I was encouraged to use art from the earliest days. Our elementary school promoted it, and a traveling teacher's art expert added to those efforts. My mother taught there too, at Garfield Elementary School. I worked the arts with speed but without any enthusiasm. I was even hauled off to special art sessions - at public libraries - but I asked if I could please read news magazines instead. Those were the glory days of Life, Look, and Time magazines. Saturday Evening Post was for the home, and there were more items with heavy glossy photos and art.
But at last, I was turned over to Latin, a skill we had to study, because "You aren't going to get anywhere in life without Latin!" Most Latin students groaned but they heard at home, "No Latin, no college, no nothing. Are you studying every day? What!?"
Latin opened us to English grammar and Roman culture - wars, generals, confiscated art, architecture, wild animals released into the Coliseum.
Strangely, we started with Latin first with high school and moved into Greek in college, but that was almost exclusive for future pastors. My Greek classes were 100% seminary bound, but some of them groaned and dropped out.
I missed artwork but I continued with Greek, very handy in history, grammar, and many more subjects. Too bad the classics are almost completely lost now.
