PEACE CORPS NEWS VOL. 2 NO. 2 A Special College Supplement SPRING, 1963 4,000 Volunteers Requested In '63 Philosophy Liberal Arts Grad Describes Students Will Work In Nepal Fill Many Jobs (Editor's note: Jim Fisher, More than 4,000 new Peace a philosophy graduate of Corps Volunteers will be se- Princeton, is now teaching lected during the next few English as a second language months to serve in 45 developing in Nepal. The following let- nations around the world. Some ter describes his work.) of these men and women will be In the middle of final exami- replacing Volunteers who are nations last Spring I suddenly completing their two-year period found myself forced into decid- of service this year. ing what would happen to me in Others will be filling com- the world lying outside of pletely new assignments request- Princeton, N. J.: I chose what ed by countries in Africa, Latin I later saw advertised as "Land America, the Near and Far East of Yeti and Everest." and South Asia. Some 300 dif- The day following graduation ferent skill areas are represented I began training an average of in the jobs, most of which will 12 hours per day at George be filled by the end of 1963. Washington University in Wash- Opportunities for Americans ington, D. C. About half the to invest their time and talent time was concentrated on lan- in helping people to help them- guage study, the other half in selves are greater now than at world affairs, American studies, any time in the brief history of and Nepal area studies. The the Peace Corps. quality of the training program, Liberal arts students will teach though shoddy in isolated areas, elementary or secondary school, was surprisingly high, particu- PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER Jess Stone, a liberal arts graduate of Colorado State, is a community or serve in community develop- larly in language training. The ment programs, filling many of entire grueling process was made development worker in the Dominican Republic. Stone and the 145 other Volunteers in the Dominican Republic are teaching English, sparking self-help school construction and organizing these new assignments. Nurses, more pleasant than it would engineers, carpenters, mechan- otherwise have been by the 4-H clubs. They make up the field staff of the first rural extension program the country has known. Liberal arts graduates will start training in June for Peace Corps community develop- ics, farmers, home economists, strong incentive to learn and the lawyers—and many other skills ment projects around the world. usually boundless enthusiasm of — are also represented. my fellow trainees, most of To qualify for Peace Corps whom were college graduates. service, a person must, of course, After two months we graduated, have more than the basic skills and I was somewhat shocked Tanganyika Engineers Build Roads required. This second college when I was asked to give a supplement is designed to in- commencement address — in Peace Corps engineers in programs said of the Volunteers: Volunteers don't know what form potential Volunteers about Nepali! This somehow made the Tanganyika are building roads, "They are revealing to the can't be done. They simply get the specific opportunities for Latin salutatory at Princeton constructing bridges, surveying world what Americans are like. the bridge built or the road service and the types of Ameri- seem rather pedestrian in com- harbors and harbor facilities, They exemplify the American scraped or the mapping done. cans needed to fill these assign- parison. river crossings, airports and character. They've got guts . A top government official said ments. (See 'Nepal,' page 3) drainage systems. these boys have got what it to me: "I don't know what we "One of the basic decisions "The fact that the job is in takes. This is the best aid you would have done without made early in the Peace Corps' have ever given anyone. The them.'" Tanganyika adds a touch of the (See '4,000,' page 2) Scholarships, unusual, however," said Art Young, a Peace Corps engineer. Jobs Await "More than once surveying Volunteers teams have been driven off the Free Films, job due to curious elephants More than 700 Peace Corps wandering too close for com- Filmstrips Volunteers will complete their fort." two-year assignments this year. Now Available Next year, some 5,000 will be The engineers' main project is back and over the next decade, to build a network of small A 27-minute color film, "The 50,000 persons will have served. farm-to-market roads in even Peace Corps," is now available So far, the number of jobs the most remote agricultural free to college, civic or church and educational opportunities areas. groups interested in a compre- exceed the number of returnees. Tanganyika's economy is hensive program report on the More than 30 universities based largely on agriculture, yet Peace Corps. have offered over 100 special only nine per cent of her land The 16mm documentary, nar- scholarships for those who want is under cultivation. Lack of rated by Dave Garroway, in- to continue their education. In- adequate farm-to-market roads cludes scenes of Volunteers at terest in obtaining Volunteers to and year-round water supply work in several countries and an teach in America is high. Cali- limit further expansion. interview with Director Sargent fornia and other state school Working with the engineers Shriver outlining the entire se- systems will credit Peace Corps are Peace Corps geologists who lection and training process. teaching experience for teaching have mapped about 7,500 square Another film produced by certification. miles. Volunteers have been in NBC News, "The Peace Corps The U. S. State Department charge of or second in command in Tanganyika," is also available has agreed that Volunteers who in the supervision of almost all at no cost. Both films may be receive appointments as Foreign primary road construction in booked through regional offices Service Officers will enter at an Tanganyika since they arrived of Modern Talking Pictures, advanced level. Both the State in October of 1961. They're Inc., or directly from the Peace Department and the United training the Tanganyikans to Corps, Office of Public Affairs, States Information Agency are take over these jobs when they ANDRE COLPITTS, 23, a Peace Corps Volunteer from Tulsa, Okla., Washington 25, D. C. making arrangements to inter- leave. teaches English, science and math at a high school in Belize, Two specialized film strips view interested Volunteers over- John Leyden, a distinguished British Honduras. Colpitts received his A.B. in biology and philoso- outlining work of Volunteers in seas. Other agencies, such as the geologist and a member of a phy from Phillips University, Enid, Okla., in 1961. On their arrival, medical and agricultural pro- Public Health Service, want committee that advises the Brit- the 32 Volunteers teaching in British Honduras more than doubled grams are also available from Peace Corps veterans. ish Parliament on foreign aid the number of college graduates in that country. the Washington office. Peace Corps Teaches P 32 Languages The Peace Corps has o taught its Volunteers 32 languages, many of them never taught on college campuses in the United States before. An intensive language training program pat- terned after the successful labortory methods devel- oped during World War II, accelerates the learning of such languages as Thai, Somali, Farsi, Bengali and Amharic. Prior knowledge of a language is not essential for most Peace Corps as- signments but prior train- ing in French or Spanish is helpful. 'Avoid Madison Ave. Stuff' New Booklet Describes Jobs Says Former Staff Member In Liberal Arts A SOIL CONSERVATION WORKER, William Hundley, 23, of "I've only a liberal arts degree. Cle Elum, Wash., is serving with the Peace Corps on the Blair Butterworth, a humani- recruited, and you will have a Can I qualify for Peace Corps Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Hundley received his B.S. degree ties major, served a year with fine, small and distinguished service?" group of young people. The in agriculture from Washington State University in 1962. More the Peace Corps Washington "I'm a psychology major. than 1,300 Volunteers have been requested for agricultural greatest fear I have is meeting staff in Public Affairs. He "re- What can I do?" projects starting this summer. a PCV Ghana 4 who says to me, A new Peace Corps informa- cruited" himself and is now - I came because I heard your tional booklet is dedicated to serving as a Volunteer teacher speech in George Washington answering questions like the in the Okuapemman School at High or South East Missouri above. The booklet indicates State College.' On-Campus Information? Akropong-Akwapim, Ghana. He the broadening opportunities for writes from Ghana: "As yet I have said nothing liberal arts students with no about the teaching difficulties. defined skill. See Your Liaison Officer "I feel that I have treated Mostly, they are the ones one "College Education — Plus," Where can you get informa- More than 2,000 faculty or you all very unworthily. I should has anywhere, I imagine. The illustrates the two major areas tion or counseling on Peace administrative officers are serv- have been writing quotable problem is that these kids have in which liberal arts graduates Corps service? From your Peace ing as the link between the quotes and the like and making had so few experiences in their are working: teaching and com- childhood. Maybe that is cul- munity development. Corps liaison officer on campus. Peace Corps and the individual your job so easy for you. But Ask your campus information student.