[Oxford63] French teacher

oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com
Mon Feb 22 08:56:37 MST 2016


Hi all,

I also remember the little literature books we had. Condensed versions of French classics.  I think I still have a few around here somewhere.I also remember Kate telling us about the weird underwear Madame used to wear.  And I remember how Madame used to drill us on the properly rolled and throaty French "rrrrrrrr." I never could do it very well.

Holly


Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 22, 2016, at 10:48 AM, oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com wrote:
> 
> Betsy - So great that you reminded us all of this - I remember Sept d'un Coup very well.  And all the other things, especially Hum-sah!  xo  Claudia
> 
> From: oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com
> To: oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com
> Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 9:34:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [Oxford63] French teacher
> 
> I just looked back in my 1960 yearbook at the list of faculty names:  Mme LaBrecque’s given name was Yvonne.
> 
> I never had French with Mme LaBrecque, but I had Mme Lefaivre in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade.  She was my favorite teacher.  The bark was much worse than the bite, I discovered.  I do recall that on the very first day of class she told us that if we hadn’t done our homework (and there might be a perfectly legitimate excuse), we should come to her before class began, and she wouldn’t call on us.  But if she called on us and we didn’t know the answer because we hadn’t done our homework, and we hadn’t confessed it to her before class began, well… all bets were off!  She was very demanding, but I learned so much French, that after taking French I with her at Oxford, I was jumped into French III my sophomore at Abbot!  (Where I had another French teacher, Mlle Arosa, who was an equally demanding tyrant, but that’s another story.)
> 
> What I remember best about Mme Lefaivre was her amazing story-telling ability.  When we had finished our lesson and grammar, if there was time enough before the bell, she would tell us stories from history etc.  There was the story of Saint-Christophe, and stories of Catherine de Medici, and once she was in the middle of a ghost story when the bell rang, making all of us jump out of our skins.  It helped us learn by listening, in a very pleasant manner.  I remember our first little yellow book of stories:  “Sept d’un coup”, about a giant, and “Les Chandeliers de l’Évèque” from “Les Misérables”, and “La Chèvre de Monsieur Séguin” from "Les Lettres de mon Moulin” of Alphonse Daudet.  She made us put our heads down on our desks before we started an exam, and breathe deeply, saying “hum-sah” several times.  Precursor to mindful breathing!!  And very effective for calming down enough to write a good exam.  I used the technique all through school and university.  
> 
> The grounding I received from her and from Mlle Arosa enabled me to function fully in French when I moved to Québec to sing in the Opéra de Montréal.  They made it possible for me to have a career in singing, and later teaching ESL in a francophone college. I couldn’t be more grateful!  I wish I had kept up contact with her, but I saw her only once after I left for boarding school.  I’m so glad you stayed in touch, Katie, and had such fun experiences with her in France!  I thought she was just wonderful!
> 
> Hope you are all staying warm and looking forward to spring!  Love,  Betsy
> 
> On Feb 17, 2016, at 8:47 PM, oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com wrote:
> 
> my favorite . . . still have le livre! Bon chance, Lelly!
>  
> Susan
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oxford63 <oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com>
> To: oxford63 <oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com>
> Sent: Wed, Feb 17, 2016 6:26 pm
> Subject: Re: [Oxford63] French teacher
> 
> And I am taking a French class at our library, and we are just finishing Le Petit Prince!
> 
> Lelly
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Feb 17, 2016, at 6:13 PM, oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com wrote:
> 
> Yes, she was!!
> Interestingly enough, about a year ago, while commuting in traffic on I-95, started to translate license plates into French!
> I have been thinking/ speaking in French ever since! A method to avoid Alzheimers? Who knows, but I am loving it!
>  
> Susan
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oxford63 <oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com>
> To: oxford63 <oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com>
> Sent: Wed, Feb 17, 2016 12:33 am
> Subject: Re: [Oxford63] French teacher
> 
> Yep, Simone LeFaivre.  Who could forget that bitch.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 16, 2016, at 6:34 PM, oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com wrote:
> 
> Simone
> 
> 
> *** Jane ***
> 
> Cyber Mesa Telecom
> Santa Fe Headquarters
> Tel 505-988-9200
> 
> Local Contact Numbers 
> 
> 
> 
> On 02/16/2016 8:25 PM, oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com wrote:
> A good memory and good to have found the packet of letters.  I remember Mme LaBrecque, but do not know her first name.  In fact, I only knew a few teachers' first names - Barbara Jarrell, Edith Evans, Shirley Storrs...What was Mme. LeFaivre's first name?
> Curiously, Claudia
> From: oxford63 at mailman.cyber-community.com
> To: "oxford63" <Oxford63 at cyber-community.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 10:08:56 PM
> Subject: [Oxford63] French teacher
> 
> I happened to find a packet of letters my mother received after my grandfather and father died in 1969. One of them was from Wilfred and Anne La Brecque. I wonder if it was from Madame La Brecque  who taught at Oxford as she was a good friend of my grandmother's. Does anyone remember if her name was Anne?
> I hope everyone is safe from the bad weather. 
> 
> 
> 
> Barbara 
> Brucket at aol.com
> 
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