “The St. Bernard’s Super Bowl,” interrupted by specially written commercials and dramatic episodes of the ongoing soap opera “As St. Bernard’s Turns,” had to be the most labor-intensive assembly of all time.
M.S.	What are your best memories of teaching at St. Bernard’s?
D.C.	Friendly, enthusiastic (most of the time, anyway!) students and congenial, supportive colleagues. Make no mistake, St. Bernard’s is a very fine school.
M.S.	Thank you, Mr. Caslon.

Fabulous Faculty: Interview with Denis Caslon, Legendary Faculty Member

By Marc Sevastopoulo 2011

Fabulous Faculty: Interview with Denis Caslon,
Legendary Faculty Member