Paul Baugas, the founding father

Having acquired his title on December 21, 1888, he returned to Cholet with the declared intention of starting a career as a notary. But at the end of 1890, the death of Ferdinand HERVE-BAZIN, professor of political economy at the Faculté Libre de Droit in Angers, decided otherwise. Determined to apply, he went directly to plead his case to Mgr FREPPEL, who was favorably disposed in his favor thanks to the grace of his thesis, and immediately obtained the chair which he held for almost fifty years until 1938.

Marcel de la BIGNE de VILLENEUVE, who knew him intimately and delivered his eulogy in 1949, summed up his character with emotion: " Paul BAUGAS was a born teacher: erudite and conscientious, concise and clear at the same time, he knew how to put himself within the reach of his audience and gradually lift them up to him . His secret was quite simple: he loved his students, and he made them love him, because they always felt his concern and devotion. "

These basic principles continued to guide him when he became Director of the École Supérieure de Commerce et d'Industrie d'Angers on November 1, 1909. He was to remain at the helm for 32 years, until November 1, 1941, while also taking charge of a number of courses. These included "Political Economy" and "Social Economy", to which were later added "Industrial Legislation", "Industrial Law" and "Social Law". industrial legislation", "customs legislation" and the course entitled "credit, currencies and foreign exchange. "

Jacques PARDIEU (class of 1928/1930), 96, dean of alumni, remembers: " He was a good man: He exuded a natural authority that all the students knew was at the service of a particular benevolence towards them. And everyone was keen to respond positively to such rectitude and equanimity. "

Still in this vein, and to sum up the extraordinary empathy that governed relations between students and faculty at the time, one of the Faculty's law professors explained in the mid-20s that " one of the particularities common to the Facultés libres d'Angers was that there were friendly relations between professors and students that could not be found in very large universities, except... one of the particularities common to the Facultés libres d'Angers was that there were friendly relations between professors and students that could not be found in very large universities, except in ... Oxford! "These words only corroborated the diagnosis of René BAZIN, a professor at the Catho, who felt that " nothing equaled the climate of friendship that reigned between the directors, teachers and students! "

In this respect, De la BIGNE de VILLENEUVE emphasizes " the close relationships the Director had forged with many students, with whom he played the role of friendly advisor" , adding that "he also maintained considerable correspondence with alumni ( . ... a considerable correspondence. "

Jacques NEVEU, his successor at the head of the École, wrote this definitive epitaph for him: " From his École, he had known how to make the extension of his family. "

Sadly, his last years were particularly darkened by the German occupation and the desolation caused by this dark period during which "the French didn't like each other. " He was all the more sensitive to these disasters that struck the nation, as a good analyst, he had foreseen them without being able to prevent them in any way, and that he had to suffer them at the hour of twilight and the decline of his forces ... "concluded his eulogist sadly.

Paul BAUGAS, Honorary Director of the School, died on August 10, 1948.