The first of two papers on language history broadly defines historical linguistics and considers the activities of the descriptive linguist, who classifies the features of a language; the comparative linguist, who relates languages to one another; and the historical linguist, who is interested in the changes, completed and anticipated, of a living language. Six basic generalizations about change which have been formulated by historical linguists are listed. The second paper focuses upon imaginatively teaching historical linguistics to enable the high school student to understand and appreciate both the vitality and the continuous change of his language. These two major ingredients of linguistic history are illustrated with plans for short classroom discussions on four aspects of linguistic change: error, intentional innovations, semantic change, and the linguistic impact of history. At the end of each article is a short annotated bibliography. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of document.] (JMC)