Fairhaven High School Alumni Association, Fairhaven, Massachusetts 02719

Retired Teacher Donald J.B. Dufour Reminisces About FHS

Popular Foreign Languages teacher Donald J.B. Dufour is enjoying retirement in Fort Myers, Florida and he recently shared some of his memories of his days as a teacher at Fairhaven High School.

Dear FHS Alumni,

For those of you who wonder where I am, what I’m doing and some thoughts or memories about my 36 years working in the Fairhaven School system.  It all started in 1954 when I was assigned to teach at the Rogers School Grade 7, teaching ALL subjects and coaching football and basketball.(My star player was Tom Mendell).  After three years came a transfer to Fairhaven High School where I remained until 1990.  My heart went all out to the FHS spirit of the students and total dedication of all the teachers there.  Higher paying offers from SMU and New Bedford High were not even tempting.  Among the tasks in which I got involved beyond teaching French were being class advisor to several classes, running clubs like the French Club, the American Field Service Club and even the ping pong club. It was my responsibility to choose FHS students to go abroad and to receive foreign students at FHS. I coached the girls’ tennis team and to my knowledge that was the only year in the history of the school that we won the league championship trophy. Among the fondest memories are the trip to France with 30 students and the bus trips to Quebec every other year.  I thank the Good Lord every day for the blessings of those 36 years.....working in a real castle with Carrara marble stairs, stained glass windows, ornate chandeliers, the sculpted ceiling in Rooom 7 and Room 11 which I considered my private kingdom.  The thrill of working side by side with intellectual giants like Miss Hastings, Mel Entin, Mabel Knipe, Marie Noyer et al. was unbelievable. Yes, indeed, I left there in 1990 with a huge lump in my throat. Wow!  That was 19 years ago.!

As the old saying goes, in life, you can’t keep looking at past accomplishments in the rear view mirror, you have to look through the windshield.  Once again, the Good Lord has given me good health and I try to use it as well as possible.  My wife Muriel (the wind beneath my wings) and I live in Fort Myers, Fl where we have quite a busy schedule. As president of my condo association I am responsible (with 2 other board members) for making financial decisions for the 30 families who live in this building. On Thursday mornings I make Eucharistic ministry calls to patients in our local hospital.  One of the great loves of my life has been the game of tennis and as captain of our team for the past several years, I lign up the matches against teams from other communities. But of course there is always time for visiting our three sons and nine grand-children, for concerts, plays ,traveling, reading good books, socializing etc. It is a full life and we are enjoying it thoroughly.

It is always a thrill for me to read FHS alumni news since FHS was such an important part of my life.

Donald J.B.Dufour