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John C. O'Neal, professor of French, presented a paper in French on the question of the soul in the writings of Rousseau and the philosophes at the biennial meeting of the Rousseau association in Lyon, France in June. This was the same colloquium O'Neal hosted at Hamilton in June of 2005. One of the highlights of the France meeting was an excursion to Chambery and the home of Mme de Warens, who had a tremendous influence on Rousseau's life. Rousseau spent some of his happiest moments at Les Charmettes in Chambéry with Mme de Warens, which he describes in detail in his Confessions.

The French Ministry of National Education, Teaching, and Research has promoted John C. O'Neal, professor of French, to the rank of "officier" in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques. He was named a "chevalier" (or knight) in 1998. (The three ranks in this order are "chevalier," "officier," and "commandeur.") Founded in 1808 by Napoleon, the order originally recognized teachers but later included other figures in the fields of letters, the arts, and the sciences. The promotion signed by the French minister of education, Gilles de Robien, and dated February 1, 2007 awards O'Neal for his "services rendus à la culture française" (services rendered to French culture). The envelope containing the promotion arrived recently via the French embassy for cultural services in New York City.

John C. O'Neal, professor of French, was elected president of the Society for Eighteenth-Century French Studies, which is the French caucus of the national society. The election took place at the organization's annual spring meeting, held in Atlanta this year.

Professor of French John O'Neal gave a talk for Colgate University's Humanities Colloquium Series on September 26. The talk was titled "Nature as Refuge: From Rousseau's Cascade to Central New York's Trenton Falls."

Jacques Guerlin de Guer, a professor of French in Hamilton’s Junior Year in France program in Biarritz from 1957 to 1987, died on July 8, 2006 at the age of 90.

Professor of French John O'Neal wrote an article, "Two Uticas with one spririt of warmth" for the Utica Observer-Dispatch (Sept. 3, 2006). The piece resulted from O'Neal's trip to Utica, Tunisia, in July, when he traveled there to present a paper at the Fourth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities. In the OD article he wrote that his experience in Tunisia "is a tale of international exchange and understanding." O'Neal recounted how he and his wife, Nancy, took a taxi one day to the Utica musueum, only to find it closed for renovations. "When we explained that we had traveled all the way from Utica, N.Y., to visit the museum, we were shown around personally by a guide who happened to be on the premises that day. After the visit to the museum, he escorted us to the actual archaeological site, where he showed us a number of historical treasures among the ruins," O'Neal wrote. He said the trip was a chance "to see international exchange at its best, especially in the land that gave our Utica its name."

Professor of French John O'Neal presented a paper in French at the 4th International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities at the University of Carthage in Tunis in July. O'Neal's paper was titled "La confusion de la societe dans la Lettre a d'Alembert sur les spectacles et la question de la modernite de Rousseau." While there O'Neal visited the ancient of Utica, for which the local city is named.

The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies recently elected Professor of French John C. O'Neal vice president of the Society for Eighteenth-Century French Studies at its annual meeting in Montreal. The society is the French caucus of the national society. Established in 1969, the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies advances study and research in the history of a time that has profoundly influenced our world. O’Neal will assume presidency of the society in 2007.

Professor of French John O'Neal is scheduled to serve a second term as president of the Northeast American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (NEASECS). At the society's recent annual meeting, he was elected second vice president for 2005-06. He will become first vice president in 2006-07 and president in 2007-08. O'Neal served previously as president of the society in 1992-93 after six years on the executive board. In 1985 he organized the annual meeting of the society in Utica, which was co-sponsored by Hamilton College and Colgate University.

The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies recently elected Professor of French John C. O'Neal vice president of the Society for Eighteenth-Century French Studies at its annual meeting in Montreal. The society is the French caucus of the national society. Established in 1969, the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies advances study and research in the history of a time that has profoundly influenced our world. O’Neal will assume presidency of the society in 2007.