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PEACE NEWS VOL. 2 NO. 2 A Special College Supplement SPRING, 1964 Corps Seeks June Grads But Myths Still Persist

"Wafting for the college gradu- "We have 75 different programs "Too many students think that ations in June is like waiting for scheduled to begin right after all we need are people who know the kick-off in the Rose Bowl graduation," he said. "The slots for how to drive tractors, grow rice or Game," according to one Peace the 3,000 Volunteers returning this prune trees. This is false. Liberal Corps official. "When the whistle year will have to be refilled in addi- arts graduates, no matter what their blows it really breaks loose." tion to the 3,000 new being major, are constantly needed. The official, Jules Pagano, Dep- created. All we have to do is get "It's the liberal arts graduates," \ | uty Director of for the people to apply." he said, "who fill the bulk of teach- , explained that the The biggest problem, according ing assignments and who will be Corps expects to recruit the bulk to Pagano, is dispelling some of needed to help fill the backlog of of the 6,000 Volunteers needed by the myths that have grown up about requests for educational assistance September from the June gradu- what the Corps looks for in Volun- in Latin America and other areas. ating classes. teers. Many of our community develop- ment workers are graduates with liberal arts backgrounds. "The weird part about it," said Peace Corps Initiates Pagano, "is the fantastic oppor- tunities being offered to some of the Volunteers overseas. Many Senior Year Program Volunteers with only bachelors' de- grees are being assigned as univer- A strong dose of hard work for exotic languages not ordinarily taught in American colleges sity faculty members. The demand little pay is being offered to 800 for anybody who can teach the college juniors this summer by the Each of the six training programs English language is terrific. Where Volunteer Beverly Fogg Heegaard, a graduate of the University of Peace Corps. will also include courses in physi- else can anybody with a B.A. get a New Hampshire, teaches art, English and home economics in . The newly-established program cal , health education, chance to teach at this level? Here she fords a river with her bike on the way to school. As usual; will provide six to eight weeks of American studies and Peace Corps "Naturally most of the Volun- she got her feet wet. intensive summer training for col- orientation. teers assigned to teaching jobs work lege juniors who are planning to The students' home colleges will at the secondary level, but even join the Corps after graduation. Six be asked to evaluate the summer this is unbeatable for giving the Scholarships Available, Too individual study areas have been program with a view toward grant- feeling that you are actually ac- arranged at six American universi- jng credit for participants. complishing something." ties for the summer project. The Juniors selected for the summer Educational programs will be ex- programs will emphasize language program will receive allowances to panding in Latin America, a region Returned Volunteers training and the development of cover transportation. At the uni- which previously requested mostly skills which will be needed in versity training site, they will re- community development workers. projected overseas Peace Corps ceive room and board, and a Another misconception held by Flooded With Offers projects. modest living allowance. many college students is that an The six plans will provide train- In the spring of 1965, those who applicant must be proficient in a When the first wave of Peace tion. There are never enough people ing for: have undertaken—and survived— foreign language. Corps Volunteers was channeled of this kind available in any enter- • Secondary school teachers for the summer training will be noti- "Many overseas assignments re- into several developing countries prise." English-speaking Africa fied as to which project they will quire only English," according to in 1961, service in the Corps was The response to Peace Corps • Secondary school teachers for be assigned. Pagano. "In some countries, Eng- a risky business. Volunteers, according to Dr. Robert French-speaking Africa A brief training period and final lish is the official language and There was no assurance that a Calvert, director of the In- Peace Corps selection will follow • Urban community develop- much of our classroom teaching is two-year stint in the Peace Corps formation Service, "has been ex- the Volunteer's graduation. A suc- ment workers for Spanish-speaking done in English." would be anything but a liability cellent. Colleges and business firms cessful applicant can expect to be Latin America If a foreign language is needed, to one's career. The organization have been enthusiastic." overseas about 60 days after re- the Peace Corps will teach it to was operating as a temporary agency Over 40 colleges have earmarked • Rural community develop- ceiving his diploma. ment workers for Spanish-speaking the Volunteer. "It is pretty ridicu- under an . Many 200 scholarships and fellowships Applicants for whom there is no lous to expect the normal college Latin America , Congressmen were skeptical about for returning Volunteers. Social room in the summer program will graduate to know any Bengali, the program, thinking that it might welfare agencies, youth organiza- • Teachers of English as a be processed in the regular manner Arabic or Swahili," Pagano said. become a haven for wild-eyed ex- tions and service projects have ex- foreign language for programs starting after their (Continued on page 2) tremists and draft-dodgers. (Continued on page 2) • Volunteers who must learn graduation date. Last year when the first Peace Corps Volunteers returned to the United States, their gamble paid The Editors off. offers as well as grant and fellowship opportunities poured in. This special Peace Corps college Major industries made it clear that supplement—distributed by the na- they want returning Peace Corps tion's college newspapers to nearly Volunteers to consider the business a million college students—was world before formulating plans for written and edited for the Peace their life's work. Corps by four college editors. Reaction to the Peace Corps was The four who spent a week at almost universally favorable. The the Peace Corps Washington head- administration was pleased, mem- quarters preparing this supplement bers of Congress pledged full sup- were: port and educators shouted praise. Tom DeVries, editor emeritus of John Monro, dean of Harvard the Roosevelt Torch (Roosevelt College, said that "two years with University, Chicago); Everette Den- the Peace Corps today can be as nis, editor of the Daily significant as a Rhodes Scholar- Emerald (University of Oregon); ship." Tom Donoghue, editor of the BU The President of IBM said it was News (Boston University); and clear to him "that members of the Dave McNeely, editor of the Daily Peace Corps will be particularly em- Texan (University of Texas). ployable when they complete their The supplement, a Peace Corps tours of duty. They will have publication, is being distributed to demonstrated their ability to take college newspapers in cooperation on tough jobs under extremely Mary Jo Weeks, a graduate of Southern Methodist University, has organized her pupils into a Girl Guide with the newspapers, the U.S. Stu- difficult circumstances and to fol- unit in North Borneo. She and her husband live at Mile Ten, a remote village under the shoulder of spec- dent Press Association and the low them through to their comple- tacular 13,000 foot Mt. Kinabalu. Associated Collegiate Press. Origins of the Peace Corps Idea First Proposed To Michigan Students It was just past midnight on a been allocated for the study, Sena- director of the Corps, was a mem- chilly October morning in 1960 tor Humphrey proposed that a ber of Johnson's staff at that time. when the young Senator from youth corps be set up. His legisla- The early, derisive comments mounted the steps of tion was the first calling for more about the "Kiddie Corps" and the Michigan Union in Ann Arbor than a study of the feasibility of "Disturbing-the-Peace Corps" have and asked a group of University the idea. been replaced by such universal of Michigan students if they were The Colorado group had just ac- backing that the Peace Corps gets willing to go overseas to help their cepted the contract when 94 to 96 percent of its annual ap- country. mentioned the idea at San Fran- propriation request, which is much "There was a hush," one ob- cisco. After he was elected, he better than the average for other server said, "and the mood of the established the Corps on a pilot agencies. Peace Corps matters are crowd seemed to change." basis by an executive order on usually passed by voice vote; a roll Drawing by W. Miller; ©1963. The New Yorker Magazine, INC. That was the first time that March 1, 1961. Congress answered call vote has never been necessary. "It's ironical. Our Peace Corps built their brickyard." John F. Kennedy publicly men- his request to set up the Corps on The success of the Peace Corps tioned the Peace Corps. He did so a permanent basis with a bill that has been attributed to two things: again in a nationally televised President Kennedy signed into law the fact that it is apparently a good speech a month later at the Cow on Sept. 22, 1961. force for peace in the world, and No Guarantee, But... Palace in San Francisco which By the time the group had the the leadership of Peace Corps brought 30,000 letters of support report out, trie Peace Corps had Director R. . Every- for the idea. been going more than six months, where in Washington, Shriver is Where did the idea come from? and the first Volunteers were over- given credit for being the man who Volunteers Unlikely Since the Peace Corps is now so seas. made the Peace Corps work. successful, many people have How did President Kennedy get Senator Humphrey wrote in claimed credit for originating the the idea? According to George 1961, "The effect of Peace Corps Draft Candidates idea, and many can be given credit. Sullivan, who is writing a book work will be invaluable. The citi- The first legislation in the area on the Peace Corps and spent sev- zen of an underdeveloped country "We can't guarantee anything, become deferred that way. Others was introduced by Congressman eral months researching the origins, may forget a case of American but . . ." is the usual opening reply wind up with government jobs that Henry S. Reuss (D-Wis.) in Janu- Kennedy's contact with the corps supplies quickly consumed; he may when a Peace Corps recruiter is qualify them for deferment. Frank- ary, 1960. Reuss says he got the idea came from several sources. resent a load of American guns asked the inevitable question about ly," he said, "most draft boards idea in 1957 during an inspection Reuss reports that he sent his in- turned over to his government. But a returned Volunteer's draft status. look rather kindly upon returning of the United States foreign aid formation to Kennedy in August his memory of working with and Corps officials who have been PCVs. From what we know of the effort in . or September of 1960. sharing the skills of an American dealing with the problem for the cases of returnees who have been Reuss brought the subject of an Among those who influenced citizen will be strong and endur- past three years are the first to drafted, it appears that they didn't overseas youth corps into a speech Kennedy in the development of the ing. . . admit that the situation is far from have jobs or anything and were at Cornell University. As he later Peace Corps program besides Ruess, "America's best resource is its being crystal clear. They do have just hanging around. said, "The response there—and Neuberger, and Humphrey, were people." a few of the answers, however. "Draft boards can be pretty wherever else I have discussed it— , Archibald Cox, Reuss was asked his opinion of The act of Congress authorizing autonomous though and it's tough was electric." , , and the implementing of his idea, and the Peace Corps specifies that to say exactly why they might have Reuss's legislation — called the Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson had if he had any suggestions for im- Volunteers should not be draft a returnee drafted. We can advise Point Four Youth Program—was mentioned the idea in campaign provements in the Corps. exempt. Although some legislators a returnee about his status and sponsored in the Senate by the late talks even before Kennedy. Bill "I think it's as close to being had felt that Peace Corps Volun- write a letter to his draft board for Senator Richard Neuberger of Ore- Moyers, who later became deputy perfect as anything can be." teers should be released from mili- him, but legally there is no re- gon and was added to the Foreign tary obligations, many were of the course. Aid Authorization Act. Eventually opinion that such a situation would "Congress is aware of the situa- $10,000 was allocated to make a result in a rash of applicants whose tion," he said, "and since the first study of the plan and the Agency only motivation was avoiding the big crop of returnees are now com- for International Development took Job Offers draft. ing back the situation is bound to the responsibility for getting the It was decided by the Selective move a little more into the spot- study done. (Continued from page 1) want to make teaching their ca- Service Board, however, that serv- light." AID had a difficult time finding pressed strong interest in returning reer." ice in the Peace Corps was defi- Internally, Peace Corps Volun- a group willing to take the con- Volunteers. The Peace Corps placement offi- nitely "in the national interest" and teers and staff members often take tract, but finally Colorado State Such institutions as the Univer- cer remarked that "one group of so a Volunteer could legitimately opposing views on "the draft ex- University's newly founded re- sity of Chicago, Rutgers, George Volunteers who served in request a draft deferment. This is emption question." search center agreed to do it. Williams, New , Yale, Syra- is now making plans to serve currently being done. On June 15, 1960, after Reuss's cuse, New University, New migrant workers in this country by When a Volunteer's service in "I don't want a draft exemption," proposal and before the money had York State College and the Uni- developing a mobile school." the Corps has ended, his deferment said one returned Volunteer who versity of Kansas are offering Calvert heads the Peace Corps is terminated. Legally he is again is now working as a staff member special grants and fellowships ex- Career Information Service which eligible for the draft but actually in Washington. "Nobody with any clusively for returning Volunteers. was established to assist Volunteers few are called. "We actually only sense actually thinks that spending In recent testimony to the House returning from overseas with edu- know of six Volunteers who have two years in some mosquito in- Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. cational and occupational planning. been drafted after they came home," fested jungle is easier than service, Calvert noted that "approximately The Service also serves as a focal said one Corps official. but I don't want anybody question- half of the former Volunteers are point to which opportunities for Many of them have been return- ing my motives. I think the Volun- enrolled in a college or university. returning Volunteers may be di- ing to school to do graduate work teer feels a terrific sense of They are attending 117 different rected by educational institutions and they just go back on their accomplishment which he might schools in all parts of the country. and by employers both public and student deferment status," he said. not get in the service, but still I Among this group 99 hold fellow- private. "Some of them get married and don't think he should automatically ships, assistantships and scholar- be exempted." ships with a total value of over Others feel differently. "When $214,000." a guy comes back from a two year About 15 per cent of the Volun- Corps Seeks . . . Peace Corps assignment he shouldn't teers who have returned took posi- have to start worrying about the tions in private industry. Such (Continued from page 1) Most of the Peace Corps' present draft," one Corps official said."He's firms as Shell Oil, Hilton Hotels The Corps has provided Volun- expansion plans are within the 48 certainly made a sacrifice and per- and the Chase-Manhattan Bank teers with intensive language train- countries they now serve. "The formed a service for his country. enthusiastically sought volunteers. ing in more than 40 foreign tongues. expansion is more or less internal," In peacetime situations where there The federal government has at- "The Corps' only real language said Pagano. "In countries where is no big draft call, I think Volun- tracted a high percentage of re- requirement," said Pagano, "is that we've had community development teers ought to be officially ex- turning Volunteers. The Peace the Volunteer have the native in- workers, we may add school empted." Corps alone has now hired 51 telligence to learn one if his assign- teachers." Ironically, both sides agree that Volunteers for administrative posi- ment calls for it. We don't consider Countries where Peace Corps an official draft exemption would tions in Washington and overseas. it any real problem though. We've educational assistance programs have no effect on the caliber of the The Volunteer's experience over- taught Punjabi to grandmothers have been operating will now also Volunteer being sent overseas. seas should provide him with an heading for and Pushto to get health teams and rural develop- "We know what kind of motiva- excellent for various farm boys going to . ment workers. It depends on what tion we're looking for in Volunteers kinds of federal overseas. "Not that we're denying that it's the host country requests and if and, frankly, anyone who is just A large number of Volunteers a grind. Having a twelve week Volunteers can be found. trying to beat the draft usually James Portman, a graduate of are working as teachers. Calvert deadline to become fluent in one "Yes sir," Pagano said, "Come doesn't get through the screening Penn State University, is an agri- said that "one study showed only of these unusual tongues can be June the roof is being lifted off process. Even if he did, he'd prob- cultural extension worker in El 13 per cent taught before entering a little unnerving, but most college this place ... if they apply." ably be washed out in the first few Salvador. the Peace Corps. Now 25 per cent grads have done pretty well." weeks of training." PAGE 2 PEACE CORPS NEWS SPRING, 1964 Venture for Stability Volunteers Encourage Corps Aids Cooperative Effort In Cities The Peace Corps Volunteer is are the bulldozers?" The Volunteer There are no Peace Corps Vol- usually pictured with dirt under then might tell the villager to ap- unteers working in Paris but not his fingernails, digging in the mud proach his own government about many of the 7,000 members are to help the lowly plant his supplying a bulldozer. The idea is living in grass huts either. Many crops. Actually, a large percentage to get the people in the area to help awaken in the morning to the of the Volunteers are involved in themselves. sound of street cars and truck initiating a cooperative effort be- One example of a rural commu- traffic. tween people in areas where work- nity development project was a "One of the most popular myths ing together was unheard of before. cooperative vegetable-growing en- about the Peace Corps," said one official, "is that everybody is living Community development, as this terprise in . A Volunteer talked 20 families into growing in the jungle some place 700 miles process is called, takes place in from the nearest city." both villages and urban areas. It three kinds of vegetables together and marketing them together. By Nigeria refutes this point, how- involves three steps. ever. Peace Corps projects are con- First, the Volunteer must get to cooperating, they were able to rent a truck to take their harvest to I centrated in the six major cities. know the people and be accepted Volunteers there are teaching in by them. This is described by Vol- town instead of each having to use j his ox-cart. The profits were split secondary schools and universities. unteers as one of their toughest Ibaden, in the western part of problems because it is a relatively among the families with a small amount to the cooperative to keep Nigeria, is exotic enough to fit the inactive period and they are unable usual conception of a Peace Corps to see any tangible results from it going. Some of the farmers made as site—it is the largest all-Negro city their efforts. They may get to know in the world. Some 30 Peace the people by talking to them in much from one harvest as they made in two years working on Corpsmen are teaching there in cafes, meeting with them on the secondary schools and universities. street or helping them in small the large, privately owned farms where they were employed. James Welcome, a graduate of the University of Illinois, is a member Another 25 Volunteers are work- chores. of a community development project, in . Here he supervises ing in Enugu, a city of 42,000 in The second phase consists of Another project by the same Volunteer involved getting a bred brick-making, a project the local people have undertaken with the eastern Nigeria. organizing the community to hold help of the Volunteers. Five hundred miles away in meetings at which local problems sow from CARE and splitting the resulting litter among several fam- , 80 of the country's 300 are presented. This is also Volunteers are working in one difficult. It may take many sessions ilies. The female pigs in the litter city alone—the capital, Monrovia. were bred, thereby producing a before the Volunteer can get an Members there are engaged in all orderly meeting. litter from each female. Of this third generation, one pig was given Peace Corps Stays levels of teaching; some hold pub- In the third and final stage, the to CARE to repay the original lic administration jobs in the gov- Volunteer starts mobilizing the loan, and one was given to the ernment. community to work on its de- On the other side of the Atlantic, fined problem. In many foreign cooperative. In Spite of Trouble This has been criticized in some in , the Volunteer is again countries, people are articulate and areas as communistic, but it is found almost as often in the city thorough planners, but sometimes From City a worried quipa, Peru, seemed to pose a as in the "bush." Nearly half of become bored by the things they actually the highest form of free, Peace Corps field representative danger to the Volunteers there private enterprise. Under commu- the Volunteers in Peru are in ur- have planned. As one Volunteer sent telegrams to the 57 Volunteers until the people with whom they ban areas—60 in Lima alone. Sig- said, "Our greatest enemy is the nism, the state owns and controls in the country asking if they were were working staged a counter- everything. Under the cooperative nificant numbers of Volunteers are 'elaborate plan.' The idea becomes all right. And from Santa Fe, 150 demonstration supporting the Peace program, the farmer owns his pigs also assigned to cities in the substitute for the work and miles away, came the laconic re- Corpsmen. and Chile. and treats them as his own. The ply: "I'm fine, thanks. And you?" Volunteers were also in , sweat that is really needed. We in whole cooperative movement de- In , there are Peace Corps the United States are a country of The answer is one detail in a Tanganyika, , and a Volunteers in villages, but a recent veloped by the Volunteers could story that is beginning to be stand- dozen other African, Latin Amer- doers—we avoid elaborate plan- be described as a process of coop- project sent Volunteers to supple- ning and speech-making and ard in the Peace Corps: the Volun- ican, and Asian countries during ment university teaching staffs in quickly roll up our sleeves and go erative individualism. teer is rarely a victim of the daily strained or violent periods. Whether in urban or rural areas, La Paz, Santa Cruz and several to work. Our greatest efforts as diplomatic crisis; he can expect to In the , an other large towns. Volunteers are spent in getting the the Volunteer is concerned primar- continue his work virtually unhin- army-sponsored coup overturned a ily with getting the people to work In , a Volunteer can ex- sleeves up." dered. democratic government and caused pect to be sent to anything from a The Volunteer must get the peo- together. He tries to develop the organization of the area so that In the Panama crisis, six Volun- the of diplomatic rela- rural hamlet to a town of up to ple of the country to do the work teers were away from their sites tions, but the Volunteers stayed on. 50,000 population. Living condi- themselves. If the Volunteer does the people will carry on after he goes home. when trouble erupted. They were In many villages, Peace Corpsmen tions in any case are "fairly nice," it himself, his time is wasted. Many escorted back to their areas say, the Volunteer is the only according to Volunteers. Volunteers arrive in an area, and Although it is too early to tell with certitude, the indications are by Panamanians and remained at American anyone has ever seen In Lagos, Nigeria, things are so the villagers ask shortly, "Where and the news of a in diplo- that the villagers will be capable of work throughout the crisis—includ- good that drinking water need not dealing with their own problems ing the break in diplomatic rela- matic relations matters to them not even be boiled. at all. Students Assist after two years of work with the tions. Most of the people on city as- Volunteer. Anti-American rioting in Are- In , the story is less signments are teaching, but they dramatic but as impressive. The 30 are not trained teachers. The Peace Campus Liaisons Volunteers there arrived in two Corps does not ask that Volunteers There are more than 500 student groups six months apart. The first have experience—let alone train- Peace Corps committees working group was met by anti-American ing. Volunteers must have a bache- with college liaison officers. Some demonstrations and the second wel- lor's degree with a major or minor of the larger Peace Corps commit- comed by government officials. in the field which he will teach. tees are at the Universities of Cali- The Peace Corps field represen- One Peace Corps official ad- fornia, Kansas, Purdue, Oregon, tative in Indonesia, David Burgess, mitted that he prefers untrained and New Hampshire. likes to cite the case of Medan in potential teachers because they The University of California northern Sumatra. There, the news- were more likely to have a good Peace Corps Committee keeps the papers launched a vicious attack knowledge of their field and "be office open throughout the day to on the Peace Corps and three Vol- able to do other things too—like handle applications from prospec- unteer coaches. glaze windows." tive Volunteers. While the editorial attacks con- In east Africa only one-third of Bob Gale, director of Peace tinued—saying that Volunteers had the Volunteer teachers have had Corps recruiting, said "The active been ejected from many countries experience in schools in the United work being done by the California and that they receive military and States. committee, and the fact that they training — the three Peace Corpsmen in secondary are able to keep the office open coaches led the Medan city basket- schools usually work under local throughout the day is undoubtedly ball team to the national champion- head masters and teach the tradi- one of the major reasons for the ship and the swimming team set an tional subjects: language, math, large number of Volunteers that Indonesian record. science, and history. come from California." Leveo Sanchez, Peace Corps Under the influence of Peace Other committees are presenting desk officer for Central America Corps teachers, however, many of Peace Corps programs to local explains why the Volunteer is such the host country schools are now clubs, showing Peace Corps films a successful diplomat. "He has including technical courses in their and coordinating visits from Peace identified himself with the- commu- curriculum. As many of the stu- Corps personnel to the campus. nity," he says. "To the people he dents will only attend classes for - Students who are interested in is first a member of the community the first few years, Volunteers feel setting up Peace Corps committees Jerry Page, a graduate of Colorado State University, does recreational and a friend, and second an Amer- that it is important to teach sub- on their campus should write Bob work in the slums of Caracas, near the area where the Nixons were ican." jects that they can use immediately Gale, Peace Corps, Washington. attacked in 1958. Here he is shown with one of his boys. He is the handsome American. in making a living. SPRING, 1964 PEACE CORPS NEWS PAGE 3 The Volunteer9s Motive-To Be A Do 'er No one who knew him at the overseas to "help people" per se. to work with people, to enjoy per- University of California had any He says he wants to work with the son-to-person contact, to teach, to doubts about Bob Stillwell's future. people, to motivate them to put apply his specific skills, to gain an The groundwork seemed pretty well into practice some of the principles inter-cultural experience, to learn laid out. A degree in political sci- which the Corps is pushing. and to further his own career. ence and a handful of applications Service in the Peace Corps, Bob Like most good Peace Corps to law schools seemed to chart a believes, will be an attractive asset Volunteers, Bob is quite specific promising future. But that was a on anyone's credentials. You have about what contributions he hopes year ago. Today the tall, blond to have a certain amount of drive to make and he is not at all shy Californian is not reading law at and stamina in order to stand up about what he expects in return. Harvard or Yale—he's teaching under the pressures which we face. He sees the Peace Corps as a English to children in Nepal. It is a real experiment in self- service organization with a pri- Bob Stillwell sidestepped the knowledge. mary function of helping the less security of the so-called affluent Not all of Bob's colleagues share fortunate. society to serve as a Peace Corps in the scope of his altruistic out- There are Bob Stillwells at every Volunteer. Thousands of young, look. Some Volunteers in Nepal college and university in the coun- well-educated Americans have been and elsewhere are. not particularly | try. They all have similar motives motivated to go half way around concerned with spreading democ- which allow them to make the tran- the world to exotic lands to teach racy or combatting communism, sition from four years of books English, to develop local govern- but are more interested in travel- and collegiate social life to aiding mental units or to participate in ing abroad and applying their people in a . other Peace Corps projects. knowledge. It is also an opportu- They are endowed with a cer- Does the Peace Corps Volunteer nity, as one agricultural worker put tain kind of enthusiasm, vigor and have the fervent, missionary zeal? it, "to identify with something big- verve. They live by strong personal Is he a flag-waving patriot who ger than we are ourselves." convictions: seeking to serve oth- wants to tell underdeveloped peo- Bob has many of the qualities ers in the service of their country. ples about America's virtues? Bob of the most successful kind of They have a desire to learn another Stillwell's interest in the Peace Peace Corps Volunteer. He is no culture in depth. They want to Corps characterizes motives which wild-eyed idealist, neither is he a travel and to combine adventure have led thousands of college stu- resigned pragmatist. He is both with education. They want to dents to temporarily postpone their self-motivated and socio-motivated. broaden their perspectives in a careers for voluntary service over- He has a strong belief in the Peace mature fashion. They want to chal- seas. Corps. He wants to build a better lenge their strength and ingenuity. Bob Stillwell is a composite of world and to change the American And they were in the chorus that thousands of young Americans image. By the same token, he wants answered President Kennedy. who want to do—to participate rather than remain detached ob- servers. There is no real Bob Still- well, but there are hundreds of Other Countries Begin Sam Fisk, a graduate of Columbia University, teaches at the Commer- Volunteers with similar back- cial School in Addis Ababa. As an extra-curricular project, Sam and grounds and desires. He wants to Peace Corps Program other PCV's have organized a recreation program for the children of help people in developing coun- lepers. Here Sam plays with one of his young acquaintances. tries learn the skills that have made The United States is not the only of planning and training programs. the U.S. a powerful industrial country with a program to train By the end of 1962, international 9 nation. volunteers for work in the social volunteer programs were consid- 'Over My Dead Body The Peace Corps can foster bet- and economic development of ered important enough so that 43 ter international relations. It is a countries in Latin America, Africa, nations gathered in Puerto Rico to way to work for peace and to be an and Asia. discuss the future of the idea. They intimate part of the progress of a The 13 national volunteer pro- formed the International Peace Pacifying Parents Poses developing nation, the tall Califor- grams now underway vary in the Corps Secretariat to increase the nian maintains. amount of government support they supply of volunteer assistance avail- Bob and his colleagues are not receive, but all are characterized able to the developing countries. Recruiting Problem caught up in any desire to Amer- by a goal of putting young people The Secretariat has offices in icanize others. His expressions of into developing countries. Washington. "Over my dead body!" daughter in some remote village, patriotic feelings show a broad con- The Canadian University Serv- While the International Secre- That was the reaction of one fighting exotic tropical diseases, cern for strengthening the United ice Overseas, for instance, is a pri- triat concentrates on developing parent when his daughter expressed isolated from civilization, hungry, States in its relations with other vately financed organization which foreign service programs, it also a desire to join the Peace Corps. tired and scared." countries. He'd like to improve the has placed 160 volunteers in some assists developing countries to form Dispelling fears and misconcep- A special message to parents has U.S. image abroad. 30 countries. Most are secondary their own national youth organiza- tions of parents such as this is pro- been prepared to dispel many of There is something fresh and school teachers, youth workers, ru- tions for domestic work. Through viding a new communications chal- the misconceptions about the Corps. genuine about the enthusiasm of ral development specialists and these efforts now has lenge for the Peace Corps staff. The message makes it clear: other Volunteers who trained with medical personnel. 60 volunteers working beside U.S. The Peace Corps staff is giving • That Volunteers are not placed Bob. They ranged from a student In , Peace Corps members in that coun- increased attention to the need to in work sites where the health haz- of East Asian affairs who is writ- has begun training a group of 50 try. keep parents informed of the Corps' ards are so great that real dangers ing his Ph.D. dissertation on the teachers to be placed in neighbor- Other countries with volunteer operations and objectives as well as are posed; economic development of Nepal ing countries through the Organi- programs underway include Aus- providing them with an awareness • That living conditions are to an elderly grandmother who zation of American States. The Ar- tralia, Belgium, France, Germany, of the specific conditions which modest, but adequate, and not often wants her children to live in a gentine program is being financed Netherlands, New Zealand, and their sons and daughters can ex- sub-standard slum-like conditions; peaceful world. by the government. Great Britain. pect in the field once they become • That Volunteers are never He wants to apply his knowledge The Scandinavian countries are Volunteers. more than a few hours from tele- of English and inter-personal rela- also involved in aiding the less "Objections from parents causes communications services; tions to another culture. He wants industrialized nations. Denmark's New Call For some Volunteers considerable psy- • That Volunteers are not to gain inter-cultural experience, program, called Dansk Ungdoms chological strain and in some cases placed in any country where a rec- general knowledge and personal U-Landsarvejde, sent its first group may even keep potentially good ord of instability poses an apparent satisfaction through Peace Corps of eight volunteers to Tanganyika Secretaries Volunteers out of the Corps," ac- danger, and that if the need should service. last September and other volun- The Peace Corps needs 100 ex- cording to Dr. Joseph Colmen, arise an emergency evacuation is Bob emphasizes a spirit of co- teers are in training. Norway and perienced secretaries to serve as Peace Corps research director. available in every country; operation. He has no desire to go Sweden are also in the early stages Volunteers in overseas Peace Corps "Many parents," Colmen says, • That the Corps offers long offices as chief secretaries and office "are not aware that the Peace range intellectual development ad- For further information, complete this form and mail to: managers. Corps can be a positive factor in vantages and is an asset, not a A director and subordinate staff a person's total development. In liability, to an individual's career members are assigned to each of their minds, two years in the field The concern for parents' aware- PEACE CORPS, Office of Public Affairs, Washington, D. C. 20525 the countries in which Volunteers is an unnecessary interruption of ness in no way undermines recog- are working. They are responsible the student's career." nition of the Volunteer as a mature Mr. Mrs. Miss_ _Date_ for the activities of all Volunteer Colmen believes that there is an and independent individual. The programs. In their assignments, the element of anxiety about the un- message to parents is given to each Address: secretaries will have contact with known—some parents don't quite potential Volunteer after he makes high-ranking host government and understand why their son or daugh- the initial application. It is up to U.S. officials. ter would want to spend two years the student whether he wants to College or University. In June, a special training pro- of his or her life in a developing give it to his parents—he may just Level at present time (circle one): 12 3 4 Grad. Degree- gram for the secretaries will begin country. This kind of isolation pro- use it to answer questions and clear at the Peace Corps headquarters in vides an unhealthy environment, for up doubts in his parents' minds. Major_ _ Washington. They will receive ad- both physical and mental health, Men like Dr. Colmen and his ministrative training and training some parents believe. colleagues at the Peace Corps be- Major field of experience outside of school: (Jobs, Farm background, hobbies, etc.) in language and area studies. Many parents' initial responses lieve that by providing full infor- Candidates should submit a to the Peace Corps spring from a mation to parents a new spirit of Peace Corps Volunteer Question- reservoir of misinformation which co-operation and understanding will naire to Secretary , inevitably includes the mud hut result among those involved both Peace Corps, Washington, D. C. image. As one Peace Corps official directly and indirectly in the Peace Date you could enter training:. 20525. put it, "the parent sees his young Corps. PAGE 4 PEACE CORPS NEWS SPRING, 1964