Summer 2011
The evening the French Consulate’s cultural attaché to Houston, Patrice Vanoni, graciously spoke the customary prose to bestow the honor of chevalier and pin the ruban violet to Georges Detiveaux’s left breast, Detiveaux was nervous. Such an emotion seems an appropriate and reverent appreciation to being knighted. “They were beautiful words, and then, as is expected, I gave a speech to welcome and thank everyone for coming,” says Detiveaux, the awe of the night reflecting on his face.
It is tradition to organize one’s own ceremony whether it be a private party, or a business or community event. Detiveaux, a French professor at Lone Star College-Cy-Fair, had his exclusive soiree on December 17, hosted by good friend, Sid Moorhead. “I invited 70 or so people, a smattering of contacts—students, teachers, friends—and Sid went all out,” Detiveaux says. “Decorations, catering, bartenders, flowers everywhere—it was a grand affair.” The continental elegance of the setting and ceremony made presenting one of the oldest orders of knighthood still in existence under France’s flag everything it should be.
An Eminent Honor
L’ Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) inducted Detiveaux into an elite rank of scholars educators, and cultural figures, who have made major contributions to French society. This Order of Chivalry includes the awarding of a royal purple ribbon from which hangs silver, arching palm branches and an official certificate. Three ranks exist: chevalier (knight), officier (officer), and commandeur (commander).
“It’s quite an honor to receive the award, because usually it’s given at the culmination of a career, and my life has just begun,” Detiveaux says. “I still have so many ideas and ways to help people.” Emperor Napoléon originally established the decoration to honor eminent members of the University of Paris, so it is fitting to recognize this Lone Star College Cy-Fair French professor who has made a host of personal contributions to education.
A Living Laboratory
Since he began teaching at LSC-Cy-Fair in 2003, Detiveaux has doubled the size of the Language Lab and transformed it into the campus’ only full-service language technology center and a premier facility in Texas. Recently, he established the Xi Gamma Chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma, the national foreign language honor society, at the LSC-Cy-Fair campus. He also supports all instructional technology used in the language labs, as well as multidisciplinary faculty training and support for instructional innovation through the college’s teaching and learning center.
“Even though my full-time position has me managing computer labs and handling faculty training, I still teach a French class every fall and spring, since that’s where my true passion is,” says Detiveaux. “Also, I’m a firm believer that you can’t be an advocate for teaching and learning with technology if you don’t practice what you preach, so the classroom and our great French students are somewhat of a living laboratory for me. They keep me open to all kinds of fresh and new possibilities that I’d never stumble upon otherwise.”
Promoting French Culture
When Detiveaux got the call about earning the honor of knighthood, he was surprised. He didn’t even know he’d been nominated. But his consistent presence promoting French culture through associations and workshops has been hard to miss. Whether he is planning for French Culture Month, lecturing, training area teachers or heading up organizations like Houston’s American Association of Teachers of French, he is very involved. “I like collaborating with people at other campuses. It’s rewarding to improve classroom situations for teachers.”
Falling for France from the Start
Detiveaux grew up in Louisiana, where French traditions marry a swirl of Mediterranean and Caribbean cultures to form Creole customs. “I suppose that one of the reasons I chose to teach French is that some of my fondest memories of my mother are of her teaching me French with the Sears catalog as a learning tool,” he says. France made a lasting impression, and later, the bayou college student traveled to Loire valley, France for a semester. Then in Houston attending grad school, he became co-director for a study abroad program in Bourges, France and an exchange program that took him to Rennes, France to lecture and translate.
The plains, gently rolling hills, and border mountains of France became a familiar destination for him over time. “My favorite place is Brittany, a unique setting with Arthurian legends—a Celtic place,” Detiveaux says. “And there is the Champagne region—I’m into wine.”
Learning is a Leap of Faith
Detiveaux does not fancy himself a stereotypical French teacher who is strict and particular. “I’m focused more on communicating. It’s important to have teachers who encourage students. Grammar is boring, so we use material in context—books, films—the more exposure to interactive language practice, the better. You need to take a leap of faith when learning a foreign language.” And sometimes, you leap at life for all your worth and are rewarded with knighthood. CFM