The Association des Françaises diplômées des universités (AFDU)

Author: Joyce Goodman, December 2020

The Société nationale féminine de rapprochement universitaire, the forerunner of the Association des Françaises diplômées des universités (AFDU) was established in 1920 and relocated to 4 rue de Chevreuse in 1924. Its first headquarters was at the Maison des étudiantes at 214 boulevard Raspail, where Marie Bonnet (1874 – 1960), one of the society’s founders was director. Other founding members included Anna Amieux (1871 – 1961), Marguerite Mespoulet (1876 – 1965), Marie Monod (1876 – 1966) and Henriette Cestre (1875 – 1943). Anna Amieux was the former director of the Lycée Jules Ferry in Paris and the newly-appointed  director of the École normal supérieure de jeunes filles at Sèvres. She had met in Paris with M. Carey Thomas (1857-1935), president of Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, to discuss a potential site for the American Women’s Clubhouse in Paris that opened at 4 rue de Chevreuse. Marguerite Mespoulet taught at the Lycée Victor Hugo, Paris and would spend part of the 1920s teaching in American universities. Marie Monod became treasurer of the new society and editor of its bulletin and Henriette Cestre* was President until 1923 when Marie Monod took on this role. In 1924, the Société nationale féminine de rapprochement universitaire took the name of AFDU (Association des Française diplômées des universités), which was changed to the Association française des femmes diplômées des universités (AFFDU) in 1977.

AFDU published a bulletin, awarded scholarships, agitated to open all forms of higher education to women and represented the interests of graduate women. The relocation in 1924 of AFDU’s headquarters to 4 rue de Chevreuse facilitated close links between AFDU directors and the American women who resided at the Club. AFDU nominated French students for the scholarship programme established at Reid Hall and made use of the Club’s rooms for events and meetings. As directors Louisa K Fast (1878 –1979) and Dorothy Flagg Leet (1894 – 1994) were invited to AFDU meetings.

From its foundation as the Société nationale féminine de rapprochement universitaire AFDU was closely linked with the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) and AFDU members became an integral part of IFUW operations. In 1920 Anna Amieux represented the French society at the IFUW’s first conference in London and served on its first Committee of Standards. Marguerite Mespoulet was appointed IFUW vice-president in 1926 and Marie Monod served as one of the IFUW’s vice president from 1929-1932 and as first vice president to 1936. She led on the publication of the IFUW’s Lexique analytique des termes universitaires internationaux, which appeared in 1939. The close working relationship between the leaders of AFDU and the IFUW from the IFUW’s inception was in part a consequence of the earlier international networking in the USA of women like Anna Amieux and Marguerite Mespoulet, who had both travelled to America as Alfred Kahn scholarship holders.

As political conditions in Europe deteriorated, federations of university women were dissolved in countries like Germany, Austria and Italy for reasons associated with the racial policies adopted by their governments. Under authoritarian regimes women were also debarred from serving in universities and organisations of the state. AFDU members like Marie Louise Puech (1876 –1966), Madeleine Cazamian (1884 – 1979) and Mme Mantoux worked tirelessly to support academic women who were displaced as a result of such policies. Both Marie-Louise Puech and Madeleine Cazamian were IFUW committee members. Marie-Louise Puech served as chair of the IFUW’s Committee of International Co-operation and Madeleine Cazamian on the IFUW’s Standard’s Committee. Madeleine Cazamian was appointed to the IFUW’s special committee to support displaced academic women established in 1938 and she encouraged the formation of AFDU’s Committee to Aide Displaced University Women, which was chaired by Mme Mantoux who worked closely with Marie-Louise Puechto support displaced and evacuated graduates and students.

The 1939 and 1940 editions of AFDU’s Bulletin illustrate the lengths to which AFDU and its local organisations worked to aid university women displaced from Italy, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Germany and elsewhere. They also provided support to foreign students and graduates exiled in France. AFDU allocated funds collected locally or received from national federations in the USA, Belgium, Britain, Holland, Norway and Switzerland, from the IFUW’s Emergency Assistance Committee, and from individuals at Barnard, Wellesley and Smith colleges in the USA. AFDU sought openings and guarantees of financial support in order to assist displaced women to emigrate. AFDU members also taught French in Czech and Polish refugee centres and Polish and Russian sections of AFDU were established. When the Germans occupied France in June 1940 AFDU’s work was continued in a clandestine manner as the organisation did not officially exist. Marie-Louise Puech took charge of the refugee work from her home at Boriblanque, near to Castres (Tarn).

Dorothy Flagg Leet returned to the USA in 1938 to work for the Foreign Policy Association of New York and Reid Hall was closed in September 1939. AFDU appealed to the American Association of University Women for funds to enable Reid Hall to operate as a centre for refugee women, who were being supported at that time with food and hospitality at the Foyer des Lycéenes and the Foyer International des Étudiantes. The invasion of Belgium in May 1940, however, brought the realisation that it would be dangerous to concentrate refugees in one place. AFDU then sought to avoid the requisitioning of the Reid Hall building. When AFDU member Eugénie Cotton (1881 – 1967), director of the École normal supérieure de jeunes filles, moved the ENS from Sèvres to Reid Hall, (where it remained until 1947) the building was protected from requisition by the French Ministry of Public Instruction.

In 1945 AFDU relaunched its Bulletin and held its first general assembly in Paris. In 1947 Reid Hall reopened under Dorothy Flagg Leet as director and international activities resumed. The internationalist orientation that had marked AFDU from its inception was also in evidence. From 1948 AFDU was represented at UNESCO, which enabled the views and educational initiatives that the organisation supported to be disseminated in wider international arenas. By 1964 Reid Hall had evolved into a co-educational American academic centre linked to Columbia University and continues to foster Franco-American relations today.

Sources

Primary sources

  • Anon. “Now Seeks Funds,” Oakland Tribute, 23 June 1926, p.30
  • Anon, “Aide aux Universitaires espagnoles.” In Bulletin de l’Association des Française Diplômées des Universités, no.25 March 1939, 24-25.
  • Anon. “Aide aux réfugiées étrangères.” In Bulletin de l’Association des Française Diplômées des Universités, no.27 mai 1940, 19-20.
  • Mantoux, Mme. “Commission d’aide aux Femmes universitaires réfugiées.” In Bulletin de l’Association des Française Diplômées des Universités, no.25 March 1939, 21-24.
  • Mantoux, Mme. “Commission d’aide aux Femmes universitaires réfugiées (Rapport mis à jour au 15 avril.” In Bulletin de l’Association des Française Diplômées des Universités, no.27 mai 1940, 10-13
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  • Puech, Marie-Louise. “Commission des relations exterieures (Extraits)."  Bulletin de l’Association des Française Diplômées des Universités 25 (1939): 3-7.

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