Deguise gift will be used for French books

Pierre Deguise

Connecticut College professors Pierre and Alix Deguise, who died within hours of each other last July, were known for their dedicated teaching, thoughtfulness and generosity.

So friends say it was no surprise that Pierre Deguise left CC $10,000, income from which will be used for the purchase of French books by the library. The gift was accepted by the Board of Trustees last month.

“He was a literary man and loved literature,” said Jacqueline Chadourne, retired professor emeritus of French, whose family was close to the Deguises for decades. Though Pierre appeared quiet and shy, she said, “He could speak for hours and was very vibrant” when discussing French literature.

The College expects to begin using Deguise’s gift next year by purchasing books of French literature, said Marian Shilstone ’80, director of information resources at the Charles E. Shain Library. She recalled that the Deguises had been “good friends of the library for many years” and were regularly involved in book sales that raised money for materials.

An incredibly close couple who used to sign their letters with one name (PierreAlix), the Deguises left an indelible mark on the College.

Pierre, Brigida Pacchiani Ardenghi Professor Emeritus of French, came to CC in 1958, teaching French and Romance languages and becoming chair of the French and Italian departments. His lifelong interest in French-Swiss writer Benjamin Constant led him to write four books and numerous articles on the author. After he retired in 1981, Pierre contributed to the publication of Constant’s complete works.

Alix Deguise

Alix, associate professor emeritus of French and Italian, helped launch CC’s women’s studies program.

The Deguises were involved in the lives of their colleagues and students both in and outside the classroom, often inviting them to their home for dinner, said Nelly Murstein, Hanna Hafkesbrink Professor Emeritus of French and Italian. But they also expressed their thoughtfulness in other ways. If they read an article or book on a subject that reminded them of someone, Murstein said, they would buy it for them.

When Murstein succeeded Pierre Deguise as chair of the French department, she remembered being nervous about her unfamiliarity with the academic system in America. She found encouragement from Deguise, her mentor.

“He gave me a how-to book and it was a wonderful instructional guide,” she said. “That gesture was emblematic of the kind of things they would do.”

After their retirement, the Deguises volunteered for the American Cancer Society, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and Amnesty International.

“They were very socially engaged,” Murstein said, “on campus and in the world.”