how did M.Hamel say farewell to his students and people of his town
M.Hamel was very upset because it was not only going to be his last lesson of French, but also the end of his forty- years of teaching career. Orders came from Berlin that in place of French, German would be taught in the schools of Lorraine and Alsace. He announced this to his students also. However, before bidding adieu to his student and his career, he tried to arouse patriotism in the people. He told them how wonderful their language was and that they should be swollen with pride for their motherland and their mother tongue. He distributed some copies where the name of their country France and town Alsace was written. At the end, he wrote in the blackboard in bold letters the line: "Vive La France", meaning long live France.