Champagne, Jean-François, 1751-1813

Jean-François Champagne (Semur-en-Auxois, 1 July 1751 - Paris, 14 September 1813, was a French scholar. In a unique way, he spent most of his life within the walls of the same academic institution, "Lycée Louis-le-Grand" in the heart of Paris, as pupil when a teenager, then as simple teacher, and grew to be its first Head Teacher, while in parallel that establishment evolved from a medley of various private and mostly religious educational foundations under the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI into the prototype model of highest level colleges in the French educational system, that emerged in the turmoil of the Revolution years from the educational dreams of the new ruling middle class and took its fundamental properties in the early Empire days ("Lycée"). Most of all, through the difficult revolutionary years and multiple throes, hazards and harassments during the French Revolution, he contrived in keeping open the Lycée Louis-le-Grand throughout the period, a unique case for institutions of that type. Also notable for some academic work as Hellenist, acknowledged translator of ancient Greek writings, and distinguished as member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres, he was closely linked to a transient personality of the Revolution years, Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu, as of his real name TONDU, also known as LEBRUN or TONDU-LEBRUN, who grew to be Minister of Foreign Affairs for one year (August 1792-June 1793) and ultimately fell a victim to the Terror period instated by Robespierre and his friends.