Spanish may be the language most Americans are adding to their vocabulary these days, but hard-core Francophones refuse to be ignored. So when Mayor Richard M. Daley thanked the Chicago area’s French language teachers for being cultural ambassadors and set aside Nov. 4-10, 1999, as time for the local observation of National French Week, nobody was happier than faculty and students at District 123’s Douglas A. McGugan Junior High School in Oak Lawn and its associated elementary schools and District 202’s Barrington Middle School–Prairie.
French has been the only foreign language taught in District 123 since then-superintendent McGugan recommended it be adopted more than 30 years ago.
“Since Mayor Daley made his announcement in late June, we’ve noticed a lot of French-related news–TV ads touting a 50-story Eiffel Tower look-alike headed for the new Paris Las Vegas Casino Resort Hotel; word of French-born Chicago chefs Jean Joho and Gabino Sotelino opening two of the eight restaurants there and more,” said Alan S. Wax, who has taught French in District 123 for 28 years. “Whether it’s art, food, travel, customs, history or scenery, we love seeing France in the forefront of things.”
The Evergreen Park resident also sponsors the 8th grade French Club, which meets twice a month after school to foster the study of French culture. Membership, which is not mandatory, varies from 25 to 55 students each year.
When the club was organized 15 years ago, Wax organized the Parent Booster Club, whose initial purpose was to fund liability insurance for an annual trip. Some of the places they have visited are Montreal and Quebec City, New Orleans, Switzerland, Monaco and France.
Through the years, students and parents have pitched in to help fill the travel coffers by selling candy, washing cars, wrapping gifts at Borders Books Music & Cafe in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood and selling half-price coupon books. The money is used to reduce the cost of the trip for students; adult chaperones pay full price.
Of the 130 8th graders enrolled in French this school year, almost half expect to make the April 19-26 spring-break trip to France, traveling first to Futuroscope in Poitiers, in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France, then south to Opio in the Provence region, according to Wax. The finer points of travel — passport applications, what and how to pack, culture shock and how to deal with it, jet lag, money exchange and behavior — are discussed during frequent after-school meetings for those planning to take the trip.
Preparation for junior high-level French in District 123 begins with 30 minutes of instruction twice a week in 5th grade and continues at the same pace in 6th grade. Jennifer Williams teaches the subject at Hannum and Kolmar Schools; Kathleen Durkin is her counterpart at Sward, Covington and Hometown Schools.
When students reach McGugan, instructional time jumps to one 40-minute class period per day. Diane Merenda, a McGugan French program graduate, shares 7th grade teaching duties with Wax, who teaches all 8th grade classes.
The 8th grade trip is but one facet of the school’s effort to give students a taste of the French connection via “immersion,” which includes entering French-related contests ranging from essays to T-shirt and bumper sticker designs, pen pals, and musical, fashion show and cafe cuisine productions for parents and fellow students.
“Alan is very conscientious about keeping student interest high,” said Anne Hebert, past president of the Chicago chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French and current editor of Francofeuilles, its newsletter, published three times a year.
“He understands the things that kids find fun. He applies for, and often is awarded, grants offered by our chapter, which might range from less than $100 to almost $500, and uses them to provide enrichment opportunities. He wants the best for his students and works tirelessly to that end, often on his own time and, I suspect, with his own money.”
Rosalee Gentile, current chapter president, said, “Alan is such an enthusiastic, active person he’s an inspiration to others. With over 500 members, ours is the nation’s largest A.A.T.F. chapter, and I think everyone recognizes his outstanding work in making French language and culture come alive for young people. He believes in more than grammar and vocabulary; he believes in a reality check.”
Unlike McGugan, where only French is offered, District 202’s Barrington Middle School–Prairie provides students with a choice of French, Spanish, German or Latin. It, too, is going all out to celebrate National French Week with a variety of events. Led by French teachers Bobbie Kieffer and Jo Ellen Sandburg, the school’s weeklong program will pay homage to France with activities related to cuisine, science, sports, art and music.
The teachers and 33 students spent a weekend at l’Adventure Francaise, a French immersion camp in Wisconsin, where only French was spoken.
“Teaching is different today than it was when I began my career 32 years ago,” said Sandburg, a recipient of the Chevalier des Palmes Academiques, the highest honor the French government can bestow on an educator. “There are so many more things vying for kids’ attention; you have to use methods and materials that capture their imagination and keep them focused.”
During the past 10 years, McGugan Junior High students and teachers have received close to 60 awards, commendations and grants in local, regional, national and international competition, among them the prestigious Thanks to Teachers and Illinois Governor’s Master Teacher awards. Students have captured Oak Lawn Lions Club-sponsored annual scholarships to Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minn., and last year Greg Philip, David Ruthenberg and Grant Suhs came away with top honors in the national A.A.T.F. Francophone Essay Contest, winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, respectively; all are now high school freshmen.
National French Week activities planned at McGugan Junior High include folk dancing taught by a choreographer from Concordia Language Villages, cooking demonstrations, creation of wire sculptures and a discussion of the work of Auguste Rodin, a screening of the Tour de France 1999 bicycle race, a panel discussion of how knowledge of French can enhance careers and presentations by representatives of student exchange programs.
