Re: Translators

From: Edgar Krentz (ekrentz@lstc.edu)
Date: Mon Dec 07 1998 - 07:58:25 EST


In reply to Don Wilkins' post:

>I know this is all rather off-topic and I don't want to continue in that
>direction, but I am curious as to whether the list members who are parents
>want their own children to major in Classics or biblical languages. You
>probably don't, because of their job prospects, and yet you understand far
>better than most people the value of the languages. Student demand is
>essential for continuation of language programs. I used to think that major
>universities with self-sustaining endowments would always offer Classics as
>a major because of its contribution to western civilization, but those of us
>who are or have been in the profession are seeing more evidence almost
>weekly that this is no longer true, while language departments are
>disappearing at a shocking rate from other institutions that live on
>tuition. It would be a wonderful new world if, for example, missions
>organizations could tell high school students to first get a solid education
>in Greek and Hebrew, knowing that the students' parents would support this
>advice and encourage them. I don't mean to criticize parents for putting
>their children's welfare first, but I am suggesting that they have narrowed
>their definitions of the "good life" too much, due perhaps to societal
>values and peer pressure.

With six children I did the following. 1. Exposed my children to
archaeology when travelling in Europe. 2. encouraged the study of languages
in HS. One took German, 4 took Latin (one did five years--and became a
musician).

3. rejoiced when my oldest son took Greek in order to further his interest
in Greek history (since become his profession!). Did the same when my
daughter took a year of classical Greek priore to entering Yale Divinity
School. As a religion major at Harvard whe took a couse in medieval Latin
exegesis (the only student) deciphering Latin MSS in the Houghton Library.

4. Encouraged each child to major what interested her/him: Greek history,
organ and church music, religion and theology, art history and MBA,
economics and MBA, English literature and American Sign Language. All but
the last, who is writing his Ph. D. dissertation as I write this are
gainfully employed--though with varying salaries to be sure.

Thanks for asking.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Edgar Krentz
Acting Dean, Fall Quarter 1998
Professor of New Testament Emeritus
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 E. 55th Street
Chicago, IL 60615 USA
773-256-0752
e-mail: ekrentz@lstc.edu (Office)
        emkrentz@mcs.com (Home)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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