A good knight among us
Fourteen years ago this March, the Head of the Modern Foreign Languages Department, Professor Roger Noël, received the honorary title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Knight in the Order of Academic Palms) in recognition for his work toward the dissemination of French life, art, culture and language. Monsieur Noël, a citizen of both Belgium and the United States, received his license at the University of Liège in Belgium, his master’s at the University of Missouri in Columbia, and his doctorate at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Noël has a background in Germanic languages, Romance languages, as well as Classical languages. Noël taught at the University of Missouri for his first 16 years after coming to the United States and became president of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) in Missouri. Then he moved to Monmouth College in Illinois for six years, where he again was president of AATF, this time Downstate Illinois (all of Illinois except the Chicago area). Noël finally moved from Monmouth College to GCSU in January of 1992; he subsequently became president of AATF in Georgia.
“I’ve been president in three states, and that’s it,” Noël said.
The award Noël received is the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms), and it is one of the oldest distinctions in French culture. It is an Order of France created for academics and educators. The order was originally introduced by Napoleon in 1808 to honor outstanding members of the University of Paris. It was re-created once again on Oct. 4, 1955, by President René Coty. The Palmes Académiques were first given only to teachers or professors of French culture, but then in the mid-1800s, the order decided to include other individuals for their distinguished services toward the French national education. The Ordre des Palmes Académiques has three rankings. The first rank is a Commandeur (commander), who receives a medallion that is worn around the neck. Then there is an Officier (officer), who receives a medallion on a ribbon with a rosette that is worn on the left breast. The third rank is a Chevalier (knight), who receives a medallion on a ribbon that is worn on the left breast. Individuals may not apply for the Ordre des Palmes Académiques but must be nominated. Noël was nominated by the French Cultural Attaché in Chicago. The Ordre des Palmes Académiques, with its distinctive insignia, is rather selective: as of 2002 there were only 11 recipients in Georgia. It is the second oldest decoration in France after the Legion of Honor.
Professor Noël received the decoration in 1994 at the Governors Mansion in Milledgeville from the French Consul in Atlanta. When asked him what students thought about him being an honorary knight, he said “students don’t know about it, because I don’t brag about my award.”
Sophomore literature major Olivia Dowd said, “He’s a wonderful teacher; an extremely patient and understanding professor. He is always willing to work with you.”
When asked some of Noël’s students about him being a knight, sophomore marketing major Allie Adeli said, “I didn’t know until recently that he was a knight. It doesn’t effect how I think of him. Professor Noël is a great teacher; he is extremely intelligent. He always shares such useful knowledge and random facts with us during class.”
Noël doesn’t flaunt his award around; instead he leaves it behind him when he walks out of his office.
“I appreciate this great honor from the French government for my many years of working on behalf of French culture, language and everything else I was a part of,” Noël said.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Feb 15 2008. Filed under Features.
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