Program for the " spectacle franco-américain" in Melun by the American class from Freeport, New York on the 7 of May 199O in the Melun City Hall 

Very often the " spectacle" was presented the next day on the first page of the local newspaper. For these exceptional evenings, there were up to a thousdand spectators, children and their parents from all the primary schools invited by the school district.

Cedar Rapids Gazette, Iowa May 19, 1978

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The same instructions were given in English to the American families

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In the school cafeteria: the French children were given either a lunch ticket or they brought a lunch box.

The arrival of the French children or the departure of an American class was always a delight for the local press 

An American boy and his French counterpart .

For the three weeks the French child became part of the family and was treated as one of them. When it was the American'turn to go to France, he stayed with the family of his counterpart. En reality the two children spent six weeks together.

Frenc and American children on a visit in France, accompanied by the teachers and some parents. These activities were organised by the city, the PTA and the school.

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The first French-American class took place between Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Versailles France. The experience was so successful that the program was introduced in many primary schools in America. In three years the number of classes went from two in 1975 to 30 in 1977!

The first class from the South side of Chicago ( all the children were black) participated in 1978: the reception by the French was outstanding. However the Chicago class was place in 1981 with a class from Neuilly sur Seine. The school administrator in that city was the actual president of France : Nicolas Sarkozy. The reaction of the city was poor and the program was cvanceled in Neuilly sur Seine so " as not host black children" according to the representative of the city. This was a racist reaction which is mentionned in André Girod' book!