French House Thrives Despite Relocation

Author: Claire Bourne News Editor

The relocation of the French House from the third floor of Le Château to 51 Franklin Street has proven to be a positive step for Middlebury College's French program.

From the completion of Le Château in 1925 until the end of the spring 2001 semester, a portion, if not all, of the building was solely French speaking. Interest in the "French only" lifestyle fluctuated, and the "French House" eventually shrunk to include only the third floor. In addition, classrooms came to be used by different departments while Atwater Commons adopted Le Grand Salon as a multipurpose room.

For those wishing to continue the tradition of "living France," the third floor offered a faint essence of what the Maison Française once provided.

However, it became increasingly difficult for residents to live under a language pledge since non-French speakers from the second floor often used the third-floor kitchenette. Besides, the "social space" was merely big enough for two couches and a television, leaving French floor students unable to host substantial social events.

Toward the end of the 2000-2001 academic year, the College offered the French Department 51 Franklin Street, the yellow house located across the street from Twilight Hall, in place of the third floor of Le Château.

Despite receiving a window of 48 hours to accept or reject the proposal, members of the French Department agreed to the change, citing general discontent among students with the current situation as the rationale for shifting French living from Le Château after 75 years.

As the fall semester draws to a close, most groups involved expressed satisfaction with the new house. According to Resident Assistant Kristy Fullerton '02, the language pledge has been upheld "amazingly," and thanks to 51 Franklin Street's two lounges and two kitchens, the new Maison Française has hosted several activities and social events including a crêpes evening, theme dinners with French music, birthday parties for house residents, a barbecue sponsored by the French Department, a potluck dinner and even a couple of parties.

Every week the house invites French-speaking members of the community to its Café Français and Ciné-Club screenings, both of which, said Fullerton, are relatively well attended.

The House is scheduled to hold a Café Français in the Great Hall of Bicentennial Hall on Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. to share a taste of French culture with the rest of the campus.

Lois Watson Professor of French Nancy O'Connor, who also serves as the House's faculty advisor, explained that professors "go down for some events." She continued, "We're not there all the time because we consider it their house. We don't hang out down there."

Fullerton agreed, saying that O'Connor and other members of the department serve as "a support mechanism" and that most conversation about the House takes place at the Table Française at lunch.

Fullerton remarked that last year's French House, which was placed on provisional status by the Community Council Subcommittee on Social and Academic Interest Houses, "lacked unity" and "had a language pledge problem."

She added, "The house allows for unity and a French space that can't be penetrated by negative forces."

O'Connor said that the Department was "sorry to have lost the tradition of some area of Le Château being French speaking."

This sentiment was seconded by Michele Parks '04, who resided at 51 Franklin Street for a month before requesting a room change. "There is something special about chandeliers and double hung windows that no amount of unadulterated spoken French can redeem," she commented. "As hard as the residents of either location may try, there will always be some degree of English infiltration by visitors."

Nevertheless, as far as the French Department is concerned, "things are going swimmingly," O'Connor said. "This first year is crucial, and we feel that it's going just as well as it possibly could," she added. "There is no looking back."

"We have our own identity now," Fullerton affirmed. "Having a house makes us want to prove ourselves."

She said she was confident going into this year's academic interest house review process that the house would be taken off provisional status come January.