Examining the exciting dynamics of French settlement in
North American will be the topic of a spring semester course
at USM's Lewiston-Auburn College.
"French settlement in northeastern North America stretches
from the beaches and fishing communities of the French shore
in Newfoundland to the avant garde crowded sidewalks of Manhattan,
from the ice floes of Hudson Bay to the immigrant communities
of Toronto and Philadelphia, from the mill towns of New England
to the farming villages of Québec and Acadia," notes
course instructor Barry Rodrigue, Ph.D. "In fact, the
term 'Franco-American' was developed at the end of the 19th
Century by elite French-Canadian professional men residing
in New England. Other settlers in the Northeast have identified
themselves as 'French,' 'Acadian,' 'French Canadians,' 'Québécois,'or
'Franco-Ontarians'. Our goal in this course will be to look
at the exciting dynamics of French settlement in the area,
including discussions about the meanings of these shifting
identifications."
This course (HUM 310, French Settlement in the Northeast)
is part of the French North American Studies concentration
offered through the baccalaureate degree program in Arts
and Humanities. Designed to develop an appreciation for the
diversity of French society on this continent, the concentration
focuses on the diversity and contributions of French society
from "Maine to Haiti and Capes to the Yukon." Students
are encouraged to conduct individual research, such as investigating
Lewiston-Auburn's heritage and the forgotten French communities
in other parts of the State.
The French Settlement in the Northeast course will meet
Mondays, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., beginning January 24. Registration
is open through the first week of classes. Anyone interested
is encouraged to call the College at 753-6530 for registration
information. Dr. Rodrigue can be reached via email at rodrigue@usm.maine.edu.
Students conducting research for these courses have access
to the Franco American Heritage Collection located at the
College. The Collection, formerly known as the Centre d'Heritage
Franco-Americain, is an extensive archive of documents, photographs,
books, and artifacts relating to Franco-American history
and culture in Lewiston-Auburn. The Collection is open to
the public Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30 - 5:00, and Thursdays,
8:30 - 12:30. For more information, please call 753-6545.
