THE JANUS
THE FIRST AFS HOST FAMILY by Lawrence D. Geller Former AFS Archivist Robert Nourse graduated from Princeton University in the spring of 1917 . Nourse with other Princeton and Yale students constituting units from their respective universities, joined the American Field Service, and went to France to serve in its struggle with Germany. Nourse became a member of Section Sanitaire American 67. While being quartered in Chelles-sur-Marne, in August, 1917, he met a number of French residents of the town. French children were always coming to the American cantonment. It was there that Robert Nourse met Jacques Varlet, who with a group of other 5 year olds, came to see the Americans. Nourse soon learned about Jacques's family the Devoudelles. Nourse asked Jacques to take him home with him to meet them, and the little boy was happy to introduce his new friend from America. The Devoudelles had been forced to leave their Ardennes home in 1914 just ahead of the German advance. The father of the family remained to protect his property and to look after his own aged father who could not travel. He, of course, became virtually a prisoner in German occupied France, unable to rejoin his family in Paris. The m?ther, two married sisters, Celine and LOUIse, and a younger sister, Yvonne, with Louise's young son Jacques, constituted the family in exile. In winter of 1916, disaster struck this family. Both Celine and Louise's husbands, French army officers, had been killed in action, and Louise herself died of pneumonia. The family of course, was living on very limited means'when Robert Nourse, by this time Chef de Section Sanitaire 67, befriended them.
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Robert L. Nourse, Jr. (SSU 67), Carte d'fdentite photo, ca. June 1917
Nourse's French was good when he came to France, and rapidly improved during hi~ first number of months in the AFS. He had httle difficulty in communicating with the Devoudelles and in developing a great affection for the younger daughter, Yvonne. He became virtually a member of the family and began to think of himself as one of them, and they, in turn, reciprocated his friendship. In Bob Nourse's own words: It became evident to me as Yvonne talked since the death of Varlet and Beaudoux, (the husbands of the older sisters), life had been terribly hardfor this little group of refugees. In fact, desperate Mme. Beaudoux has a job which pays a small wage. But aside from that, they have nothing. They are gentle folk, like my ownfamity back in Idaho. I have tried to help the Devoudelles as best as I could - which so far has been very little, even so, I have to be tactful, they are very proud. Yvonne is quite a remarkable girl. I doubt it if she is over 17. She is modest and gentle and sweet. She is generous and kind.