Les Français D'amérique / French in America Ca
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VOLUME 36,Le #2 FORUM PRINTEMPS/SPRING 2013 THIS ISSUE OF LE FORUM IS DEDICATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANNETTE PARADIS KING. ANNETTE GRACED THE PAGES OF LE FORUM FOR MANY YEARS WITH HER MEMOIRS, POETRY AND MOST RECENTLY HER PHOTOS. THANK YOU FOR SHARING! MAY YOU REST IN PEACE! (See page 18) Photo by: Lisa Desjardins Michaud Websites: http://www.francolib.francoamerican.org/ francoamericanarchives.org other pertinent websites to check out - Les Français d’Amérique / French In America Calendar Photos and Texts from 1985 to 2002 http://www.johnfishersr.net/french_in_america_calendar.html Franco-American Women’s Institute: http://www.fawi.net The French Connection: http://home.gwi.net/~frenchgen/ $6.00 US Le Forum Sommaire/Contents Letters/Lettres...........................3-4 L’État du CO.........................30-31 Le Centre Franco-Américain Tourtière Plus Poutine = Université du Maine L’État du ME...............4-10, 14-23 Orono, Maine 04469-5719 Husband [email protected] La Pie Bavarde Téléphone: 207-581-FROG (3764) Memorial Caretaker to Visit L’État du CT.........................24-27 Télécopieur: 207-581-1455 Family Waterbury L’exilé Volume 36, Numéro 2 La Biographie de Soeur Agustine Québecois Director, Dany Printemps/Spring 2013 Lévesque Chiasson Éditeur/P3blisher A Maine Franco-American An Evening of Québecois Music Yvon A. Labbé From Maine to Thailand in Lowell Mass. Rédactrice/Gérante/Managing Editor The Irish Among Us Lisa Desjardins Michaud La langue et l’indentité De nos étudiant(e)s................45-47 Mise en page/Layout Lisa Desjardins Michaud L’État du NH.............10-13, 28-30 Music/Musique...........................41 Composition/Typesetting V’là du sort - Deuxième partie Lisa Desjardins Michaud We are so screwed - Part 2 Books/Livres....................32-39, 44 Aide Technique Winter 1900 Lisa Desjardins Michaud Summer 1885 Poetry/Poésie .........................52-54 Tirage/Circulation/4,500 Autumn 1892 Imprimé chez/Printed by Endowment Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, Maine Publié 4 fois l’an par le Centre Franco-Américain. One way to support Le FORUM while at the same time reserving life income is Le Forum est distribué surtout aux Franco-Américains the establishment of a charitable gift annuity with the Franco-American Centre des États-Unis. Les énoncés, opinions et points de vue formulés dans Le Forum sont ceux des auteurs et Le FORUM Fund at the University of Maine Foundation. Call 1-800-982-8503. ne représentent pas nécessairement les points de vue de l’éditeur ou de la rédactrice, ou de la Division pour Abonnement au Le FORUM Subscription l’Éducation Permanente à l’Université du Maine. Le Forum is published 4 times a year by the Si vous ne l’êtes pas abonnez-vous –– s.v.p. Franco-American Center. Le Forum is distributed in particular to Franco-Americans in the United States. –– Subscribe if you have not Statements, opinions and points of view expressed are not necessarily those of the editor, the publishers or the ; College of Liberal Arts & Sciences of the University Nom/Name: of Maine. Tous les textes soumis doivent parvenir à —For- Adresse/Address: ward all submitted texts to: Lisa D. Michaud, Rédac- trice-en-chef/Editor-in-chief, Le Forum, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5719, U.S., au plus tard Métier/Occupation: quatre semaines précédant le mois de publication—at least four weeks prior to the month of publication. Ce qui vous intéresse le plus dans Le FORUM section which interests you the Les lettres de nos lecteurs sont les bienvenues— Letters to the Editor are welcomed. most: La reproduction des articles est autorisée sans préavis sauf indication contraire—Our original articles Je voudrais contribuer un article au Le FORUM au sujet de: may be reproduced without notice unless otherwise I would like to contribute an article to Le FORUM about: indicated. L’équipe de rédaction souhaite que Le Forum soit un mode d’expression pour vous tous les Franco-Améri- cains et ceux qui s’intéressent à nous. The staff hopes Tarif d’abonnement par la poste pour 4 numéros that Le Forum can be a vehicle of expression for you Subscription rates by mail for 4 issues: Franco-Americans and those who are interested in us. Le Forum et son staff—Universitaires, gens de la États-Unis/United States –– Individus: $20 communauté, les étudiants -- FAROG, Ailleurs/Elsewhere –– Individus: $25 Organisation/Organizations –– Bibliothèque/Library: $40 Le FORUM Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, ME 04469-5719 2 PRINTEMPS/SPRING Dear Editor regime, the language, laws and religion of Quebec before the conquest of 1759. Referring to “Le Forum” Vol- You may wish to search in the archives Le ume 35, #4, Spring/Summer 2012 I of the Montreal Gazette dated August 19th., Forum was pleasantly entertained by the sto- 1986 for more information on this subject, ry on page 10/11 ending on page 36. the full passage written by unknown origins. Bravo to Mr. Greg Chabot who at- Seventy years ago, when I was just tempted to make some sense in regards to a girl of six, I can still recall Monsieur the words written on our Quebec automobile Lamontagne dropping into our school along licence plates. Many Quebecers do not know with other Knights of Columbus to pledge Dear Le Forum, the first thing about it and couldn’t care allegiance to the flag which stood in the less. Others know and would rather forget. corner of the classroom a lovely shade of It goes as far back as being abandoned and blue with a fleur de lys upon it. He would I was interested to read a footnote to forgotten on the shores of North America by always end with a loud “JE ME SOUVI- “My Split Personality”, by Louise Sherman the king of France. As a man who was born ENS”. As children, the words, the flag, they (Le Forum, Vol 35, No 4, pp 22-23, 36), in the Ottawa valley, my father Lucien Roy meant nothing to us except that Monsieur which stated that the use of the word “frog” used to tell me: “We do not owe allegiance Lamontagne would always give us the rest as a derogatory term originated in the Second to the king of France who did not come to of the day off. We looked forward to that World War. Growing up in England, where the aid of our ancestors when they were in day. Today we still celebrate “La St. Jean the term is less loaded (it is often described dire straights.” These comments he heard Baptiste” but now we look forward to good as “mildly offensive”, something of an from his dad and grandfather before him. food, a drink with family and friends and es- oxymoron), I was under the impression that What is it exactly that we remember? pecially the old time french music and songs. its usage was much older. Some research We remember never to forget our ancient Congratulations Lisa on your confirmed this suspicion, and I thought your lineage, traditions and memories of the dedication and hard work. No mat- readers might be interested in what I found. past. We remember that born under the lily, ter who we are, we must always be According to Cassel’s Dictionary of we grow under the Rose. When the French proud of our ancestors and lineage. Slang (Sterling, 2005), the term was origi- Canadian says “Je me souviens”, he not nally used in England in the 1300s, without only remembers the days of New France Fondest Regards from Quebec, any specific ethnic connotation. In the 1600s, but also the fact that he now belongs to Rita Roy Drouin the label was applied first to Jesuit priests a conquered people. Yes, it goes that far [email protected] (for unknown reasons), and then to the Dutch back as to recall the glory of the ancient - because they lived in marshy Holland. It wasn’t until Britain made peace with the Dear Editor that the Germans were quite aggressive Netherlands, and her main rival once again Many thanks for the special edition in their persuit of national parishes and became France (around 1700), that the term of “Le Forum” (Volume 36, #1, Sum- schools. They often argued with Ireland was applied to the French, where it stuck. mer/Été 2012), concerning the Sentinelliste and he let them have it with both barrels. An early example seems to date from 1805. Movement. I first heard about this from a I would also note that ABP Ire- Although the original connection between distant cousin originally from Kingston, land wanted Catholics to be good Ameri- the French and frogs does not seem to have RI. I don’t recall my Dad mentioning cans, to learn English, and to be ac- a culinary origin, the growing popularity this movement; he and his sisters, along cepted as productive members of society. of frogs’ legs as a French dish (in the mid- with many cousins attended Sacred Heart 1800s), probably helped the label to stick. School in Faribault, Minnesota. It was the Sincerely yours, The Dictionary of Slang also docu- “French” school and was staffed by the Do- John E. England ments a number of variations on this term. minican Sisters from Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. St. Paul, MN In the late 1800s and early 1900s, ‘frog’s Dad said that math, religion and wine’ was either brandy (a French spe- history were done in French –– back cialty) or gin (a Dutch beverage). Nu- around WWI and the early 20’s. merous other examples, mostly from the The last paragraph on page 29 was 19th century, displayed typical English also of great interest. John Ireland, in this and Anglophone jealousy the reputation neck of the woods, is considered to be a of the French as gourmands, bon vivants second cousin to Christ.