D E PA R T I N G FAC U LT Y by J o e H o r n i n g , U p p e r S c h o o l c h o ra l m u s i c t e a c h e r
Guten Abend meine Damen und Herren. Es freut mich sehr sie begrüssen zu können. Ce soir nous célébrons nombreuses années d’enseignement dédié de la langue française.
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Questo talento è unico, e spinto da un profondo amore per le lingue e una genuina curiosità.
Brigitte Tournier retired this spring after 25 years of teaching French at the Upper School. Her linguistic versatility spanned an array of languages—including German, Russian, Chinese, and Italian. As a tribute to her genuine curiosity and linguistic talent, I made a humble stab at trying to speak the five phrases above at the Faculty Farewell Dinner, but only Brigitte could recite each with a perfect accent. Brigitte grew up as “Birgut,” and her “Mutter Sprach,” or mother language, was German. She began studying French in the 7th grade at the American Academy in Athens, Greece, where her father worked for the U.S. Embassy. She continued her study of French in high school and subsequently spent twenty years living in Paris. In fact, when Brigitte’s colleague Cecile Roucher-Greenberg first met her over lunch, Cecile noticed “her very French Parisian accent! Her whole demeanor and wardrobe looked very ‘chic’ to me. Twenty-five years later, she still looks quite sharp.” Brigitte acquired her Italian by osmosis—something related to Italian wine, I think; and the Chinese and Russian have come via diligent study, enrolled as a student in BB&N classes with her colleagues Chinese teacher Yinong Yang and Russian teacher Josh Walker. Imagine Intro to Russian with a class of 14 and 15 year old ninth graders, mostly boys!...and Brigitte there in the corner…looking over the young American lads’ shoulders like a KGB agent. Brigitte’s keen ear, determination, and genuine curiosity for the written and spoken word are some of her most admirable characteristics. Brigitte has been engaged in the life of BB&N in many ways. In addition to teaching French, she taught a mini-course in German during Senior Project, she’s chaperoned trips to China and a Chorale Tour to Italy. Brigitte has also been a Ninth Grade advisor and a Bivouac guide for 19 years. She took great pride in her advising, and has always made a special connection with her creative, artistic, or musical advisees. She split duties with Cecile in the Squad 9 site at Bivouac, consistently sporting her Bivouac knife at her side and those bright red rain boots. She lectured on flashlight decorum with such verve and panache that every year students could be heard throughout the woods shouting, “who goes there?!” and politely shining their lights at the feet of the person they were greeting, rather than into their eyes. Decorum, elegance, and good manners were hallmarks of Brigitte’s tenure here at BB&N, and she imparted those values to her students. Brigitte loves the arts and culture. A talented artist, she has produced charming shows of her own landscape and still life photographs and paintings at the French Cultural Institute. She’s also designed costumes for theater productions in her hometown of Winchester. Her diverse tastes in art and culture have inspired creative teaching. She regularly assigned 16
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