Franco Women: Cultural and Community “Glue”
By Deborah Turner
Final Essay for FAS 230 – Franco American Women’s Experiences
Introduction
Who am I? Where did I come from? Who are my ancestors? How did I come to be who I am? What are those particular characteristics and traits that make me, well, me? These are questions that arise in my mind from time to time when my mind has a moment to rest upon them or when I look through my collection of old family photographs. In fact, the older I get the more curious I’ve become about just how I’ve come to be…a women in the state of Maine with a Franco heritage. I knew there were many others like me, but why weren’t there more stories about us “out there?”
This quest actually started some time ago. My father began a genealogy project with a cousin of his that helped to lay out some of the history of our family. But somehow, that just didn’t seem like quite enough – and so I landed in this class, Franco American Women’s Literature. It has become a personal journey (as instructor Rhea Cote Robbins has so often reminded us) into what my perceptions of being Franco are.
When I first started this course, I thought I knew who I was. I have a great family and have had a successful career. And I always took a fair amount of pride in my Franco heritage – something instilled in me by my parents. But there were moments of shame as well that popped up from time to time -- French jokes that just stopped being funny, feelings that my Franco background had to be hidden for some reason (and never really understanding why). But thanks to this course and the various readings and explorations of heroines both real and fictional, I’ve learned more about just who I am and why there’s great reason to feel proud of this heritage.
One of the major “ah hah” moments for me in the readings of this course is that I was struck by how much Franco women were the “glue” in their families, the unsung heroes of their communities and the keepers of the culture. As I thought about this, I realized what a critical role the women in my family have played as well. No, none were heroes of the magnitude of Mattie Pinette, Margaret Chase Smith or Marie de l’Incarnation, but nonetheless, they’ve played their own part in raising successful families, volunteering in the community and keeping those home fires burning. So, in this paper, I will explore how Franco women have lead the way in various era's (from the first settlements in Canada to those today that are re-building Franco community and pride) and bring in my previous perceptions and how I've been able to look with new eyes upon the value these women, and the Franco women I know, bring to our communities.

The Essential Connectors to our cultural heritage (women)
Being a woman, no matter the era, has been a complex deal. Today, we’re faced with raising families, attending to careers, getting involved in the community, being “miss fix it” (no longer totally depending upon our husbands to wield a hammer), cooking, cleaning, staying fit, being students and managing finances, etc. etc. Although we have many more advantages than our sisters of previous eras, it’s nonetheless complicated. So, how, in a world where the everyday contribution of Franco women has been ignored, do we take our place in history? Certainly, there are larger than life figures – the Margaret Chase Smith and Marie de l’Incarnation types who have achieved recognition have a place in history. But there are many more stories to tell about how central women were to the development of communities and those are largely told through literature, oral histories and family stories. By capturing such stories as we have done through our interviews in this class, we’ve been able to put together some thoughts about what it means to be Franco and most importantly a Franco woman. Traits such as fortitude, perseverance, practicality, strong work ethic, strong faith, food traditions, songs, language (words and the Franco “lilt”), strength and care of families, hand-work (knitting, lacemaking) etc. All of these things and more connect us to that heritage and are also ways in which we pass this heritage on to future generations. My theory is that women play the largest role in retention of these cultural traits because they have the closest connection to future generations.
As we’ve progressed through this course, it’s been fascinating to learn that there are precious few books about the Franco-American women’s experience – and none were ever part of my growing up. Uncovering them has been a bit like an archeological dig – layer by layer we have found what is the essence (or at least part of the essence) of what it is to be Franco and female in the creation of this “new world.” Frankly, I hadn’t given much thought to this while growing up. And neither was it a topic of conversation in my family. We just “were” – my history was that of every other American (a largely male dominated history) – with the exception of attending family gatherings where only French was spoken….of having tourtiere for Christmas (and having friends wonder what the heck that was?).
When I think about my own family, it’s largely through the work of the women that I have bits and pieces of the culture. The women were leaders, or pushers (depending on your perspective) of the Catholic faith in our family. My Grandmother Blier was a strong Catholic and defined her day by her connection to that faith. Religious icons appeared throughout her home and she served the Church as a volunteer in numerous ways. All the women in my family attended to some kind of handcraft. Quilts, lace making, knitting and numerous other crafts were always at hand. The pride they took in their efforts made it easy and attractive for my generation to pick up such efforts as well.
Probably a bit less tangible but of great interest to me (and a significant learning from this class) is the issue of perseverance or fortitude of Franco women in particular. Through fictional heroines such as Pelagie (Maillet), Maggie (Field) or Evangeline (Longfellow) we become familiar with this issue of perseverance. We begin to understand the enormous reservoir of strength Franco women have in moving forward through life despite incredible hardships and seemingly insurmountable odds. Never ones to be overly emotional and immobilized by hardships, they find ways to carry on. In my family as well, I can think of numerous examples of women who forged onward – whose thoughts of the future were so important that they didn’t dwell on the past. Probably most familiar to me is my Mom and one particular memory comes to mind – that is the death of my father. I think back on that time and how she handled the whole affair. She cried and was very sad, but there was definitely that sense that she was forging ahead, making decisions, getting arrangements made for the funeral, entertaining visitors, etc. Always busy and never completely broken down by the whole thing. There was no begging or devastation when Dad decided he didn’t want to be on life support. There was no anger at his illness. She accepted and made her way through the whole experience as best she could. And on the other side, she carried on and created a new life for herself.

Unsung Heroes of their Communities
When one thinks of the founding of the new world, we automatically think about those adventurers we know so well – Christopher Columbus, Samuel de Champlain, etc. All male and all have gone down in history as the catalyst for the creation of North America as we know it today. Our history is largely a male history. But history and successful communities are a complex thing and not easily attributed to a single individual or small group of individuals. As I’ve come to learn, there are many women who played an equally if not more important role in establishing and maintaining communities in the New World. Among them les filles du roi, the brave women who came to the new world thanks to the generosity of the King of France “to meet the needs for settlement of the colony.” Without these women to establish households and provide children and thus more hands to protect and work the land, these colonies would not have survived.
There were also leaders in the settlement of the New World – women who took great risk and lead missions in the new world – Madame de la Peltrie and Marie de l’Incarnation Guyard.
In the early part of the seventeenth century an appeal was made from Canada for bands of religious women to undertake the arduous task of training the Indian girls to HYPERLINK "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htm" Christian habits of life. It met with an instant and generous response. In 1639 Madame de la Peltrie, a French widow of comfortable means, offered herself and all that she had to found a mission in Canada. In May of that year she sailed from Dieppe accompanied by three Ursulines and three hospital sisters. At Quebec the latter founded a Hôtel-Dieu, the former, the first Ursuline convent on the western continent. The superioress of the new foundation was mother Marie de l'Incarnation Guyard, whose heroic virtues won from the HYPERLINK "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07424b.htm" Holy See the title of venerable in the year 1877, and the process of whose canonization is about to be presented. The earliest establishment of the Ursulines in the United States also owes its origin to French initiative. in 1727 Mother Marie Tranchepain, with then companions, embarked from L Orient to found their convent at New Orleans.

But these women were not only devoted to all things religious. The skills needed to be successful in the New World were many fold.
Commanded by a vision to become a missionary in Canada, in 1639 Marie Guyart de Incarnation (Herstory 1978) arrived in what would become Quebec City. By 1642, Marie had built a convent, establishing the first Ursuline school in New France. Her talents as a business administrator enabled the convent to survive against enormous financial odds. Marie learned Algonkin and Iroquois, and wrote dictionaries for both languages. Her 1654 Relation ranks her among the greatest mystics of the Catholic Church. Regularly consulted on political and economic matters, Marie's correspondence--over 12,000 letters--is an irreplaceable document of colonial history.

Women were willing to do that which needed to be done. The role of the Catholic Church and the nuns in particular was critical to the survival of the colonists. Jeanne Mance established the first hospitals in New France. Through her dedication and skills, the colonists received medical care which helped them survive many difficulties.
As I look at the Franco women I know and the contributions they have made to their families and society, I see women who have ensured the education of their children, who are often the manager of household finances and who contribute to the betterment of their communities by volunteering in school settings, churches or other community organizations.
One might think the education, health and welfare, community service or other seemingly secondary issues are not the essential ingredient to establishing communities, but in my view, they are truly what make a community successful.

The “Glue” for families and communities
Think for a moment about families and the people who play a central role in them. As I think of families, I think of children and the importance of raising them. For many pioneer families, children were essential to the growth of the communities as governments needed many more hands for various tasks to make a success of their settlements in the New World. Government encouraged large family size through policies that made payments to families if they had families of certain size. As men were largely employed farming, logging or soldiering, women were left to raise these large families, educate children, run households, encourage participation in religion and address health needs. The close nature of women and children makes it inescapable that they play a critical role in keeping families together and functional. And by raising successful human beings, they contribute enormously to the success of the community.
The value placed on certain aspects of family and community life by women is important to note. Family and community gatherings are most often organized by the women in my family. I think of my Matante Dot’s effort this past summer to gather the family together for a family reunion. At almost 80, it’s surprising that she could undertake such an effort, but she did – with many helpers – but she clearly led the effort. The importance of gathering everyone together was clear to her. This importance of gathering is also reflected among my own siblings – arranging occasional celebrations or holiday gatherings is a tradition that keeps us in touch with one an other and also helps us to share whatever remaining cultural traditions we have.
One remarkable tradition my older sister established after my father died was to pass along “The PieMaster” to someone each year. The PieMaster is a symbol of my father in the form of a statue of a lion with a pie (my Dad loved pies). His role is to protect the person with whom he resides for the year. I also added to that tradition by putting together a scrapbook with pictures from the family that each one adds to during the year. Over time it will house a remarkable history of our family. Through such things as family gatherings and passed on cultural traditions, Franco families remain close and cultural traditions get handed down.
You go girl!
"Let us fight to the death for our country and for our holy religion. Remember what our father has so often told you, that gentlemen are born but to shed their blood for the service of God and the king!"

Madeleine de Vercheres saved the settlement of Montreal in 1692 thanks to quick thinking and inspired efforts when she pulled together a rag tag group of individuals to fend off attacks from the Iroquois. I’m sure there were many unknown and uncelebrated events such as this throughout the course of Franco women’s history. But there were many, more mundane yet equally as powerful roles that women played throughout the course of history on this continent.
As Franco families immigrated to the US to work in factories, women worked at multiple levels – holding jobs in factories while maintaining households and managing their families.

Migrant women play a part in the economic development of both their
country of destination and their country of origin through financial contributions from remittances, the improvement of their own skills or their contribution to the improvement of the education and skills of the next generation. Individual remittance transfers continue to be an important source of income for many families in developing countries. Migrant women may also influence the societies of origin by disseminating new values about the rights and opportunities for women.

In the story of Canuck by Camille Lessard Bissonette, we learn what the experience of being an immigrant mill worker in this country must have been like. To take on the responsibility of work and contributing to the welfare and betterment of the family must have been an onerous task – but as we’ve so often seen, one taken on with a willing sense of determination and obligation.
When thinking about what it must have been like for women to immigrate to the US to work in mills or even to raise families in a new, foreign country, I think of my Memere. Both my Memere and Pepere had grown up with the farming life – in very rural settings very close to lots of family. When they immigrated to the U.S. to Waterville, Maine, to seek a better life, I can only imagine the adjustment. They must have had to deal with being in a larger city, begin to learn the language and culture of their new home, ensure their children’s future by getting them adjusted to their new school and surroundings and forging new relationships with their church, neighborhood and community. It must have been a daunting experience especially with 4 children to worry about. But they persevered and depending upon your definition of success, they successfully supported themselves and contributed to the success of their community.
Unlike my Memere, many women also went to work in those mills and factories. My mother and Aunts were among that next generation of women who joined the workforce. Both worked at the Hathaway factory sewing the fine shirts produced there. Although sewing might be considered women’s work, it was nonetheless grueling.
Women also served along side men in mills. As Canuck depicts, women worked in mills with complicated equipment designed to create large sheets of fabric. And especially during the years of World War II, women replaced men in some positions.
Phyllis Beaulieu began working at Eastern Manufacturing in Brewer in 1949, not long after World War II ended, and she says many of the mill positions formerly occupied by men were filled by women during the war:
A lot of women took over during the war but [when the men returned] they had to have their jobs back. That was the law. If they came back and there was no work, we’d be laid off, the younger ones, and they’d say “We’ll call you back when we need you.” But a lot of [women] stayed right on their jobs too. There were women working on the cutters, which always were men’s jobs. There was a lady there, I couldn’t believe how she could cut those great big reams of paper and pull them sharp knives down .

Keepers of the Culture
As I read through various issues related to “survivance” and how some close-knit communities of Franco-Americans have been able to keep many customs and cultural traits alive and well, I contrast that to my own experience. Both of my parents were brought up in Waterville in the Franco section of town by the river (known as the Plains). Both spoke French in their homes and spoke English with schoolmates and to the larger community. Cultural traditions such as a strong connection to the Catholic Church (both attend Notre Dame Church which was almost literally in their back yard), holiday “reveille” (or party-like gathering of family and friends to celebrate the Christmas holiday), tourtiere, strong family connections, etc. Their accent, although washed away somewhat by time, was still there for a number of words – my Dad always pronounced “three” as “tree” much like Rhea’s Oncle Pet-Pet as depicted in Wednesday’s Child. My Mom placed accents on the wrong syllables (i.e. Lew IS ton) and of course, the assorted French cuss word – “mougee” was often heard when something went wrong. So for them, cultural identity was and is quite strong.
As I look at my generation of cousins, I’m struck by the differences in us. At a summer family reunion, I noted that those cousins whose families had remained in Waterville had that French “lilt” that is associated with Francos. Like their parents, they inherited that twang probably because they continued to be immersed in the culture. My siblings and I don’t have that same “lilt.” In fact, my brother has a Maine accent and my sisters and I don’t seem to fall into either category. My parents moved to Bangor, a largely WASP city where there was no identified Franco neighborhoods. We lived among people of Irish, English, French and Jewish heritage. And they were largely all mixed together.
So, if time and “assimilation” are taking generations further and further away from the cultural roots (with oppression playing a large role in that), how can one maintain important cultural connections and rediscover their heritage if they so wish?
Thankfully, through the heroic and groundbreaking work of many of the fictional and autobiographical works we have read (Metallious, Cote Robbins, Bissonnette, Maillet, Cather, Field, etc.) we are able to capture a sense of what it means to be Franco. These pioneering, brave women wrote of things others had largely ignored or were afraid to write. Theirs were not sunny, happy books. Rather, they looked at the true nature of life and the culture in which they lived it and captured it for future generations. Literature is a critical piece of effort and one that should continue to be developed and researched. Also, the history of Francos is beginning to be taught in schools in Maine – at least in my daughter’s school) which is helpful in connecting future generations to their cultural roots and seeing their history acknowledged.
Another way that the connection can be maintained and even grown is through the efforts of cultural centers and community groups and events designed to celebrate Franco culture. Through the work of the Franco American Studies programs at USM, UM Fort Kent, UM and other institutions of higher learning, there is the scholarship needed to dig deep into the rich history of our culture. And there are other efforts that have been developed over the course of the later part of the 20th Century and still developing to celebrate this culture. There are museums, cultural centers, festivals and local clubs all helping to retain and grow the appreciation for the importance of Francos.
Women in my family were also the primary keepers of the culture. Their close connection to children and grandchildren helped to pass along those traits mentioned earlier. They were the keepers of family photos and organizers of family and community gatherings. Through the years, they have maintained a pride in being Franco that is communicated regularly to younger generations.

Summary
Sadly, much of Franco women’s history still remains unwritten or undocumented partly because the Franco culture has been largely ignored as historically significant for many years and partly because women were not seen as significant contributors to societies. Studying what is available thanks to Rhea’s efforts and beginning to capture the oral history of Franco women through the interviews conducted for this class will help future generations understand the critical importance of women to our cultural heritage. Through this course, my eyes have been opened to what a valuable contribution they have played. I know can pass this knowledge on to others – my own daughter and numerous nieces and nephews who will benefit from knowing “why they are who they are.”



Reference
Franco American Women’s Institute web site. HYPERLINK "http://www.fawi.net/" http://www.fawi.net/

The Essential Connectors to our cultural heritage (women)

Field, Rachel. Calico Bush. New York: Dell Publishing, 1931.

Maillet, Antonine. Pelagie: The Return to Acadie. New York and Toronto: Doubleday & Co. Inc., 1982.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie.


Keepers of the Culture

HYPERLINK "http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/events/flint.htm" http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/events/flint.htm

Robbins, Rhea Cote. Wednesday’s Child. Brewer, Maine: Rheta Press, 1997.

Les Filles du Roi: des Femmes Immigrant. 1998. Musee de Civilization. 13 December 2006. HYPERLINK "http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mcq.org%2Fhistoire%2Ffilles_du_roi%2Fimmgrant.html&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools" http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mcq.org%2Fhistoire%2Ffilles_du_roi%2Fimmgrant.html&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools

Knight, Kevin. New Advent. The Ursulines. 13 December 2006, HYPERLINK "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15228b.htm" http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15228b.htm

 Religion: Marie Guyart de l'Incarnation. Her Story: An Exhibition. 13 December 2006. HYPERLINK "http://library2.usask.ca/herstory/incarn.html" http://library2.usask.ca/herstory/incarn.html

Knight, Kevin. New Advent. Jeanne Mance. 13 December 2006 HYPERLINK "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09584a.htm" http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09584a.htm

Email from Rhea Cote “Re: Reaction 1” to Deborah Turner. 1 September 2006.

de Verchères, Madeleine. 1692, Narrative of the Heroic Deeds of Madeleine de Verchères (1678-1747) aged 14 years, against the Iroquois October 22-30, 1692, Franco American Women’s Institute, 13 December 2006.
HYPERLINK "http://www.fawi.net/ezine/vol3no3/Vercheres.html" http://www.fawi.net/ezine/vol3no3/Vercheres.html

 2004 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: Women and International Migration March 2005: pg. 4. 16 December 2006
HYPERLINK "http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/WorldSurvey2004-Women&Migration.pdf" http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/WorldSurvey2004-Women&Migration.pdf

MacDougall, Pauleena M. & Stevens, Amy L. Women in Maine Paper Industry 1880-2006: Chapter 8 “it’s a Man’s World”. 5 October 2006. Maine Folklife Center/University of Maine. 13 December 2006
HYPERLINK "http://www.umaine.edu/folklife/wp_amansworld.html" http://www.umaine.edu/folklife/wp_amansworld.html

Robbins, Rhea Cote. , Wednesday’s Child. Brewer, Maine: Rheta Press, 1997 Pg. 41
“A Necklace of the  Franco-American Jewels  of Maine & NH.” FAWI.NET. July 2006. 13 December 2006
HYPERLINK "http://www.fawi.net/maine.html" http://www.fawi.net/maine.html


Monday, January 1, 2007 9:10:40 PM
FAS230_WST301
From: Deborah Turner
Subject: Re: final project/grades
To: Rhea Cote

Cc: FAS230_WST301


Hi Rhea,
Hope you had a nice holiday. Feel free to use my final report and publish as you wish.
Best,
Deb