FAMILY OF FIFTEEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4814, 11 March 1918, Page 6

FAMILY OF FIFTEEN.

FRENCH FATHER WINS PRIZEWhile thousands of his follow countrymen are winning war medals another Frenchman has won a distinction of another kind, one that is well-nigh unique. _ lie is Francois Gannaz, of iS’allanches. in Savoy, and ho lias just received one-half of a prize awarded Ik- the Institute of France because he is the father of a, family of fifteen children, every one of whom is living, and the oldest of whom is stil] under the age of IS, being born in March, 1599. Hie other half of the prize was awarded to Firmin Yirjat, of Buffieres, in the department of Hant-Saone, France, who has a family of sixteen children, all alive. This at first sight, would seem to be more remarkable than the record of Gannez, but the latter’s fellow villagers, who are inordinately proud, of him. point out that the sixteen children of his rival range in age from 31 to 8, whereas Gannaz’s oldest is a few months over 17, and his youngest only 15 months old. Not only do they consider this aspect of the case more wonderful, than the record of the chief of the Verjat family, but they call attention to the fact that it is quite likely that, within the next few years, there will be more little Gannazes than there are Ycrjats. Henri Bordeaux, the well-known French novelist, now an officer in the French army, was on furlough a few months back when he heard of Gannaz and his remarkable brood, and decided to pay the Savoyard a visit in his little village, which is not far from snow-covered Mont Blanc. He describes his experience in an article entitled “The House of the Fifteen Children.” published in a recent issue of L'lHustration, of Paris.

Gannaz lined np his wife- and their 1.0 children before the house, which looks like a Swiss chalet, and eyed them with paternal pride while the novelist inspected the troop. He also showed pride when he brought out the documents from the institute, telling him .that- he had been awarded one-half of the Etienne Lamy prize. This prize, by the way is no empty honor. In addition to the distinction involved, it hears with it a cash donation of 10,000 f. (2200d0l) —no insignificant item for the father of fifteen, all of whom, as Madame Gannaz feelingly informed Henri Bordeaux, had excellent appetites. “Why. we . have got to get 3000 kilograms of bread alone in a year,” she said. “It is quite a baker’s bill, I assure you.” Gannaz and his wife were married on 12th April, 1898. _ Both were 2o years of age at the time- It was not long before he found that the three-story chalet was too small for his growing family. So lie set about putting on the fourth story. In addition to providing space for the numerous brood it also accommodates boarders, for Gannaz found that liemust raise money for the upbringing of his big family, comprising ten boys and five girls. Everyone of them had been born healthy and had continued ever since birth in the enjoyment of good health. ■ The parents are doing their best to keep the whole family' together as long as possible. Gannaz stated that he. provided all the children with a £*ood home, despite the sacrifices which this made necessary. “None of them has to go wandering about- away from home.” . In spite of the worries incident to raising such a- sizable family on tlm meagre resources of a humble agriculturist, Gannaz is robust and happy and never loses a wink of sleep, huthis wife is not so philosophical about it. “I sometimes wake up about 2 o’clock in the morning and begin to worry. I get thinking of the number of slates'that are needed for the children at school, and the number of pairs of wooden shoes. And with the prices of evervthine going up too! Bui 1 console myself by remembering that everyone of the children is in good health.”