SPEAKING FRENCH IN CLASS ONCE TABOO

Big Trouble for Students

By Bernard Chaillot, Vermilion Bureau editor

PICTURE: Allen Simon speaks with, from left to right, Glenda Deormeaux, Thelma Breaux, and Inez Vincent.

ERATH - Allen Simon remembers well when speaking in his native tongue meant he had to do extra homework and write 100 times, "I Will Not Speak French on the School Grounds."

That was the title of Simon's presentation Friday at the "Living Traditions of Vermilion Parish series of folklife programs at the "Acadian Heritage & Culture Museum."

The programs will be presented from 1-2 p.m. Fridays through the end of the month.

Simon, 59, of Maurice, was a first-grader at the country school in Meaux in 1942 when teachers forbade their students from speaking the only language the youngsters knew--French.

"The first thing we had to learn in English was to ask to go to the bathroom," Simon said. "For a lot of us, it became one word. 'May I be excused became 'beskew' and it worked for us, so that's what we used."

Simon said he and many of his fellow students had trouble with the "th" sound that has no parallel in French. "The first thing we had to learn in English was to ask to go to the bathroom.

"The teachers told us that writing our punishment lines would help us learn English," he said.

The series of programs is being funded by a $5,000 state grant through the Acadiana Arts Council written by USL folklorist and assistant English professor Patricia Sawin.

Legendary Cajun singer-songwriter D.L. Menard will appear May 24 at the museum, followed May 31 by seamstresses Laura Mae Romero, Florine Hebert and Roxie Moss. For more information, call 937-5468.