1921
Catherine
2007
Catherine Adelaide Brookshire Blanchet
April 20, 1921 — January 11, 2007
Catherine brought a strong will, perseverance, and intelligence to the broad range of subjects in which she was interested. She understood the need for a community to support itself through service in churches and civic organizations as well as personally helping friends and neighbors. In WWII, Catherine joined the Red Cross, stationed in Key West, Florida. She taught adult literacy through VITA, and volunteered for the Tuberculosis Association, Easter Seals, and the American Cancer Society, among others. Catherine was also the pianist and choir director of the Indian Bayou Methodist Church for many years. As Music Supervisor for the Vermilion Parish school system, she visited all of the schools in the parish to provide music education to the elementary classrooms.
After graduating from Newcomb College, Catherine realized that the rich French culture of south Louisiana was in danger of being lost as the region became assimilated into the United States. In the 1940s, '50s, and '60s it seemed that few saw the value in traditional culture, and she became determined to help preserve and perpetuate that heritage. During recesses and after school the Music Supervisor became the student, where she learned and recorded school children singing French songs. She traveled around the remote areas of the parish recording adults singing unaccompanied ballads in their homes. She sought out elders who could teach her spinning and weaving, restored traditional Acadian flat looms and spinning wheels that would have otherwise been discarded, and raised traditional brown cotton for use in spinning and weaving. In 1955, with Maria del Norte Theriot, she published Les Danses Rondes, a collection of Acadian folk songs and round dances. She demonstrated traditional Acadian crafts at the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans. In 1996 she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from CODIFIL in acknowledgment of her work in perpetuating Acadian culture.
In 1950, Catherine married R. Edward Blanchet of Abbeville, moving to Meaux in 1953. Ed preceded Catherine in death by one month. Catherine and Ed are survived by their 7 children, Harry and his wife Peggy of LA, Edward of Santa Barbara CA, Benjamin and his wife Anne of Meaux LA, William and his wife Donna of Boulder CO, Julie A. Blanchet of Broomfield CO, Altha B. Robin and husband Greg of Austin TX, and Celia Blanchet-Chua and husband Peter of Santa Barbara CA, 11grand children and 2 great grand children.
When Catherine’s eldest son entered USL, she enrolled in the USL School of Music, earning a Master’s degree in Musicology, publishing her thesis: Louisiana French Folk Songs Among Children in Vermilion Parish 1942 to 1954. Outside the university setting, she also studied Mayan hieroglyphics, high-warp tapestry weaving, and languages including French, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Catherine and Ed opened the Blanchet School in 1970. At the time, she and Ed felt that the public school system had lost its focus on the quality of education for its students, and they wanted to provide a better learning environment for their children and others in the area. At Blanchet School, she established Acadian Assembly, a group of students who performed traditional Acadian music and dance, including dances from Les Danses Rondes, continuing her life-long goal of learning and teaching.
Visitation will be held at Vincent Funeral Home Friday January 12, 2007 from 4:00 pm till 7:00 pm; the family will reopen on Saturday January 13, 2007 at Indian Bayou Methodist Church at 1 pm until service time. Services will be at Indian Bayou Methodist Church on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 2 pm followed by interment at Graceland Cemetery. The family requests memorials be made to the Louisiana Folklore Society.
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