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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1989)
Thursday, January 19,1989 The Battalion Page 11 ie French professor brings experiences of homeland, love of learning to class yas then ling Viet, the 17th aited by U) April r econcil- not alter J ack who tr y to do lc i off my II along, later,” mplished the Viet- •his road has been *se corn- area who ill aware there are e are still ed.” II reports ' govern- )us mine »ur bases hienjusi where i 77-day anh, the ['icted to ines and temories )ugl)ton, dirt and ivy com- s at Con “ ran op- A lot of ■ I, will Van s last gold, pies. lit n art- n dis- s are Barn- Dee Laura -Coo ed by com- >r the w the style, rtistic eriod f the ■veral i, in- s and be on Feb. By Melissa Naumann Reporter Leaning back in his armchair and [lancing around his study, he asks, So, what do you think of this wal- paper?” Everything there reflects Dr. Oliv er Naudeau’s classical French back- ;round and his love of order. Nau- leau’s books are arranged dtronologicaliy and by subject, and a tainting of Nantes, the city in west prance where he grew up, hangs on :he wall. This study where he works, writes md reads is the heart of his aca- iemic and professional pursuits. Fie caches French but, with a Ph.D. in thilology, he also studies French nanuscripts of the 12th and 13th :enturies and the Renaissance. Beware of faculty mem bers who talk about their Dublications all the time. ” — Olivier Nandean, French professor ecture iary 19 Center 0 p-m- follow, ;it Hall -8501. xjraryMs nt from the idowmenl Hey ■ "This is a passion for me to re- onstruct these languages,” he said. It is an exacting process and is dghly disciplined.” Although Texas A&M does not tave a philology department, Nau- leau does have a forum for his in- erests: his students. “Those things are not lost,” he aid. “They are always injected into he class.” Indeed, his classes cover every- hing from French poetry and Picas- ,o’s cubism to a word-of-the-day. achday, he presents an of fbeat, but tseful French word such as “un caf- rd” for cockroach and the French or redneck: “une nuque rouge.” Anne Gvviu, a junior French ma- orfrom Beaumont, was a fan of the mots dujour.” “In addition to the reading novels, ie gave us current slang,” Gwin said. It really added something to the ourse." Naudeau, however, never strays rom the academic goals of the class. “Often I find that relating per- onal experiences in class is distrac- ing,” he said. “The text is the only at all of the students have in com- I ion with the instructor and each therand we should adhere to it.” I This kind of self-discipline is sec- ind nature for Naudeau. In the tench secondary schools, his stucl- s were mainly classical with seven lears of Latin and five years of reek. After World War II, the de sire to travel consumed many young Europeans ajid Naudeau was no ex ception. I “We had a desire to experience ■lis relativity that we saw,” he said, h caught the ‘virus du voyage’.” He went to Rhode Island and Massachusetts for one year where he bmpletely immersed himself in the [nglish language. I He returned home to the French Irmy and served for a year and a jalf as an interpreter between the french and the Americans in Indo china during the French involve ment in the Vietnam War. I Changing direction once again, he lame back to the United States and attended Harvard, the Boston Ichool of Fine Arts, Columbia and, Bnally, the University of Cincinnati Ipere he earned his degree in philo logy in 1970. I He taught at the University of Cincinnati and Emory University in Atlanta before coming to Texas A&M in 1974. Since then, Naudeau has seen three University presidents, three deans and two department heads come and go. He insists that the A&M students today are much brighter than they once were. “There has been a tremendous change in the quality of students,” he said. “It’s an opening. The students here today are more open to the world. They want to travel and break out of their circle.” As an example, he offered a story about three of his students who went to Boston and called him long-dis tance. , “I had told them that I bussed ta bles in a restaurant there and that I painted and put up the restaurant’s sign,” he said. “They wanted to see this place and, in their journey, they called me to find out where it was.” Naudeau believes his job is to spark students’ interests in French. “If you do not interest them in languages in those critical years, they will not go on,” he said. “I see that as my responsibility. This is what builds a program. If students are motivated in the 201 and 202 class levels, then they’ll continue.” Naudeau’s addition of humanities to the curriculum enlightens his stu dents and gives them an extra edu cation they might not have had. Carolyn Baugh, a junior French major from Houston, took her third class with Naudeau last fall. “The things he teaches should be in a liberal arts major,” she said. “We need to know things like that. It gives me the feeling that our back ground isn’t enough.” Gwin also has the same idea. “The French culture that he gave us — I guess you’d call it the intellec tual life — made me think about things beyond grammar,” she said. “It was incredibly stimulating, but unnerving. I worried that he would find out that I wasn’t as intelligent as he thought.” Gwin said that even though his knowledge in certain areas surpasses that of his students, he maintains a feeling of equality with them. “He treats everyone as though they were as smart as he is,” she said. “He really is interested in our opin ions.” Naudeau’s greatest strength, he believes, is his relationship with his students. “I don’t know if there’s a why or a how,” he said. “There’s just a che mistry.” Despite his intellectual class pro cedure and strong student relationships, most of his students are not aware of his highly successful publications. Naudeau tends to be leery of colleagues who are overly in terested in their publications. Most of his books and articles are published and sold in Europe where philology is more widely studied but he does have a number of articles at Duke and Berkeley. In addition to his enriching aca demic and professional life, his fam ily life is also a source of personal pride. His wife Gloria also teaches French and is the head of the Lan guage Department at A&M Consol idated High School. They also have, historical interests in common: he is a philologist and is fascinated by old languages and she has a master’s de gree in medieval history. His son, Eric, is a junior at Ste phen F. Austin University and is in terested in his French background. Each summer, he spends several months in France visiting friends and relatives and keeping his cultu ral ties strong. Madeleine, Naudeau’s daughter, studies physics at the University of Texas. She is on the dean’s list and will study abroad in the spring. “My daughter, Madeleine, is ‘la grosse tete,’ the brain of the family,” Naudeau said. Reaching back a little farther into his family history, Naudeau is proud of Jean Gaspard Vence, an ancestor who fought in the War of Indepen dence. Vence, a Frenchman, re cruited American soldiers to attack British ships at the Battle of Savan nah. He was recognized for his ef forts by George Washington who in ducted him into the Society of the Cincinnati. Membership was limited to officers of the Continental Army and became hereditary. Naudeau’s family is still a member of this elite society. Everything seems to come back to his study. The room itself is small but the ideas that come out of it and out of him are nothing less than grand. Then, when he takes them to the classroom, the students respond and, once again, he is successful. Police Beat “He treats everyone as though they were as smart as he is” — Anne Gwin, studentl “Beware of faculty members who talk about their publications all the lime,” he said. Indeed, he is one who should. His first book, “La Pensee de Montaigne et la composition des Essais”, pub lished in 1972, has sold 1,200 copies which is almost three times as many copies as most academic publications sell. Another book “La Passion de Sainte Catherine d’Alexandrie par Aumeric” is also successful. The following incidents were reported to the University Police Department from Dee. 6 through Sunday: FELONY THEFT: • A student reported that someone stole his Chevrolet I ROC Z. MISDEMEANOR THEFT • Nineteen bicycles and five backpacks were reported stolen from various locations around campus. • A teen was found with seve ral bicycle parts in the bike racks near G. Rollie White Coliseum. • An officer caught a student removing the street name signs at the intersection of Joe Routt Boulevard and Olsen Road. • Someone stole the coffee fund money from an unlocked cabinet drawer in the Zachry En gineering Center. • Someone stole the letters B and D from the wall depicting the Benz School of Floral Design in the Horticulture Forestry Sci ences Building. • The next day, a G was found missing from Krueger Hall. • Two wallets, one purse, one checkbook, one racquetball bag, an uncounted number of street signs, $5 worth of candy and 60 color photographs of the Cotton Bowl also were reported stolen from various locations around campus. BURGLARY: • Three wallets, 50 compact discs, several textbooks, a Liz Claiborne purse and a turtleneck shirt were reported stolen from various dorm rooms during finals week. Someone also tried to steal a video cassette recorder from Cain Hall. • The same week, a student reported that he came out of his bathroom in Walton Hall and found two males going through his desk. The males told him they thought they were in a friend’s room and left. • Also during finals week, two students were seen trying to disa ble the lock on an entrance to Milner Hall. Upon questioning by an officer, the students said they had intended to enter the build ing later to gain access to a final exam. • Two students were caught after an officer saw them steal several cassette tapes from one vehicle and deflate the tires of an other. • Two gold bracelets, a cas sette player, a jacket, a backpack, a calculator and a piece of carpet were stolen from various build ings on campus during the break. • After receiving a report of a man removing items from the Soil and Crop Sciences Bqilding, officers found a man possessing a Bunsen burner and several vials containing unknown substances. • A radar detector, several cassette tapes, several items of clothing, a car battery, two purses and a cooler containing six soft drinks were stolen from various vehicles on campus. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: • A student reported that someone snow sprayed the win dows and tires of his pick-up. He also said there was a grocery cart chained to the back of his truck. • While staking out a parking lot, an officer saw two teens shoot the window out of a pick-up. Af ter arresting the teens, the officer found that they had a bottle of li quor. In addition to criminal mis chief, they were charged with mi nor in possession, disorderly conduct and possession of a weapon on campus. DRIVING WHILE INTOXI CATED: • There were five charges of driving while intoxicated. Two of the drivers were involved in colli sions, one was suspected of being involved in a hit-and-run acci dent, another had stolen plates, and the other had half of a mari juana cigarette. ARSON: • After responding to a fire alarm, officers discovered that a homemade bomb had broken a window out of Dorm 10. ASSAULT: • A woman reported that she recieved a threatening phone call at her office. • Another woman reported that she received obscene phone calls on her answering machine. ASSAULT: • A student reported that she was assaulted by a student while studying in the Commons lounge. • A student reported that a man threatened him with a pair of scissors after an argument on the basketball court in the Read Building. ★★★★★★★★★★★ Declare Your Independence From High Cost Banking With Commerce National Bank’s. . . FREEDOM $100 MINIMUM BALANCE If you are tired of paying high monthly service charges on your personal checking account, try the Freedom Checking Account from Commerce National. We offer free checking for maintaining only a $100.00 monthly minimum balance. You’ll receive unlimited free check writing and have all your cancelled checks returned at no additional charge. So now is the time to become independent and take advantage of a good deal. We call it the Freedom Checking Account.. .You’ll call it free! Available only at Commerce National Bank. Commerce National Bank 2405 Texas Ave. S. / College Station 693-6930 lust say "Dr. No." Then, get your pass to the James Bond Film Festival, coining 1 February 2, 3, & 4. Features Include: Dr. No For Your Eyes Only The Living Daylights You Only Live Twice The Man with the Golden Gun The Spy who Loved Me Thunderball Casino Royale Full Festival passes on sale now at the MSC Box Office for $12. For more information, call 845-1234. Brought to you by MSC Aggie Cinema. Phi Delta Theta Spring Rush ’89 Rush Chairmen Landon Perry Marc Caldwell 696-6522 U2 Can Rattle and Hum w/Xit Date: January 19 Time: 8:00 p.m. Place: Lodge Barbecue at the Lodge* Date: January 21 Time: 2:00 p.m. Place: Lodge Smoker +■ Date: January 24 Time: 6:00 p.m. Place: MSC Rm 201 Lodge @ 803 Wellborn Rd. President John Jeffery 846-9658 Comedy Club +* Date: January 26 Time: 8:00 p.m. Place: Lodge Date Optional Barn Dance w/ KKf * Date: January 28 Time: 8:00 p.m. Place: Lodge An Added Attraction* Date: January 30 Time: 8:00 p.m. Place: Lodge •invitation only + coat & tie LADIES & LORDS BRIDAL STYLE SHOW Saturday, January 21st — 2:00 p.m. Aggieland Ramada BRIDAL FASHIONS FOR EVERYONE IN THE BRIDAL PARTY, INCLUDING THE GROOIVI 15% DISCOUNT FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE BRIDAL PARTY WHO PURCHASES DURING THE SHOW •FLORAL CONSULTANTS •PHOTOGRAPHERS • RECEPTION SPECIALISTS Call For Reservations. . . Space Is Limited! Refreshments will be served 707 TEXAS AVENUE COLLEGE STATION $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME STUDY $100 Wanted: Symptomatic patients with physician diagnosed $100 Irritable Bowel Syndrome to participate in a short study. $100 $100 incentive for those chosen to participate. $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 tZ < ASTHMA STUDY %% $400 Individuals who have regular asthma to participate in $400 an Asthma study. $400 incentive for those chosen to $400 $400 - .. . . $400 $400 .participate. $406 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 FREE STREP THROAT TESTING For individuals 12 years and older with sore throat willing to participate in a study to treat strep throat. Diagnosed $100 strep throat welcome. $100 incentive for those chosen to $100 participate. $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 SORE THROAT STUDY Wanted: Individuals ages 18-70 with sore throat pain to par ticipate in a 90 minute study to compare currently available over-the- counter pain relief medication. $40 incentive to those chosen to participate. $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $40 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 CEDAR/WINTER ALLERGY STUDY $100 $200 Looking for mountain cedar allergic individuals to partici- c-iqo pate in a short allergy study. $100-$200 incentive for §200 those chosen to participate. Free skin testing available «ioo to determie eligibility. $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 $100 $200 CALL PAULL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 776-0400 Member FDIC