Photo: the august 1976 language camp team in Theux. Luc is on the right, on top, in the white shirt. Next to him, his wife, and their children. Daniël Boccart stands on top in the middle with a grey shirt. André Drouguet is on the left, in black shirt.
“A couple of weeks ago, I unexpectedly received a phone call from Daniël Boccart, a fellow teacher from a 1969 camp. If we could meet once again. We had not seen or heard from each other for more than 15 years”, says Luc Jacobs (age 82) enthusiastically. For 60 years he has worked for the organization. As a volunteer, a coordinator and finally as a board member. And he still is a member of the general assembly. Now more than ever it is time for a recap.
When Luc received that unexpected but more than welcome phone call, he rounded up another teacher from the days, André Drouguet. They had not heard from one another for an very long time, but one remains a Roeland guy for life, a guarantee for a strong bond.
In 2024, here at Roeland we know Luc as the board member with a big heart for the organization. When Roeland organizes formation days, Luc loves to quickly visit and say hello to the new generation of volunteers. He also pays visits to our camps, with enthusiasm, and he shows up every summer before the start of the summer camps to greet the volunteers and to wish them a successful endeavour. He of all people knows how challenging these camps can be, and how important the volunteers are for our organization.
The Song of Roland
Luc is a storyteller. He especially loves to tell the story from which the organization’s name stems from. “The origin can be found in the 11th century epic poem ‘La chanson de Roland’. The poem tells the heroic story of a knight named Roland, a cousin of Charlemagne during the battle at Roncevaux in 778 A.D. The Saracens are attacking the rear guard of Charlemagne’s army. Roland leads the defence, but is betrayed by his stepdad Ganelon, who informs the Saracens about the weaknesses of the rear guard. Initially, Roland refuses to blow his horn to call for aid, because he finds that to be a sign of weakness.”
“Roland eventually blows his horn, but the reinforcements arrive too late to save Roland’s army, and he himself succumbs to his injuries. After his demise, Charlemagne finds out the truth about what happened and Ganelon is trialled and executed.”
“The song of Roland” is not just a story about heroism and tragic sacrifice, it is also a celebration of loyalty, honour, and the battle between good and evil.”
Vacation colonies vzw
In 2021, Roeland vzw celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the language camps. But the organization itself has existed even longer, since 1953. “After the devastation of the second World War, Europe began with its reconstruction. The foundation of social security ensued. Prosperity thrived, and families were able to spend more financial resources and had more free time. Going on a holiday became more common. Remi de Paepe was a social worker with Ugetec (Union of Ghent Textiles Companies), and he was the one who founded Roeland. The first goal was to facilitate holidays for the children of labourers in the textiles industry”, Luc says.
“My first encounter with Roeland was in 1966. Back from my service in the army, and just started as a math teacher, I visited my brother who was then a teacher at one of the camps in Bredene. The Head of Projects there asked me if I was interested in becoming a volunteer. And so, my journey began.”
Picture: barbeque for 100 participants in Theux, early 70's.
In the 60´s and 70´s Luc saw how the language camps became increasingly popular. “I clearly remember the presence of about 180 children at the Roeland holiday colony in Sugny, half of them French speaking, the other half Dutch speaking. The pictures of the communal barbeque show a clear image of the size of the group, and the chill atmosphere.”
“At the beginning of the language holidays in 1971, the number of attendees was still limited, but from 1972 on that number increased rapidly, so fast that we had to be on the lookout for a new location after a mere 4 years. We signed up about 400 participants by then, and we kept a waiting list. Children and youngsters had a really fun time with us, the parents were incredibly happy and because of their attendance at our camps, the children’s grades at school improved noticeably. To grow and to venture abroad seemed like the only possible solution to this increased interest. Nowadays, Roeland organizes about 70 language camps, in Belgium and abroad. And the successful formula ‘Creatively Learning Languages' is maintained up to this very day.
“Did you know that, back in the 90's, we organized computer classes as well as language holidays? This technology evolved so rapidly that these camps became obsolete for the participants after a few years. Computers and digital skills became more integrated in everyday life and education, so the youth swiftly gained increased access to this kind of knowledge. So, our computer camps were no longer a necessity for them to obtain these skills.”
Picture: Luc as a financial coordinator with Roeland
Financial coordinator
Until the 80's, Luc kept combining his volunteering as a Head of Projects at the camps with his job as a math teacher. He seized the opportunity to become the organization’s financial coordinator when it was presented to him. “The organization became increasingly popular, which made it more difficult for me to combine the volunteering with my permanent job. Until 2006, I was responsible for Roeland’s administration, finances, and coordination. And when I retired at age 64, I was not ready to bid the organization farewell. And I remained at the board of directors, until now.”
“I have beautiful memories aplenty from my time with Roeland. The giant barbecues in the 70's, this solar eclipse we once saw at the Virton language camp, the authentic private schools in England, ... But I cherish the people I was lucky to meet, thanks to Roeland. Each and every one enthusiastic people, with only one goal set in their minds: to pass on the love for languages to the next generations, in a creative and pleasant manner. It is that kind of zeal and inspiration that ensured Roeland’s relevance for over 50 years, and I am convinced it will stay like that for many years to come.”
