The Vernets Return to Exeter

André Vernet was particularly important in SYA France's history. Along with co-founder Dan Olivier and then-Executive Director Ed Harris, they chose Rennes as the city for what would become the campus for SYA France. Later, André served as Resident Director of SYA France from 1986 through 1991, ably assisted by his wife Penny, who served as academic counselor and college advisor. Their son, Julien, later attended SYA France during the 1998-1999 academic year. Sadly, André passed away peacefully on May 5, 2024. He was 95.  

Reprint from Summer/Fall 1991 SYA Newsletter

Pictured left: Adjunct Mayor of Rennes Victor Janton, Dan Olivier and André Vernet during site exploraton in 1966
Middle: André and Julien Vernet
Right: Penny Vernet

Five intense years as SYA France Resident Director have raced by since André and Penny Vernet and their four-year-old son Julien moved into the apartment above our Rennes classrooms at 5, allée Ste. Marie. Countless joys and more than a few worries from working with some 300 teenagers have filled the Vernets' days.

After four years with no serious mishaps, their tranquil little Rennes community felt suddenly vulnerable last fall, as the turmoil in the Persian Gulf gave rise to threats of harm to Americans in other parts of the world. André found himself checking regularly under his car for suspicious wires and communicating almost daily with the Secret Service, the police and officers at the American Embassy. In one particularly harried moment he considered hiring a security guard with a dog — at 50 francs per day for just the dog. With such concerns in their final year, it seems only right for the Vernets to return to small-town life in Exeter, NH, and, even better, to a sabbatical. André declares he's earned every second of it — not that even a year off is guaranteed to be pure ease. After first adjusting to Rennes five years ago, it's now time for the Vernets to adjust to a different life in the United States, and changes in themselves, too.

The one who has changed the most is of course Julien, who couldn't see over the top of Colette Damboise's desk when he arrived in Rennes in 1986; the desk comes up to his waist now. He speaks French fluently, and even has an impressive command of argot and undesirable words. Colette says he's more French than American — certainly his gestures are French. He has recently been amazed that at his new American school students can slouch in their seats and yawn without being scolded by the teacher, and several fellow fourth graders are getting away with wearing Mohawk haircuts.

Penny Vernet looks forward to adjusting to life back in Exeter, where she will savor the luxury of time to pursue painting with watercolors, playing the recorder and reading. She'll re-enter a circle of friends who have gotten together regularly for the last 14 years to speak French. She will also enjoy just being quiet. Visiting in Canada and frequent skiing will once again be possible, and Penny will see relatives in Utah more often.

André remembers an Exeter associate who, when asked some years ago what he planned to do on his sabbatical, replied with exasperation, "Do I have to do anything?" But he is already lining up projects, many of them having to do with his rather new experience of owning a house. Actually, as Resident Director André often felt he already owned a house, and he had to acquire a vast vocabulary of technical French to deal with all the people he needed to help him run it.

Penny says André was known by his friends in Rennes as a gardener in the French way — everything from the garden ends up on the table. But he missed having the time to catch, grow and cook his food in France. Now that he's in Exeter, every other week he will be the cook, treating himself to "some good rare meat and strong wine." In between he will accept Penny's vegetarian cooking, somewhat at odds with his own preference.

André also looks forward to reading, writing for the family, developing some ideas related to teaching French, speaking French with Julien and watching him progress in his American school. As he lines up appointments with furnace repair people and others for estimates on household work, he must be wondering when in this "restful" year he'll finally find time to take off — just to go fishing.