author

Charles Alfred Downer

1866–1930

A devoted teacher of French and Romance languages, he built his reputation on lively scholarship and practical language instruction. His best-known work on Frédéric Mistral reflects both his academic depth and his enthusiasm for bringing French culture to American readers.

1 Audiobook

Frédéric Mistral

Frédéric Mistral

by Charles Alfred Downer

About the author

Charles Alfred Downer was an American scholar and teacher of French, born in 1866 and remembered above all for his long career in language education. He graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1886, later earned a doctorate in Romance languages from Columbia University, and returned to his alma mater in 1904 to join the faculty.

He spent the rest of his career at the College of the City of New York, eventually serving as head of the Department of Romance Languages. Contemporary tributes described him as an outstanding classroom teacher and a strong advocate for modern, practical instruction in French, and he was also one of the founders and first president of the American Association of Teachers of French.

His books include Frédéric Mistral: Poet and Leader in Provence as well as several French textbooks prepared for students and learners. He died on August 14, 1930, in Samedan, Switzerland, after a career that earned recognition both in the United States and from the French government, which honored him for his contributions to French learning and culture.