University of Virginia Library

Monsieur Carriere

Joseph-Medard Carriere succumbed last
week to the diseases which had plagued him
since last summer. This man who spoke the
French language with a peculiar nasal twang
set an example very much worth emulating in
all his endeavors. Outside of Charlottesville
this professor of French was known chiefly
for his bibliographical and folkloric studies.
Of the many honors he received, perhaps the
most impressive was the Crowning of his book
"Tales From the French Folklore of
Missouri," by the French Academy, an honor
which is very rarely bestowed upon any
individual who is not a native Frenchman.

Much of the national respect for the
University's French Department of the last
two decades was due to the reputation of this
man. The current collection of some 70,000
French titles in Alderman Library was largely
the result of Joseph Carriere's decision to
come to the University in 1942.

In Charlottesville, Monsieur Carriere was
known as a man who was eager to help others,
particularly students. All too often a
professor who has been granted tenure is
content to ignore undergraduate students. But
Monsieur Carriere had a great fondness - a
soft spot really - for undergraduates. He
sympathized a great deal with the problems of
all his students but the attention he gave to
undergraduates is really exceptional. He
judged a student on more than his vocabulary
or grammar, taking into account a student's
character and potential. He had the priceless
ability to bring out the best in a person.

His students were very loyal, for Monsieur
Carriere quickly established a personal bond
with every student he taught. He enjoyed
seeing his students outside of the classroom
and would frequently entertain them in his
home. Always eager to improve the quality of
undergraduate education he was one of the
first faculty members to volunteer to teach a
first-year seminar, which was a very popular
and well-attended course.

Monsieur Carriere possessed a strong social
conscience. When the Hope House project in
the community had to close its doors a few
years ago he continued tutoring four
disadvantaged children in French almost to
his death. To these little girls he was a father
figure and advisor who would go to any
length to encourage their pursuit of happiness
and success.

The tremendous respect accorded to
Joseph Carriere by all who knew him is
totally appropriate, for this humble, tolerant
man gave everything he had to make the
world he lived in a better place. We are all
indeed fortunate to have been the
beneficiaries of his efforts.