Charles Alfred Downer

Charles Alfred Downer was an American teacher and author whose work centered on French language and literature. He taught French for many years and was associated with the College of the City of New York, where his early major book, Frédéric Mistral: Poet and Leader in Provence (1901), identified him as an assistant professor of French language and literature.

His writing reflects both scholarly interest and practical teaching experience. Alongside literary study, he also produced French textbooks and language-learning materials, including A First Course in French and A First French Book, helping students approach the language in a structured, accessible way.

Downer was also active in the profession of language teaching more broadly. Contemporary memorial notices describe him as a founder and first president of the American Association of Teachers of French, suggesting the respect he earned among fellow educators. Reliable portrait images were not clearly available from the sources consulted, so no profile image is included here.