SANFORD — French Canadian blood in your veins? Well, whether the answer was “oui” or “non,” students at St. Thomas School took up a figurative fleur-de-lis Thursday, hosting a French Heritage Night.

The K-6 parochial school serves families from St. Thérèse de Lisieux Parish in Sanford and Springvale, along with those from surrounding areas. There’s a student population of nearly 170 youngsters and organizers said more than 80 signed up to show their Moms and Dads, Memeres and Peperes, or Grandmas and Grandpas what they’d learned.

They sang “Napoleon” and other tunes, played a question and answer game in French, sang some more and played the spoons with unbridled  passion and exuberance.

St. Ignatius Parish Hall was alive with music ”“ including some French-Canadian fiddle music performed by Dan Guillemette, grandson of the renowned fiddler Ben Guillemette.

As well, they honored three residents for their contributions to Franco-American culture: Fiddlers like the aforementioned Guillemette and Raymond G. Frechette and historian Gerard Lamontagne.

Organized by Claire Auger and St. Thomas assistant principal Donna Jacques and others, the event drew quite a crowd.

Auger noted the celebration of French heritage, but she also noted the night was a good opportunity for families to get together.

Andrew Auger, 6, a kindergarten student at St. Thomas, waiting patiently for the event to begin, said he’d be playing the spoons and singing in French.

Carson Cuthbert, 10, a third-grader, sported a striped shirt, red neckerchief, a (painted on) curly black mustache and a beret.

“I’m dressed like a Frenchman,” he said, getting into the spirit of the evening. Playing the spoons, he said, is fun.

Fourth grader Emily Roux said the school has been practicing for a couple of weeks, “everytime we have gym.” Her grade was to sing a song about planting cabbages.

A highlight of the event was the waltz, where all of the youngsters ”“ many in formal attire like pretty dresses with matching shoes or dress shirts and neckties ”“ took to the floor. After they danced with each other, it was time for Moms and Dads to take to the floor with their little ones.

It is hard to say how many children who attend St. Thomas School have French-Canadian ancestry, but in the period from 1820 to 1920, one million Quebecois poured into New England. Some settled in Sanford and Springvale, taking up work in the textile mills.

The 2000 census shows 4,140 people declared French ancestry in Sanford that year, with 3,507 designated as French-Canadian.

The census that year also noted 2,500 people in Sanford speak a language other than English in the home, but the census doesn’t specify which languages are spoken.

But Francais or not, everyone spoke a little or sang a little Thursday.

Sara Merrill, who has a preschooler and a kindergarten student at St. Thomas, said her family is French on her mother’s side, with her grandfather hailing from Quebec.

Cherade Savoie has twin kindergarten students at St. Thomas. She said events like French Heritage Night help keep the Franco-American traditions alive.

“It’s important to pass it on,” said Savoie, about the French her children are learning at St. Thomas School. “I was trying to teach them a word here and there at home ”“ it’s cool to see how they get excited. They come home and talk about it.”

At the end, after the program wound down, the youth came together to sing “Bon Soir, Mes Amis,” and then they got to sample a French-Canadian treat: Vanilla ice cream with real Quebec maple syrup, and maple leaf cookies.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.