About Us
non scholae sed vitae discimus
“We do not learn for school but for life.”
Paving the Way
Weston Classical School is truly unique. We are likely the only K-12 school in the United States to offer active spoken Latin. In fact we are a bilingual school teaching any and all subjects in Latin as well as in English. The popularity of spoken Latin is on the rise, and the educational advantages are numerous. Because we are beginning with immersive techniques in kindergarten, by the time our students reach high school, they will be able to read many ancient classics in the original language.
With a bilingual approach as our framework, we are able to customize instruction to each student’s needs. If a particular book, method, or approach is not working for a student, we will adjust. The overall goals of Latin fluency and a classical Christian education are unchanging, but every student is different and receives the personal attention he or she needs to reach these goals and to maximize his or her potential.
We have heard a rumor going around that Latin is a dead language. Our school is proof that it is alive and well. In fact, we would argue that Latin is not dead; it is immortal!
Reviving a Legacy
From 1921 to 1946, Professor Alfred S. Weston taught Latin at Grove High School in Paris, TN. One hundred years later, at Weston Classical School we are reviving his legacy. WCS is a K-12 Christian Classical school. Christian means that all subjects are taught with a Christian worldview. Classical means that we stress the classical over the modern, in both method and content.
Our students graduate with a thorough understanding of the timeline of history and a knowledge of literature, nature, and mathematics that prepares them well, not only for college, but for lifelong learning and for whatever noble pursuits they may choose.
According to his obituary, Professor Weston had a master’s degree from Princeton and studied history and debate there under former President Woodrow Wilson!
The professor was described as a “beloved teacher, friend of students, lover of sports." As this photo indicates, the 1936 high school yearbook was dedicated to him by that year’s senior class.
Classical Christian Education
The Weston Classical School is an independent, private, Christian primary and secondary school committed to providing our students with a classical education.
As a Christian school, we incorporate Christian moral and spiritual teachings throughout our curriculum. As a classical school, our goal is to employ the educational philosophy and methodology developed by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Latin is introduced conversationally and is used freely throughout the broader academic context as a tool for classical learning.
Our goal is the intellectual and moral formation of our students, that we may help them emerge as wise, virtuous Christian ladies and gentlemen.
Our History
IN 2004, the Cottage Grove public school consolidated with and was moved to Puryear, TN. The building was purchased by a private entity and re-opened that same fall as a Classical, Christian academy. It operated as such under the name Cottage Grove School, and later as Cottage Grove Christian School, until 2019 when it was moved to Paris and re-named Weston Classical School.
Weston Classical School met here from 2004-2019.
THE SCHOOL AT 402 Lee Street in Paris, TN, has a very rich and interesting history. The current building was built in 1893 and became known as the Robert E. Lee School in 1910. In 2003, the building became the home to the Robert E. Lee Academy for the Arts, and in 2020, the name was officially changed to the Paris Academy for the Arts. It has housed the Weston Classical School as well as numerous enterprises relating to the arts.
Weston Classical School met here from 2019-2021.