Two years ago, Louise Peloquin began sharing excerpts from L’Etoile, a French-language newspaper published in Lowell from 1886 to 1957. At my urging, she has agreed to compile some of her previous posts with added contextual information into a book manuscript to be called, L’Etoile: A Star on Prince Street. Starting this week, Louise will present draft chapters from the book in serial form here on the blog. Today, we have another installment.

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L’Etoile – A Star on Prince Street, Chapter 6

The Star Shone Through Them

By Louise Peloquin

Chapter 4 describes how the 24-26 Prince Street team worked in unison to put out L’Etoile. Every L’Etoile Publishing Company member has a story worthy of interest. We shall zoom in on four here:

Yvonne Lemaître

Yvonne Lemaître was born in Pierreville Québec in 1877, and came to the United States at the age of ten. She attended public schools and was educated exclusively in English.

Lemaître claimed she wrote mediocre French but her polished pieces proved the contrary. She had the talent and the rare merit to teach herself the language and came to master all of its stylistic difficulties. She said she owed her linguistic prowess to reading and studying the best French authors. Her proficiency in both French and in English served her well during her career.

She debuted her journalism career at L’Etoile in 1902 and her widely-appreciated chronicles were often reproduced in other newspapers.

In 1904, she joined the editorial staff of Lowell’s Courrier-Citizen.

In 1905, she travelled to Europe and sojourned in Paris for some time. She also travelled through Germany and Holland. While abroad, she sent accounts of her experiences to the Courrier-Citizen.

In 1908, she visited England and Scotland and sent her travel memoirs to the same newspaper. Upon her return, she started writing French pieces again.

After seven years at the service of the Courrier-Citizen, she resigned to focus on writing English literary reviews and analyses for publications including the New Yorker and the Smart Set. Hers was the first review of Jack Kerouac’s debut novel The Town and the City. Her piece lauds the young author’s talent, encourages him to pursue writing whilst highlighting his Franco-American heritage.

In May 1911, she settled in Paris as correspondent for large American newspapers such as the Boston Transcript.

When she left the City of Lights, Lemaître was widely appreciated as a newspaper woman and writer. Lowell’s Sunday Telegram published the following about her: “In the departure of Yvonne Lemaître for the field of foreign labor, Lowell’s journalism loses its most brilliant light.”

Mr. Madden, editor-in-chief of the Courrier-Citizen, wrote:

The readers of the Courrier-Citizen, as well as the newspaper’s personnel, will have reason to regret the departure of Miss Yvonne Lemaître. Miss Lemaître, who intends to settle in Paris, was a regular collaborator in our columns for many years, firstly in charge of Franco-American news then contributing many captivating articles on French literature and on topics of art. It is a pleasure to recognize the editors’ appreciation for her admirable work – an appreciation wholly shared by all of the readers of the Courrier-Citizen.

After leaving L’Etoile, Yvonne Lemaître maintained her link with the paper and her former team never missed the opportunity to highlight her writings in its columns as exemplified by the following excerpts from the September 12, 1917 editorial.

Yvonne Lemaître passed away in May 1954 and is buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford.

[FR] Le patriotisme des Franco-Américains

     Mlle. Yvonne Lemaître, femme de lettres distinguée, publiait l’autre jour dans le Transcript de Boston, un écrit très intéressant. ‘Why François fails to fight’ est une analyse, ou plutôt une revue, des événements récents, tant au Canada que dans les centres franco-américains de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, depuis que la conscription a été adoptée dans les deux pays….

     Mlle. Lemaître a fait l’effort de se renseigner dans les bureaux d’exemption. Elle a constaté que les Franco-Américains n’ont même pas attendu l’établissement du service militaire obligatoire pour s’enrôler en grand nombre sous le drapeau étoilé. Et depuis, ils ont répondu avec empressement à l’appel du Président. D’après les rapports officiels des bureaux d’examen, les conscriptionnaires franco-américains ont demandé l’exemption en plus petit nombre que n’importe qu’elle autre race étrangère….

     Mlle. Lemaître…a pris la population de langue française de Lowell comme type….

     Elle écrit, en parlant de la jeunesse franco-américaine:

‘…young people born in les Etats (the States)… insist that they are Americans first, last, all the time….’

     (Lemaître continue) ‘Le volontariat et la conscription ont pris un bon nombre de Canadiens français de la Nouvelle-Angleterre à cause de la fécondité de la race, qui est encore chez eux en honneur, différent en cela de leurs cousins de France. Vu le grand nombre d’enfants dans chaque famille, les hommes d’âge militaire sont nombreux. Une famille de Lowell fournit à elle seule cinq conscrits – dont, fait digne de remarque, pas un seul n’invoqua des raisons d’exemption – cinq frères âgés de vingt et un, vingt-trois, vingt-cinq, vingt-sept et vingt-neuf ans respectivement. Une autre famille a quatre fils ayant l’âge militaire, et six autres en ont trois chacune, huit familles franco-américaines fournissant le nombre extraordinaire de vingt-sept conscrits.

’….Les jeunes Franco-Américains de Lowell…se sont, en temps de paix, enrôlés en nombre remarquable dans l’armée, la marine et la garde nationale. Un des officiers de ce dernier corps militaire s’exprimait en ces termes:

Les jeunes Franco-Américains ont toujours fourni un bon appoint à la garde nationale. A l’appel des armes, la réponse de ces mêmes jeunes Franco-Américains fut frappante….

     ‘Les cinq compagnies de Lowell, de la garde nationale, comptaient un quart de Franco-Américains quand elles furent mobilisées, et beaucoup, d’après un officier, avaient été refusés pour diverses raisons. Une compagnie de la réserve des ingénieurs de chemin de fer composée de cent soixante hommes actuellement en France, occupés à la construction de chemins de fer, a été organisée par un Franco-Américain de Lowell qui tout naturellement rechercha des recrues parmi ses compatriotes qui répondirent en grand nombre. Ce Franco-Américain est le capitaine de la compagnie. Une compagnie de la State Guard est composée exclusivement de French boys, dont l’un en est capitaine. Ces hommes ont dépassé l’âge de 31 ans, et à cause de charges familiales, ils n’auraient pas été acceptés dans l’armée régulière. Des Franco-Américains ont reçu leurs brevets d’officiers après avoir suivi les cours à Plattsburg, N. Y.’

     En somme, toute cette première partie de l’étude de Mlle. Lemaître sur le patriotisme des Franco-Américains a été résumée par le Globe de Boston… et a fait le tour de la presse de langue française des Etats-Unis.”

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[EN] The Patriotism of Franco-Americans

Miss Yvonne Lemaître, distinguished woman of letters, published a very interesting piece in the Boston Transcript the other day. ‘Why François fails to fight’ is an analysis, or rather a review, of the recent events in Canada as well as in New England’s Franco-American centers since enlistment began in the two countries….

Miss Lemaître made the effort to obtain information from exemption bureaux. She observed that Franco-Americans had not even waited for the establishment of obligatory military service to enroll in great number under the Stars and Stripes. And since then, they have eagerly responded to the President’s call.  According to the examination bureau official reports, Franco-Americans who enlisted asked for exemptions less than did members of any other ethnic group.

Miss Lemaître… took Lowell’s French-language population as an example….

She writes, speaking about Franco-American youth;

’…young people born in les Etats (the States)… insist that they are Americans first, last and all the time….’

(Lemaître continues) ’Volunteering and the enlistment have taken a considerable number of French-Canadians from New England due to the group’s high birth rate which remains honored and differentiates them from their cousins from France. Given the large number of children in each family, military-age men are numerous.  A single Lowell family has five enlisted brothers – age twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-seven and twenty-nine respectively. And it is fitting to note that not one brought up reasons for exemption. Another family has four military-age sons, and six other families have three. Eight Franco-American families provided the extraordinary number of twenty-seven men.

‘… The young Franco-Americans of Lowell have, in times of peace, enrolled, in remarkable numbers, in the army, the navy and the National Guard…. One officer from the latter expressed himself in these terms:

The young Franco-Americans have always furnished a good complement to the National Guard. To the call to arms, the response of the same young Franco-Americans has been striking….

‘The six National Guard companies of Lowell counted one quarter Franco-Americans when they were mobilized…. One company of railway engineer reserves, made up of one hundred and sixty men presently constructing railways in France, was organized by a Lowell Franco-American looking for recruits among his compatriots. They responded in great number. This Franco-American is the company captain. One company of the State Guard is exclusively made up of French boys whose captain is also one. They are over 31 years old and, because of their family obligations, would not have been accepted in the regular army.  Some Franco-Americans received their officer’s certificates after following courses in Plattsburg, N.Y.’

To sum up, this part of Miss Lemaître’s study on the patriotism of Franco-Americans was summarized in the Boston Globe… and has made the rounds of the French-language press in the United States.”

Antoine Clément

Son of Olivier and Angelina (née Vezina) Clément, Antoine was born in Dracut 1902. Recognized as a brilliant student at Lowell’s Saint-Louis-de-France school, he obtained a scholarship for Assumption College in Québec then attended Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts. His fragile state of health prevented him from completing his studies for the priesthood.

On November 15, 1923, he joined L’Etoile as a translator and subsequently became a reporter and a feature writer. In 1942, he was appointed as editor. In 1943, when financial burdens caused by World War II required publication changes, he helped facilitate the newspaper’s transition from a daily into a triweekly.

Clément was editor of L’Etoile until August 17, 1957 when L’Etoile died. He then translated for Nashua’s L’Impartial until its closing in 1964. He worked as translator for the monthly Echo de la CMAC of Lowell which he had founded. He occasionally contributed to L’Action of Manchester, New Hampshire and wrote weekly features for the Travailleur of Worcester. For 30 years, he was a feature writer for L’Union Saint Jean Baptiste d’Amérique.

While pursuing his career as a journalist, Antoine Clément was extremely active in Lowell’s Franco-American organizations such as the “Cercle St. Louis,” which he presided, and the “Club Richelieu.” His tireless work at L’Alliance Française was widely recognized. He served as secretary for 10 years and president for 20 years. He published two volumes on L’Alliance Française and an account of his years as editor.

He was very much involved in La Société Historique Franco-Américaine as its secretary and, from his Centralville home, founded the Bulletin de la SHFA in the 1930’s.

His books and hundreds of articles on “La Cause Franco-Américaine”received national and international recognition. He was decorated by the French government, the Société Historique Franco-Américaine, L’Alliance Française, L’Union Saint Jean Baptiste and L’Association Canado-Américaine.

Antoine Clément is known to be one of the greatest artisans of the 20th century Franco-American community. He passed away on June 14, 1970 and is buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford.

Clément’s July 3, 1944 editorial in L’Etoile highlighted the courage and commitment of the many Lowellians who served in World War II on the front lines as well as behind the scenes. It was recorded at WLLH as an allocution destined to listeners in France and broadcast on the War Information Office program on July 4:

[FR] La part des Franco-Américains de Lowell dans l’effort de guerre

 (Allocution enregistrée à WLLH pour être irradiée demain au programme de l’Office de l’Information de Guerre destiné à la France)

 La contribution de la population de langue française de 25,000 à 26,000 âmes de Lowell, Etat du Massachusetts, à 26 milles environ au nord-est de Boston, à l’effort de guerre de la patrie des Etats-Unis, est à peu près identique à celle des nombreux centres franco-américains de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, et elle n’en est pas moins étonnante.

     Plus de 3,000 soldats, marins, aviateurs aux champs de bataille aux quatre coins du globe, sans compter nombre de gardes-malades, de WACS, de WAVES et de SPARS. Plusieurs milliers d’artisans de tous genres travaillent à nos usines de guerre locales ou à celles des villes voisines. De nombreuses aides prêtent leurs concours a la fabrication de nécessaires de voyage que la Croix-Rouge donne aux militaires partant pour outre-mer.

     Nos clubs ou associations servent périodiquement le déjeuner le dimanche matin aux militaires de passage au USO. Ces mêmes groupes font d’élégantes réceptions aux marins français dont les navires mouillent de temps à autre dans la rade de Boston. Notre population a contribué maintes caisses de vêtements, de médicaments et d’autres comestibles et de divers lots suite aux appels faits pour les malheureux français ou pour leurs prisonniers dans les camps nazis. Elle continue de ramasser des vêtements pour les civils de Grèce et d’Italie, et tantôt ce sera pour la Belgique. Et que dire de nos écoliers qui font la récupération de vieux journaux et périodiques pour répondre à un besoin pressant de papier.

     Les nôtres ont prêté généreusement leurs économies aux cinq Emprunts de Guerre jusqu’ici et lors de la campagne franco-américaine  pour l’achat de cargos Liberty. Lowell passa au premier rang des villes franco-américaines avec une souscription de plus de $200,000 en obligations de guerre. Notre population a également donné de ses livres français pour le divertissement des marins français à New-York. Et les oeuvres de bienfaisance pour les militaires se multiplient aux fêtes sous la direction des nôtres, aux les cercles de couture et de tricot et dans les foyers où les mères, les soeurs, et les bien-aimées ne manquent pas de confectionner vêtements ou friandises pour les êtres qui leur sont chers sous les drapeaux en pays étrangers. Les tableaux d’honneur en nos temples, salles de réunion ou d’association, les monuments et les parcs à nos militaires vont se multiplier avec les nouveaux départs constants.

     En tout ceci ne se fait pas en vain puisque l’aurore de la liberté a planté de nouveau sur le monde civilisé, quand le 6 juin dernier les débarquements du Corps expéditionnaire allié sur les côtes historiques de Normandie nous annonçaient la venue prochaine d’une victoire totale et finale. Ce fut, depuis, jour de prières pour la protection de nos soldats, marins et aviateurs, de supplications au ciel pour que la phase la plus horrible de la guerre soit de courte durée afin que nos fils nous reviennent au plus tôt après avoir vu le tricolore de la France libre claquer de nouveau au vent à côté des étendards des Nations-Unies dans une paix juste et de durée pour l’univers entier.”

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[EN] The Part of the Lowell Franco-Americans in the War Effort

The contribution of the 25,000 to 26,000 souls in the French-language population of Lowell Massachusetts, about 26 miles north-east of Boston, to the United States homeland war effort is about identical to that of numerous Franco-American centers in New England and it is no less astonishing.

More than 3,000 soldiers, sailors and aviators are on the battlefields in the four corners of the world, without counting numerous nurses and members of the WACS, WAVES and SPARS. Many thousands of artisans of all specialties work to contribute to the war effort in our local or nearby factories. Many aids assist in the fabrication of travel kits the Red Cross gives members of the overseas-bound military.

Our clubs or associations periodically serve Sunday lunches to the members of the military passing through at the USO’s (United Service Organisations, founded on February 4, 1941 to strengthen the Military service members by keeping them connected to family and home).

These very groups organize elegant receptions for the French sailors whose ships anchor from time to time in Boston Harbor. Our population has contributed many crates of clothes, medication and food items in response to the various calls to donate to the needy in France or for prisoners in Nazi camps. Our population continues to gather clothing for civilians in Greece and in Italy and soon for those in Belgium. And what about our schoolchildren who recuperate old newspapers and magazines to respond to the pressing need for paper.

Our population has generously dipped into its savings to contribute to five War Loans up to now and during the Franco-American campaign for the purchase of Liberty cargos. Lowell ranked first among Franco-American cities with a subscription of more than $200,000 in war bonds. Our population has also donated some of its French books to entertain the French sailors in New York. And the acts of charity towards our military are multiplied during the holidays under the supervision of our sewing and knitting circles and in homes where mothers, daughters and beloved do not eschew collecting clothing or treats for loved ones in the armed services in foreign countries.

The honor rolls in our places of worship, in our meeting halls or associations, the monuments and the parks in honor of our military will multiply with the constant new departures.

And all of this is not done in vain since the dawn of liberty has hovered once again over the civilized world when, last June 6th, the Allied Expeditionary Corps landed on the historical coasts of Normandy and announced the coming of a total and final victory. Since then, it has been a day of prayer for the protection of our soldiers, sailors and aviators, supplications to heaven that the most horrible phase of the war may be brief and that our children may return to us as soon as possible after having seen the tricolored flag of a freed France fluttering in the wind next to the banners of the United Nations in a just and sweet peace for the entire universe.

Antoine Clément”

Leo Kerouac

Son of Jean-Baptiste Kerouac and Clémentine Bernier, potato farmers in Saint-Hubert-de-Rivière-du-Loup Québec, Joseph Alcide Léon Kirouack (Leo Kerouac) was born on August 5, 1889. Like many French-Canadians seeking economic opportunity, Leo left his homeland at a young age and headed for New England. He went to live with relatives in Nashua, New Hampshire. There he married Gabrielle-Ange Lévesque in 1915. The couple had three children, Gerard, Caroline (“Nin”) and Jean-Louis (“Ti-Jean,” Jack). After the death of his eldest child at the age of 9, Leo left his Catholic faith and struggled with alcoholism which greatly strained his relationship with Jack.

Gerard’s untimely passing profoundly affected Jack, spurring him to write Visions of Gerard during the first two weeks of 1956 while he was staying with his sister Caroline in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The novel was published in 1963.

Leo found work in the printing trade. His profession inspired his son’s early interest in writing. Before he became Jack, “Ti-Jean” would put together his own newspapers and comics on the floor of the family home. Without a doubt, Jack’s exposure to Leo’s printing and publishing world served to mold his future literary career.

It was at Nashua’s L’Impartial, the French newspaper Louis-A. Biron founded in 1898, that Leo Kerouac learned the printing trade and perfected his professional expertise. There, he mastered his craft. Biron recognized Leo’s talents, appreciated them and decided to put them to use at L’Etoile. And so it was that “Ti-Jean’s” father worked in Lowell’s French newspaper as a linotypist or typesetter. In addition, Biron entrusted the multi-skilled artisan with reporting, writing and translating assignments.

The Kerouac family moved from Nashua to Lowell because Biron requested that Leo bring his skills to 24-26 Prince Street. Jack Kerouac’s Lowell connection was therefore made possible thanks to L’Etoile.

Leo’s career included many other posts. His proficiency led him to open his own print shop, Spotlight Print, in Lowell. The Great Flood of 1936 destroyed the Spotlight building and destabilized the Kerouac family’s financial stability. Spotlight closed in 1937. Leo’s professional activities included managing semi-pro wrestlers, boxers and Pawtucket Social Club bowling lanes. He also briefly worked as an insurance agent.

Study of Jack’s works can lead the reader to understand that the Prince Street stint had left its mark on Leo.

In chapter 14 of Maggie Cassidy, Jack Duluoz conjures up his father Emil:

Smoke whipped from clean chimneys of Lowell. Now at Worthen, Prince and other old mill town streets as my feet shot past I saw the redbrick faded into something cold and rose – unspeeched – throat-choking – My father’s ghost in a grey felt hat walked the dirty snows – ‘Ti Jean t’en rappelle quand Papa travailla pour le Citizen – pour L’Etoile?’ (Remember when your father worked for the Citizen, for the Star?).

(Maggie Cassidy, published by Avon Books, New York, 1959. Quotations from the original edition, copyright 2013 by the Devault-Graves Agency LLC. Memphis, Tennessee. Pages 91-92.)

In chapter 18, Emil Duluoz introduces himself as “a good linotyper with years of experience.” (Page 113).

We formulate a hypothesis about the author’s choice of “Emil” for Jack’s father’s first name in Maggie Cassidy, Visions of Gerard, and Desolation Angels. One of Leo Kerouac’s co-workers was Emile Vandenbulcke who joined L’Etoile’s team as a very young man and whose family lived above the 24-26 Prince Street print shop. The Vandenbulcke’s cultivated a rooftop garden overlooking Little Canada. Emile was one of the numerous young Franco-Americans to enlist in World War II. During his tour of duty abroad, a little flag with a star flew at 24-26 Prince Street indicating that a resident there was serving in the military. Emile returned from the war and L’Etoile welcomed its hero back with open arms.

Our hypothesis is the following: Emile Vandenbulcke inspired Jack Kerouac to choose the name “Emil,” dropping the “e” to anglicize it and/or masculinize it. This is plausible given that Leo and Emile rubbed shoulders daily at L’Etoile. Furthermore, Leo spoke about his work days with his son and family members as the Maggie Cassidy excerpts demonstrate. Jack Kerouac was inspired by the stories his father shared.

While unravelling the threads of Lowell’s past we learn that Jack Kerouac created magical images of his hometown: “What a town when you come to think of it. – Lowell.” (page 115)

And all things Franco-American were part of the magic. Here are a few examples:

Saint Jean Baptiste Church ponderous Chartres Cathedral of the slums.” (page 72)

Some old bums gathering smoking butts at the door of the newspaper room waiting for nine o’clock opening time – past Prince Street.” (page 72)

The French Canadian tenements seen up side streets.” (page 92)

Leo appears in several of Jack’s books – as “Emil Alcide Duluoz” in Visions of Gerard; as “Pop Duluoz” in Doctor Sax, Visions of Cody and Vanity of Duluoz; as “George Martin” in The Town and the City; as “Emil” in Maggie Cassidy and Desolation Angels; as “Pa” in Book of Dreams; as “Charlie Martin” in The Sea is My Brother; as “Joe Martin” in The Haunted Life and Other Writings.

On May 17, 1946, Leo Kerouac died of stomach cancer at the age of 56 in Ozone Park Queens, New York. Before passing, he received Jack’s solemn promise to always look after his wife Gabrielle. And so, unfailingly, Jack did. Leo’s death is poignantly described in The Town and the City.

Leo Kerouac is buried in St. Louis de Gonzague Cemetery, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Marthe Biron Peloquin

Marthe Annette Biron Peloquin, born in Nashua on September 10, 1919, was the youngest daughter of Louis-A. Biron and Marie Thibaudeau.

She worked as a journalist for L’Etoile from 1940 to 1955 and for many French-language and bilingual publications throughout North America. In 1988, she was awarded the «Yvonne Lemaître French Journalism Prize» for her many contributions.

Marthe Biron Peloquin graduated from Lowell’s Saint Joseph’s High School in 1935, obtained her B.A. from Rivier College in 1939 and an M.A. from Rivier in 1986. She received two honorary doctorates, from Assumption College in 1981 and from Rivier in 1989.

In 1950, she married Dr. Laval U. Peloquin, whose whole career took place in Lowell. He was known to make weekly rounds in Little Canada to serve its French-speaking residents gratuitously, a labor of love he considered sacred. He was a board-certified surgeon at Saint Joseph’s Hospital and, forced for health reasons to abandon surgery, became a board-certified radiologist at Saint Joseph’s before passing away in 1976 at the age of 56.

Marthe Biron Peloquin was active on Lowell’s cultural scene. Secretary of the North Middlesex Medical Ladies Auxiliary from 1955 to 1960, she was later appointed to a municipal post on Lowell’s Industrial Commission in 1963. She was a member of the board of directors of the “Caisse Populaire Jeanne d’Arc,” the Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, from 1970 to 1990, and was also on the Franco-American School board. She was a long-standing member of the “Cercle Jeanne Mance,” a Lowell-based Franco-American women’s club. She was named «Franco-American of the year” in 1979, the first woman thus honored by Lowell’s Franco-American Day Committee.

Her involvement led to recognition outside Lowell and in 1989, she was asked by Governor Michael Dukakis to sit on the board of the Massachusetts Cultural Exchange Commission.

Her steady and selfless involvement in what was her life’s quest: promoting New England’s Franco-American culture and heritage, lead to her being recognized outside of her native region. In 1989, she received the “Palmes Académiques” medal from the Consul General of France. In 1990, she received the medal of “L’Ordre National du Mérite,” an even higher French government distinction. In 1985, Québec Prime Minister René Lévesque, in an official public reception in Québec City, personally named her member of L’Ordre des Francophones d’Amérique for her steadfast work, a rare distinction for an American.

Marthe Biron Peloquin’s outstanding work was done benevolently and selflessly. She was president of the “Société Historique Franco-Américaine” and edited and published numerous bulletins which have their place today in the Boston Public Library.

She was president of the “Fédération Féminine Franco-Américaine” and editor of its Bulletin for 15 years. She was member of the “Comité de Vie Française en Amérique.”

Finally, she was invited on numerous missions all over New England, Louisiana, Québec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and France to speak and run workshops on French-speaking communities in America. She was delegate at the French-speaking communities colloquium held at the University of Lafayette in Louisiana in 1986.

Her entire life was devoted to her family which included all those who were interested in things French whether they be Franco-American origin or not.

Marthe Biron Peloquin passed away on March 12, 2012, and is buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford.

L’Etoile’s columns encompassed Lowell’s rich cultural scene – films, concerts, conferences, exhibitions, poetry readings, plays and gatherings of all kinds.

As a reporter, Marthe wrote on a great variety of topics. When covering offerings in the arts, her appraisals always included detailed observations. Here is her astute review of a college theater group production of a French seventeenth-century classic by Molière (1622-1673) which appeared on the front page of the December 1, 1949, edition of L’Etoile:

[FR] A la salle Saint-Joseph, du vrai théâtre français

     Les collégiens de l’Assomption font revivre avec art et finesse ‘Le Malade Imaginaire’ de Molière et piquent, de plus, le sens esthétique des francophiles de la région.

     Le Cercle Dramatique du Collège de l’Assomption de Worcester, Mass. A fait à la population de Lowell l’énorme compliment de lui présenter une comédie de Molière hier soir et sa confiance n’a pas été trompée puisque ‘Le Malade Imaginaire’ a fait salle comble en l’occurence. Un auditoire d’une grande diversité, composé de distingués membres du clergé, de professeurs de plusieurs communautés religieuses, de professeurs laïcs, d’élèves, de gens de toutes les sphères, se piquent d’apprécier une belle pièce, ou encore simplement d’aimer les choses françaises, reconnut, dès la première scène, la maîtrise incontestable des acteurs et le rayon sympathique s’établit immédiatement de part et d’autre.

     Le succès total de la pièce tient à plusieurs causes. Mentionnons d’abord la qualité de la comédie sans entreprendre le panégyrique d’un des plus perspicaces psychologues que la France ait jamais produit. Décor satisfaisant et costumes exactes, choix judicieux des vedettes aux point de vue apparence, tempérament, voix et diction; la pénétration des rôles qui ne saurait être que le produit d’une direction vibrante et éclairée et d’une culture générale édifiée de longue main.

     L’hypochondriaque classique, le malade imaginaire, l’Argan pitoyable qui doit tant souffrir avant de palper les réalités de son existence, n’aurait pu trouver un plus fidèle interprète qu’Alfred Leblanc dont les muscles faciaux, par je ne sais quel truc de maquillage, avaient pris le descendant. Les yeux roulant dans leurs cernes, la voix vacillante, le geste capricieux, l’attitude voûtée colorée par une chemise de nuit des plus maladives, un kimono bariolé, de bonnet de nuit ceinturé de vert, tout correspondait parfaitement à l’image de Molière. Mais, dans cette image, rien de laborieux, rien de fixe. Argan est d’une flexibilité surprenante. De patient soumis et résigné, d’époux assujetti et dupé, de père autoritaire et dur, il se transforme graduellement, sous le coup des événements, en homme indigné, mari révolté et en père tendre et sympathique grâce aux intrigues de son inestimable domestique, la brillante et audacieuse Toinette. Albert Bouley personnifiait fort intelligemment ce bout-en-train de femme si riche en idées, si vive d’exécution, qui vient à bout de rassembler tous les fils échappés d’une situation bouleversante.

     Joseph Loiselle et Jean Martin, dans les rôles importants de Béline, seconde femme d’Argan, et Angélique, fille d’Argan et amante de Cléante, firent également sensation, ne se laissant que très peu handicapés par la difficulté de jouer des rôles féminins. Béline, physionomie d’ange masquant un coeur hideux, faisait une seconde femme dodue, caressante et à la voix roucoulante, comme celle d’un pigeon à ses heures, mais aussi une belle-mère marâtre. Angélique, très gentille et fort gracieuse de sa personne, attifée en robe blue et chevelure blonde, était vibrante de toutes les émotions pouvant traverser le coeur d’une toute jeune fille et pouvant échapper au coeur d’un jeune homme. La gravité de la voix pouvait s’oublier pour qui concentrait sur le sens visuel et offrait quand même un contraste avec celle de son soupirant, Cléante, doué d’un baryton profond, et d’un physique à faire envie du plus joli prince charmant. Chez le Cléante de Claude Jourdain, toute la galanterie et le charme du dix-septième siècle avec ses perruques à couettes, vestons à jabot et culottes courtes, reprennent vie et c’est avec une énorme satisfaction que l’auditoire les voit triomphalement vaincre toutes les difficultés dans son amour pour Angélique.

     Roger Lepoutre, fort aristocratique d’allure et de diction, tenait le rôle secondaire, mais influent tout de même, de Béralde, le frère dévoué qui se mêle de débarrasser Argan de ses plus offensantes lubies. Jolie fillette et rusée comme ses aînés, Louison (R. Baudet) ajoutait la note enfantine à la pièce tandis que Monsieur Bonnefoy, notaire, était représenté avec justesse par Gérard Pagé.

     Les personnages les plus ridiculisés par Molière dans son ‘Malade Imaginaire’ sont ceux précisément qui cherchent à son époque à abuser la naïveté du commun des mortels. La stupidité humaine est donc portée à son comble par Monsieur Diafoirus, médecin, joué par Claude Dufault, et davantage par son fils Thomas Diafoirus (R. Bouvier), fraîchement agréé par la faculté de médecine de Paris et affichant un monstrueux diplôme enrubanné afin de faire grande impression sur la belle Angélique dont il veut la main. Bouvier, s’oublie complètement dans sa bêtise, prend toutes les allures d’un moron emouraché qui récite fidèlement de mémoire des phrases toutes faites à qui veut prêter l’oreille. Il provoque le rire délirant et suscite une répugnance explicable pour l’instruction de mauvais aloi, la demi-science dont Molière faisait si souvent son profit.

     Monsieur Purgent, médecin d’Argan (Lawrence Richard) et Monsieur Fleurant, apothicaire (Gérard Pagé), sont excellents personnages et complètent une distribution très réussie.

     Le R. P. Yves Garon, a.a., directeur du Cercle Dramatique de l’Assomption, le grand responsable de la perfection de la présentation d’hier, offrit des explications intéressantes de la pièce, avant chaque acte et le Dr. Raoul Drapeau, M.D., président du comité d’anciens élèves, patronnait la représentation locale, dit une brève bienvenue, quelques paroles d’appréciation sur le beau travail culturel qui se fait à l’Assomption, et remercie les gens d’avoir si bien répondu à l’invitation de voir du beau, du vrai théâtre français dont ils peuvent retirer plus de plaisir, en fin de compte, que des pièces de vulgarité inacceptable.

     Le Dr. Drapeau recevait, pour l’organisation d’hier, l’appui du Dr. Laval-U. Peloquin, M.D., trésorier; Louis-A. Biron fils, publiciste; Maître Gérald-H. Bouvier; Dr. Walter Drapeau, Paul Phaneuf; Dr. Joseph-F. Montminy; Dr. Germain Bouchard, M.D.; Robert-H. Achin; Frédérick Achin; Dollard Lambert; François Bourret; Alfred Dion; André Bertrand; Maître Paul Foisy; George Normandin; Pete Lingual; Stanislas Paquin; Raymond Vigneault; Wilfred Beauregard; Amédée Guimond et Maître Paul Achin.

     Après la représentation, le comité d’anciens et d’amis de L’Assomption, avec leurs compagnes, reçurent les acteurs et quelques-uns de leurs professeurs à dîner au Beaverbrook Country Club à Dracut. Les Révérends Pères Germain Guénette, a.a., et Anselme Morrison, a.a., ce dernier originaire de Lowell, accompagnaient les membres de la distribution. –

Marthe-A. Biron

________

[EN] At Saint Joseph Hall, Real French theater

Assumption College students artistically revive Molière’s ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ with finesse and, in addition, pique the aesthetic sense of the region’s francophiles.

Last night, the Assumption College Worcester Drama Club offered Lowell’s Franco-American population the great compliment of presenting a comedy by Molière. The audience’s confidence was not mislead since ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ drew in a full house in this case. A greatly diverse audience, made up of clergy members, professors from many religious communities, lay professors, students and people from all walks of life were eager to appreciate a beautiful play or simply to enjoy things French. From the very first scene, the audience recognized the undeniable mastery of the actors and a pleasant atmosphere was immediately established on both sides.

The total success of the play is due to many factors. Without entering into the tribute to one of the most perspicacious psychologists that France has ever produced, let us first of all mention the quality of the comedy. The decor was satisfactory and the costumes appropriate; the judicious choice of actors, as far as appearance, temperament, voice and diction are concerned; the perfect assimilation of the roles, can only be due to vibrant and enlightened directing and to well-established and organized general culture.

The classic hypochondriac, the imaginary invalid, the pitiful Argan who must suffer so much before grasping the realities of his existence, could not have found a more faithful interpreter than Alfred Leblanc whose facial muscles, by makeup tricks unbeknownst to me, had become droopy. Eyes rolling in their sockets, shaky voice, erratic gestures, stooped posture, added to a sickly-looking nightgown, a striped kimono, a green-ribboned night bonnet, everything corresponded perfectly to Molière’s image. But in this image nothing was labored, nothing set. Argan is surprisingly flexible. From a submissive and resigned patient, a subjected and duped spouse, a hard and authoritarian father, he transforms himself gradually in successive scenes from indignant man, revolted husband and tender sympathetic father, because of the intrigues of his priceless servant, brilliant and audacious Toinette. Very intelligently, Albert Bouley personified this live wire, extremely bright, woman so rich in ideas whose lively execution manages to assemble all of the missing threads of an overwhelming situation.

Joseph Loiselle and Jean Martin, in the important roles of Argan’s second wife Béline, and Argan’s daughter Angélique who is in love with Cléante, were also sensational and were very little handicapped playing women’s roles. Béline, whose angelic appearance masks a hideous heart, made a plump second wife with a caressing, cooing voice, like that of a pigeon at times, but also made a wicked stepmother. Angélique, very nice and extremely graceful in a blue dress and blonde hair, was vibrant with all of the emotions crossing a very young girl’s heart and escaping that of a young man. The actor’s voice could be ignored for an attendee concentrating on the visual aspect. It was nevertheless in contrast to that of the suitor, Cléante, gifted with a deep barytone and a physique to trigger the envy of the most handsome of charming princes. Claude Jourdain, imbued with seventeenth-century gallantry and charm, brought Cléante to life wearing pigtailed wigs, vests with jabots and short trousers. It was with enormous satisfaction that the audience saw Cléante overcome all of the difficulties of his love for Angélique.

Roger Lepoutre, with a very aristocratic allure and diction, played the secondary but nevertheless influential role of Béralde, the devoted brother who gets involved in ridding Argan of his most offensive whims. Pretty young girl and sly like her elders, Louison (R. Beaudet) added the childish note to the play while Monsieur Bonnefoy, the notary, was played with accuracy by Gérard Pagé.

Molière’s most ridiculed characters in ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ are precisely those who, at the playwright’s epoch, took advantage of people’s common naïveté. Human stupidity is therefore brought to its peak by Monsieur Diafoirus, the doctor, played by Claude Dufault, and even more so by his son Thomas Diafoirus (R. Bouvier), freshly graduated from the university of Paris medical school and holding a monstrously large, ribboned diploma in order to impress the fair Angélique whose hand he wishes to win. Bouvier forgets himself completely in his folly, takes on all of the behavior of a moron in love who faithfully recites from memory the ready-made phrases to whomever wishes to lend him an ear. He provokes delirious laughter, and solicits an understandable repugnance for bad instruction, the half-science Molière often used to his profit.

Monsieur Purgent, Argan’s doctor (Lawrence Richard) and Monsieur Fleurant, apothecary (Gérard Pagé) are excellent characters and completed the very successful casting.

Reverend Father Yves Garon, a.a., director of Assumption’s Drama Club, responsible for the perfection of yesterday’s performance, offered interesting explanations of the play before each act. Doctor Raoul Drapeau, M.D., president of the alumni committee sponsoring the local performance, gave a few words of welcome, a few words of appreciation for the beautiful cultural work done at Assumption and thanked the audience for having responded so well to the invitation to attend beautiful, real French theater from which more pleasure can be had than from vulgar unacceptable plays.

Yesterday, for the organization of the event, Dr. Drapeau received the backing of Dr. Laval-U. Peloquin, treasurer; Louis-A. Biron Jr., publicist; Attorney Gérald-H. Bouvier; Dr. Walter Drapeau; Paul Phaneuf; Dr. Joseph-F. Montminy; Dr. Germain Bouchard, M.D.; Robert-H. Achin; Frédérick Achin; Dollard Lambert; François Bourret; Alfred Dion; André Bertrand; Attorney Paul Foisy; George Normandin; Pete Lingual; Stanislas Paquin; Raymond Vigneault; Wilfred Beauregard; Amédée Guimond and Attorney Paul Achin.

After the performance, the alumni committee and friends of Assumption, along with their companions, received the actors and several of their professors to dinner at Beaverbrook Country Club in Dracut. Reverend Fathers Germain Guénette, a.a., and Anselme Morisson, a.a. from Lowell, accompanied the cast members. – Marthe-A. Biron