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          Info on Nova Scotia 2004 Reunion           2004 Reunion Photos       Info on 2009 New Brunswick Reunion                    

            For further information, please contact :   Ginette Arsenault at (902) 424-2041 or by
             e-mail at : garsenault@cma2004.com

        Work is ongoing in attempt to organize reunions for the following families:
Babineau  (contact Genevieve Babineau)
Blanchard, Vacon, Frotten, Dulong  (contact Cyrille LeBlanc)
Bourque  (contact Armand Bourque)
Clairemont, de Viller, Harris, Fitzgerald, Jacquard (contact Robert Harris)
Hebert (no contact at this time)
Forest (contact  Denis Forest)
Granger (contact Francois Granger)
Guidry (contact Martin Guidry)
Hubbard (contact Richard Hubbard)
Melanson (contact eddie D. Melanson)
Pellerin(contact Jude Avery)
Surette and Babin (contact Cyrille LeBlanc)
Thibeau (contact Bill Thibeau)

Bits and Pieces.
By Loubert Trahan
Myths about Bilingualism

Further information about all of these myths can be found in the books listed on the
Books and Newsletters page.

·         "Learning two languages confuses a child and lowers his intelligence."
Old, poorly designed studies done primarily in the United States claimed to show that bilinguals
had lower intelligence than monolinguals. Newer research has revealed several flaws in the studies.
The most obvious flaw is that the bilingual children were recent immigrants, with poorer knowledge
of English and more stressful life situations than their monolingual counterparts. Newer studies with
more careful controls have shown that bilinguals are better at some specific tasks, such as language
games, but that otherwise the differences between bilinguals and monolinguals are negligible.

• "A child should learn one language properly first; then you can start teaching the other."
  As in the myth above, this is an old belief based on flawed research. Children who learn two languages
  in a loving, supportive environment learn them both well. Children who learn two languages in a stressful environment may have language development problems - but so will children learning only one language
  in that same sort of environment.
• "A child who learns two languages won't feel at home in either of them. She'll always feel caught
  between two cultures."
  Relatives, friends and strangers will often caution about the "identity problems" children may develop
  if their parents insist on maintaining a bilingual home. The children, they believe, will grow up without
   strongly identifying with either of the languages and, therefore, the groups that speak them. Adults who
  have themselves grown up bilingual, however, generally report when asked that they never had problems
  knowing what groups they were a part of. Some even find this concern to be rather bizarre.
  Children who feel accepted by both their cultures will identify with both. Unfortunately it happens that
  two cultures have such unfriendly relations that a child who should belong to both is instead shunned by
  both. This is not however a specifically bilingual issue.

Kudos to

Elizabeth Trahan, daughter of Carlin and Faye Dugas Trahan was the winner of Abbeville Rotary Club’s
annual essay contest for the year 2002? Elizabeth titled her essay “What I want to be, and why”; the essay dealt with Elizabeth’s plan to become a Speech Pathologist. Elizabeth has enrolled at Nichols State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana for the upcoming school year.

I would add, that another winner in this event was Ashley Trahan. Kudos to both.

Program recommendation for Nova Scotia 2004

For all who plan on attending the “Congres Mondial 2004”, a visit to Georges Island, situated in the
 harbor of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This Island was the site where the British imprisoned many of our
ancestors, including Joseph “dit Beausoleil” and Alexndre “dit Beausoleil” Broussard.  This island is
where they lived until their release and departure in 1764 to Louisiana; an Acadian Cemetery is located
there also.

Please fill out the cut out below and mail to the Trahan Family Assoc. so we can prepare adequate
food and refreshments.