ý And So To France
A Year in Provence with Eight High School Freshmen
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About the Book
"These students were natural, uninhibited, full of the joy of life, yet were mannerly and exhibited respect for authority. I can say that I wish all traveling Americans could be as charming and as good ambassadors as your group!"-From a former dean of freshmen at Dartmouth College in a letter to our headmaster after visiting the Hotel de L'Atelier in Villeneuve
To read about and see photos of the ancient Pont du Gard in a history book is one thing, but to study it one morning and the same afternoon go racing across the top or through the aqueduct and marvel at the skill of the Romans 2000 years ago is quite another. Well, that's precisely what we did in 1970.
The Camargue, a marshy delta on the Mediterranean at the mouth of the Rhône River, is a huge regional park and bird paradise with wild horses and bulls and sandy beaches. I had read and heard about this area, but never had occasion to visit. It seemed like the perfect time because there was an annual event in Saintes Maries de la Mer where gypsy people meet for the ritual of carrying a statue of Ste. Marie into the ocean to be blessed.
About the Author
Gerry Ashley was an instructor of French from 1953 to 1981 at Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, Ohio. She was one of the first recipients of the Faculty Hall of Fame award (voted by alumni). She served as Alumni Director and a member of the Board of Trustees after her retirement. She and her husband operated a wine shop and small restaurant/café for a few years before moving to northern Michigan, where they enjoy the beauty of Leelanau Country with their chocolate Labrador. Gerry volunteers at the Leland Library and the Historical Museum, loves boating on Lake Leelanaur, cooking, reading, knitting and gardening.