Middlebury College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Middlebury, VT)

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LE CHATEAU uiiiliuiud I -seven

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JLt ' C It at in it The Middlebury of today is probably best known nationally and interna- tionally for its work in languages. The construction of Le Chateau in 1923 was a landmark in French teaching. It symbolizes a new era of pedagogy. It incorporates the atmosphere, manners, and traditions of French life in such a way, that the students are living French, not merely learning it.

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cr rcuJt i r -» £ ii • v s 1 h T| lis f mi yi i ■•■■ 9 rm I V 1 .1 . Ranty, 1 . Easier, Madame Bruno, Mils Huunui, M . Freeman, M. Bourcier The first reference to French in the Col- curriculum was in 1n2n when a statement was published in the catalogue offering private instruction to all who wish in obtain a knowledge of the He- brew. French. German, Spanish, and Italian languages. An offering like this was rare in an) college at this time. The above arrangemeni continued until 1832 when all languages other than French and Hebrew were dropped from the list oi extra studies. French remained during the next decade as a regular study. But even before this time I 1828) study in French had been available to Middle- bury College students, for there was started in the town in 1n22. a French il, independent ol the College but open to College students. This school was probably the result ol the proximity ol Middleburj to Canada and a French iple. From 1828 through the rest of the century French was taught intermittently under various titles and with varying de grees of responsiveness. The department was not officially established until 1909 when Duane L. Robinson was chairman. With the exception ol several periods when it was included in Other depart- ments instruction has been carried on continuously in this department. At the present time the course is headed 1 Professor Stephen A. Freeman; assist- ants are Associate Professor Albeit Ranty. Associate Professor Claude I.. Bourcier, Assistant Professoi Lea Binand, and Madame Bruno. La Maison Francais, first college house in America where the speaking ol French onl) was permitted, opened in P ' 20. I.e Chateau, a large, French-architectured building was opened by the College in 1925.