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1. William Thomas BANDY Jr
(photo) was born on 11 May 1903 in {793} Nashville,
TN. He graduated Tate High School, Shelbyville, TN in May 1919. He college
Vanderbilt University, School of Engineering from Sep 1919 to 1921 in Nashville,
TN. After two years of Engineering he switched his major to French. He received
a degree in a BA Degree Cum laude in French from Vanderbilt University in 1923
in Nashville, TN. He college at the Universities of Grenoble and Paris from
1924 to 1925 in Paris, France. He received a degree in a MA Degree in French
from Vanderbilt University in 1926. He student at the University of Paris from
1926 to 1927. He Fellow from 1928 to 1930 in Paris, France. He received a degree
in a Doctorate from Peabody College for Teachers in Aug 1931. He was a Head
of the Modern Language Department of Stephens College from Sep 1931 to 1936 in
Columbia, MO. He was a Professor of French at the University of Wisconsin from
1936 to 1961 in Madison, WI. During these years at the University of Wisconsin
he was an Author and Lecturer as he progressed from Assistant Professor to Associate
Professor to Professor and the Head of the Department of French and Italian.
He Volunteered for the US Navy at the start of WWII, and was commissioned Lieutenant
in Aug 1942. He Navy (active) from Oct 1942 to 1946 in Washington DC. He USNR
after the war in 1946 in Madison, WI. He served as the Reserve Unit commander
until he was promoted to a level that the Navy considered too high for that position.
He remained with the Reserve Unit in an advisory position. He Vacation nearly
every summer in cottages on Lake Androscogin, Wayne ME from 1952 to 1989. He
appointed a Fulbright Fellowship from 1956 to 1957 in Paris, France. He appointed
Chairman of the Department of French and Italian of the University of Wisconsin
in 1961. He Discharge from the US Navy at the rank of Commander in Jun 1961.
He appointed a term on the Executive Council of the Modern Language Association
of America about 1962. He retired in 1968 in Madison, WI. Following his retirement
from the University of Wisconsin he returned to Nashville TN and to his alma
mater Vanderbilt University as Distinguished Professor Emeritus of French. He
made a gift to Vanderbilt of his extensive collection of books and periodicals
by and about the French poet Baudelaire. That collection is housed at the W.
T. Bandy Centre of Baudelaire Studies within the Vanderbilt Library. He retired
in 1980 in Nashville, TN. During his retirement years he continued a regular
work schedule at the "Centre". He appointed title of Chevalier des
Arts et Letters, bestowed by the French government in 1986. He died on 6 Jul
1989 in Wayne, ME. He died working on a crossword puzzle in their cottage on
Androscoggin Lake. He was buried on 12 Jul 1989 in Wayne, ME. His ashes were
placed at the Wayne Cemetary next to where his first wife Alice's ashes were
laid. He has reference number GN(20-1231). He was named after his father.
While he was always considered to be Junior to his father, his grandfather was
also William Thomas Bandy. It is not known why his father was not the Junior.
{1552} W. T. Bandy Center for (Charles) Baudelaire Studies at Vanderbilt
honors him.
{1079} D Wayne, Maine.
{1552} Author of.
{793} .
[Jane - daughter]
What should one say about a parent who lived such a long and interesting life?
I am grateful for the deep friendship between him and my husband Burr. During
the 25 summers Burr spent in Wayne, He and Daddy developed a relationship which
was respectful, productive and, in its own way, affectionate. Working on "projects"
during the summers there was a sort of escape for both of them. As academics,
figuring out how to build a porch, repair refrigerators, bring spring water down
the hill to the "camps" provided a welcome antidote to coping with
students and trying to meet professional goals.
Although he had two sons, Daddy never was able or perhaps never permitted himself
to enjoy them in the way he did Burr. I know their relationship was very important
in Burr's life, and I imagine that Daddy really looked forward to the summer
and their times together. Although I think Daddy was a fairly shy person, he
enjoyed people, and was a colorful "raconteur." He had a rather formal
and reserved manner with strangers - possibly a result of Southern upbringing.
I imagine that he was a good teacher because of his exceptional ability to express
himself and to explain things and while he wasn't what you'd call gregarious,
I think he enjoyed being in front of a class. I recall that he actually played
a role in at least one production of a Moliere play which the French Department
produced during the early days of his teaching at the University of Wisconsin.
I also recall hearing from people at the time that he was terrific!
I can't say that I was emotionally close to my father. I always had a lot of
respect for him and learned a lot from hearing him talk and living among the
people he and mother had as friends, but I don't think that he took an active
role in my development as a child or young adult. I don't doubt that he loved
me, or that when I did things he liked that he was proud of me. My hunch is
that his father was a rather distant parent too, and his mother had a much stronger
role in the childrearing in his family. That pattern was repeated in our family.
Considering the era, this isn't surprising however. As I raised my own children
and begun to feel that I had finally grown up, I learned to enjoy him - adult
to adult.