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HOME•lINKS•PHOTOS•survey•EDITOR
Dreux Memories
George A. Aune 7146 S. Rock Nation Rd. Dixon, Illinois 61021
815 652-6726 815 440-4454 (cell) November 10,2004
I received the “final issue” of NOTRE VIKING today and began to think about my year of teaching at the Dreux American High School in 1962 – 1963 and of the students and faculty who made it a very enjoyable and memorable experience. So, I decided to write down some of these memories and send them on to Paul and Carol Krausman and hope that some of the alumni and faculty will send an email to me or give me a call. I am also enclosing a check to assist the alumni organization.
I taught English at Dreux American High School from September 1962 to June 1963 and had a transfer to England which I chose not to accept. My classroom was in a wing of the hospital and my 8th grade history and English class was in another building over by the elementary school. I taught 9th and 10 grade English…..and these students would have been in the graduating class of 1965. 1966 & 1967. Unfortunately, I lost my yearbook for 1963 some years ago, and frankly don’t recall the names of students in my classes, without a “class list”!. So, if any of the alumni recall being in my classes, I would appreciate hearing from them.
I arrived at the Dreux American Air Force Base in August of 1962…..and was amazed that there were no planes on base. Too close to Orly Field in Paris, I was told. There was a support group of the Air Force, an army group (rangers, I think) and a “secret” communications building where all branches of the armed forces had duty, together with civilians who were temporary. I lived in the BOQ together with other single male teachers and officers and had dinner in the Officers Club. (I think dinner was $1.00 and our monthly rent in the BOQ was $15.00 and was later raised to $25.00) The female teachers were housed in the BOQ across the parking lot. (I wonder if BOQ’s in this era separate the male and female officers?)
I had my monthly “ration” of tobacco and alcohol…..and shopped in the commissary. I think I saw every change of movie in the base theater, and went to church in the chapel when I stayed on base on weekends. However, most of the weekends found us (single teachers) in Paris or traveling in France. During vacations, we traveled throughout Europe and during the Christmas break, I flew to the mideast on a tour and Easter break, I traveled to Spain.
Some of my colleagues I recall…..Sid Massey….taught government and was the student council advisor. He was from Mississippi and had been in the dependant school system for many years. Marina Valenzuela taught French and Spanish and drove a small French sports car. Mary Roberti taught English….and was also from Michigan, my home state. Ralph Younie was from Boston and was a hockey player and fan of the Boston Bruins. His roommate in the BOQ was Gary…….. who taught P.E. and coached both the basketball and wrestling teams. Several of us followed both sports….and traveled to away games. (The first football game in Sept. 1962 was in Paris against the U.S. Army High School ….and I recall the French national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner being played and sung.
On base each day, activity would stop in the morning and evening when the French and U.S. flags were raised and lowered as we listened to the national anthems on the p.a. I played golf several times on the base golf course which paralleled the unused runways. During one game, we stopped to watch the U.S. Rangers helicopter over to the other side of the base and drop down on ropes. Another event I recall was the unusual snow storm that paralyzed the base…and no vehicles could leave until the storm subsided. And during the winter and fall, the rural roads would be covered with worms…..which at times made driving somewhat hazardous.
I took my 8th grade class on a day’s field trip to Paris in the spring of 1963 on a “bluebird” bus. We did the tourist highlights of Paris….and I provided the drinks for lunch: a case of Coca Cola in bottles. (canned pop had not been invented yet!) We saw the three main art objects in the Louvre; drove by the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame and stopped in the Art Colony near Montmarte where each student had his silhouette cut in black paper and framed.
I was one of the chaperones for the prom that spring…..on a touring boat on the Seine. We had dinner on one deck; another deck was for dancing; and the third deck was for “making out”! We returned to the base by bus and at the club, breakfast was prepared for the students. Another field trip was taken by the sophomore class to Deuville on Memorial Day. The tenth graders roamed the beach…checking out the old German gun emplacements…..it was not a day for swimming. And a couple students had lunch and partook of wine (and other spirits) and were caught and faced the wrath of the administration on our return.
Al Matthews was the principal of the high school that year. He had taught and was an administrator in several dependant schools in the 1960’s. He dealt out the punishment or discipline. I recall referring a student for excessive tardiness to class. I was summoned to meet with Al, the student, Bob Moffit and his dad, Major Moffitt, who dealt out corporal punishment on his son. I decided that physical punishment was not worth excessive tardiness and the episode left me with a lasting impression.
Bill Agnew taught biology, if I remember, and coached track and cross country?? And maybe tennis?? And I remember the library in the club building. I read John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie”… I was the first one to get and read it.
The Evereux students seemed “special” in school…..they were the “five dayers” in the dorm….arriving early on Monday and leaving on Friday afternoon?? There were planes at Evereux….C-130’s…..”flying box cars”. I recall that the U.S. was aiding the government of India that year, and these planes were used in support of the U.S. assistance.
I was intrigued by my students whose parents were either in the military or diplomatic service and who had traveled extensively throughout the world. Many of them had taken several days to reach Dreux, having traveled from Russia or Iran or North Africa. I recall one of my students getting a very sad message that his father had died while serving in the diplomatic corps in Africa; the student packed his stuff quickly, and was whisked away to Paris for a sad flight to a funeral.
Didn’t Mr. Olson supervise the dormitories?.....and I don’t recall any of the other counselors who had the “day hours” free…while they had to supervise the students in the evening and night. Wasn’t there a study area in each dorm? (I wonder if any students sneaked out at night?....and if so, what was the punishment?)
And the students who lived off base (on the economy??) took one of several busses to and from school. If I recall, there were several married housing subdivisions near the base. I recall one of my sophomore students whose mother was French and her father, American. She had dual citizenship and was multilingual. I asked her one day, “What language do you ‘think’ in?” She replied, “French”.
Keeping my classroom warm during the fall and winter was a challenge. I recall many times when we kept our coats and jackets on. I had a portable chalk board…..and a desk and chair……and a.v. equipment was available, however, I did not use many films. The library was just around the corner in the same building.
The year seemed to slip by quickly…..with much travel. In the summer of 1963, three of us traveled to northern Europe and Scandinavia. We started with three Volkswagons….and two of them (mine and Paul Knutson’s, who taught chemistry) were shipped back to the U.S. from Bremerhaven. We three then traveled north for six weeks in Bob Peterson’s Volkswagon Beetle and upon my return to France in August, I flew to the United States and was hired by my previous school, Cherry Hill High School in Inkster, Michigan…..a suburb of Detroit. Paul Knutson was from Minnesota and Bob Peterson was from Wisconsin; he taught typing and bookkeeping>)
My teaching career spanned 40 years…..including the year at Dreux. Included in those years were stints at being an assistant principal and principal (18 years) and 22 years in the classroom. Upon retirement in 1999, I was an adjunct professor of history and education at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. (no connection with the singer) In 2003, my wife and I moved to Dixon, Illinois, where we have a chalet on the Rock River. In my spare time, I volunteer as a guide in the Ronald Reagan Home in Dixon and enjoy the activities of the Kiwanis Club.
In winter, we travel to Florida and rent a small place on the beach on Casey Key, near Venice and south of Sarasota. This year, we will be there in March…..after being on Key West and taking a cruise. I would enjoy visiting with Dreux alumni who are in Florida and those who live in the Chicago area. (we are 95 miles west of Chicago).
I hope you enjoyed reading my reminiscences…….and reflections. Give me a call, or stop over….either in Illinois or Florida.
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