Celebrating Mary Beth Ellis

Celebrating Madame Mary Beth Ellis

A number of years ago I asked the academic departments to take stock on why we do what we do, under the notion that healthy institutions need to be self-critical in order to justify their existence. The request was hardly met with universal acclaim. After all, what we teach is justified by the fact that we teach it, the unassailable logic of the petitio principii, or what we would now call begging the question. Yet after some reflection the responses were thoughtful and utilitarian – the importance of academics as preparation for navigating the treacherous waters of higher academe as well as the work place were the major concerns of the faculty.

That is except for the French department, who saw utility as secondary, and justified their existence primarily on the aesthetics of French language and culture as ends in themselves, a simple, elegant raison d’etre, or we might say a mighty blow for Platonic idealism. And it seemed all the more appropriate since year after year a poetic synchronization is taking place with a beautiful woman teaching the magnificence of French literature, art, film, history, and philosophy, always within the nuances of the language. Aesthetics in this case is no small matter because it is beauty that makes life worth living, especially in a world where the meretricious and vulgar are only a click away.

Most of you are familiar with the story of Madame since it has become the stuff of legend. A young teacher fresh out of grad school at La Sorbonne and the Paris riots of 1968, convincing seventy-something Livingston DeLancey to completely retool the French curriculum from the doldrums and ennui of translation to a focus on speaking and intellectual engagement. The result has been a second to none French program that ultimately gained international recognition when Madame was made a chevalier in L’ordre des Palmes Academiques in 2013 by the French government.

But I want to conclude with aesthetics. In Madame’s career thousands of her students have graduated fluent in French. Yet there are a number of her students, who have also known the ineffable joy of aesthetic transcendence, the experience of being swept away by the French language and culture for its own sake. This in my estimation is Madame’s greatest gift to both her students and the Country Day community. And if we are to take stock in what has been a brilliant career and vocation, I don’t think it gets better than that. – G. Howard Hunter

At L’Orangerie in Paris in an oval-shaped gallery hangs Monet’s giant canvases of Water Lilies. They run the length of the room completely enveloping the onlooker. This work of art is overwhelming with its mélange of colors evoking peace and serenity. It renders one speechless as it is so mesmerizing in its conveyance of beauty that we are drawn to it and don’t want to look away. So too is this work of art. Mary Beth evokes a peaceful serenity, and we are overwhelmed to be in her presence. She has not only taught the nuances of French grammar to her students, but we learned about philosophy, literature, art, meditation, compassion, and love. Her strong sense of spirituality is at the heart of all of her lessons, and so is her sense of fun.

Funny story, Mary Beth and I stood in line to go into L’Orangerie for over an hour before we realized that we were in fact in a line for an Easter Egg hunt in the Tuileries. I guess somehow, we didn’t notice that we were the only people in line without small children. Naturally, this did not phase her at all. She chalked it up to the universe giving us an hour to spend together. Being in her presence in and out of the classroom is a transformative experience. There is no false move on her part. Everything she does is with the grace and intent of a humble master of her craft. Whether it is teaching the past conditional or the four noble truths of Buddhism, like Monet’s masterpiece, she bestows upon all of us an overwhelming sense of beauty. “We are all walking each other home,” says Ram Dass. How lucky we are that we get to walk some of the way with you, Mary Beth. – Shay Steckler

Madame Mary Beth Ellis’s 50th Year Celebration