Chapter 16 — French -1
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at Goodrich, the Headmaster’s genial secretary, called through the open door, “Alice is here, Ben.” “Good. Protect me for half an hour, will you, Pat – unless the President of the United States calls.” Ben Sawyer stepped to the door, welcomed Alice Benson and showed her to a chair. He took another -- not behind his desk. “Jerry tells me, Alice, that you will have some time on your hands this spring.” “Yes, I have finished all but one course in French drama for my degree and that meets only three times a week in Portland. I will be living at home.” “I wonder if you could find time to help us out. I have five ninth graders who are paralyzed in French 1. Pete Rossignol and Andy Chatfield don’t seem to be reaching them at all. They can’t go on for the second term sitting helplessly in class, getting more and more discouraged and building up fear and resentment for French. They will have to start French 1 again next year and, it appears to me, with little prospect of doing much better. What they need is to hear the language, to get the rhythms of it, and to build some basic vocabulary, to get enough confidence to speak a few words in French and to enjoy it enough so the prospect of French 1 next fall will not be terrifying. They need not meet every day. There need be no homework, examinations or grades unless you find that machinery useful. They will get no academic credit for the course. We could, between ourselves, call it French -1. “When they finish it, they will be up to 0. No pressure. Would you like to try it?” “Would it be all in French?” “That’s up to you. Whatever you say. They don’t know any French now, so you can’t hurt them. However, our French Department is pretty well committed to the Direct Method. Total Immersion as it were. This could be fun.” “I agree. That’s the only way to do it. How many kids are we talking about?” “Only five. There’s Billy Edwards, a total loss so far and afraid of the language. Butch, uh Oscar, Hummelman, universally known as Butch, a sharp little boy who just came to school from Florida with no background at all. Alec Horton, quick, enthusiastic, good at math but a slow reader. Tim Feinman is an excellent violinist for his age but spaced out in French. Finally Arthur Sikes, rather slow, inclined to be self indulgent with not a very good opinion of himself. He is eager for recognition and needs more than anything to do something right.” “Maybe games, songs, jokes, a little role play?” “Right, Alice. That’s just the sort of thing.” “Let me think about it. Is there a salary connected with this?” Half an hour later the conversation concluded with both parties laughing delightedly at the possibilities. “Oh,” said Alice, turning back from the door, “Where do we meet? Judging by the kind of curriculum we have been discussing, the sound-proof music room under the assembly room would be the best place.” The administrative machinery went into gear, schedules were changed, and the five found themselves headed for the music practice room the following Monday for French. “What French?” “Who’s the teacher?” “Why did we get kicked out of French 1?” 72
