Tag Archives: English Education

Rosemary (Morris) Yaco in Togo

Country of Service: Togo

Place of Service: Dapaong and Sokodé

Service Type: Education

Dates in Service: 1983-1986

Keywords: Education

Accession Date: July 19, 2022

Access: No restrictions

Collection Size: 1 linear foot

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications
  • Sound

See Also: Rosemary Yaco’s four mystery novels, which were inspired by her time in Africa.  The Peace Corps Community Archives website also features a blog post about the first novel, Murder in the Peace Corps.

Finding Aid:

Box 1

  1. Papers
    1. Correspondence
      1. Specific Correspondence, dated, 1983-1986
        1. Specific Correspondence, 1983
        2. Specific Correspondence, 1984 undated, January-May 1984
        3. Specific Correspondence, 1985
        4. Specific Correspondence, January-June 1986
      2. Specific Correspondence, undated
        1. Specific Correspondence, undated, c. 1983-1986 (1 of 3)
        2. Specific Correspondence, undated, c. 1983-1986, 1984-1985 (2 of 3)
        3. Specific Correspondence, undated, c. 1983-1986, 1986 (3 of 3)
      3. Specific Correspondence, undated, unsure if Peace Corps-related
        1. Specific Correspondence, undated, unsure if Peace Corps-related (1 of 3)
        2. Specific Correspondence, undated, unsure if Peace Corps-related (2 of 3)
        3. Specific Correspondence, undated, unsure if Peace Corps-related (3 of 3)
      4. General Correspondence, c. 1983-1986
      5. Postcards
        1. Postcards, dated, 1983-1986
        2. Postcards, undated, c. 1983-1986
      6. Correspondence to Rosemary Yaco, undated, 1983-1986
      7. Letters to Sonia Yaco, 1984-1985
    2. Other Papers
      1. Educational Materials
        1. Created or Utilized Educational Materials, c. 1966-1986
        2. Georgetown University Class Materials, Summer 1985
        3. Originally labeled, “R. Yaco Writing Course, W F Class” [Educational publications and papers, c. 1984-1985]
        4. Submitted Assignments by Teachers, c. 1983-1986
      2. Creative Writing
        1. Hopwood Award-Winning Poetry, c. 1951
        2. Creative Writing, 1984, undated
      3. Other Papers
        1. Fulbright Application [includes description of Peace Corps Work], c. 1985
        2. General Papers, c. 1983-1985
        3. Newspaper and Journal Clippings, c. 1983-1986 (also digitized)
  2. Photos and Audiovisual Materials
    1. Dated Negatives and Photos, 1983-1986
    2. Photo Slides, c. 1984-1985
    3. Photos, undated
    4. Large Photos, undated
    5. Labeled and Unlabeled Negatives, Undated
    6. Photos and Negatives from Unlabeled Packet 1, undated
    7. Photos and Negatives from Unlabeled Packet 2, undated
    8. Photos and Negatives from Unlabeled Packet 3, undated
    9. Photos and Negatives from Unlabeled Packet 4, undated
    10. Miscellaneous Tapes, undated
    11. Photo Albums (Box 2)

Peggy Walton in Ukraine

Country of Service: Ukraine
Service Type: 1994-1996: English teacher trainer; 2013-2016: Peace Corps Response volunteer
Dates in Service: 1994-1996; 2013-2016
Keywords: Education, Response

Accession Date: August 9, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 linear foot + 1 digital file

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Documents
  • Journals
  • Newspapers
  • Photographs
  • Scrapbooks

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

  1. Application and Training Materials  
    1. Passport 
    2. Acceptance letter 
    3. Training schedule  
  2. Correspondence 
    1. With friends 
    2. With parents 
    3. With sons  
  3. Journals 
    1. (2) 
  4. Maps & Memorabilia 
    1. Maps of Ukraine 
    2. Peace Corps Pins 
  5. Newspaper Clippings 
  6. Postcards and Photographs 
  7. Scrapbooks 
    1. (2) 
  8. “Ukrainian Adventures” 
    1. 11 parts and reflections 

Janet S. Karon in The Philippines

Country of Service: Philippines
Service Type: Elementary School English Teacher
Dates in Service: 1961-1963
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Literacy, Youth, Judaism

Accession Date: May 7, 2021; May 31, 2022
Access: no restriction
Collection Size: .26 linear feet (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

  1. Photo Album: including finding aid and 37 photos 
  2. Digitized Pan-American airline menu; Honolulu-Manila; January 3, 1962 
  3. Correspondence, February 13, 1962-December 14, 1962 
  4. Correspondence, January 1, 1963-June 13, 1963, undated 
  5. Correspondence, Post-Tour Travel, June 21, 1963 -August 2, 1963 
  6. Correspondence, Sent to Jan’s Parents From Others, August 1962 

Phil Fretz in Sierra Leone

Name: Philip Fretz
Country of Service: Sierra Leone
Place of Service: Kenema
Service Type: English teacher
Dates in Service: 1967-1969
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: January 8, 2020
Access: No Restrictions
Collection Size: 85 digital files

Document Types

  • Documents
  • Photographs
  • Film/Video

Digital Collection

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Memoir, Softball, Snakes, Sausage Flies and Rice: Peace Corps Life in 1960s Sierra Leone, 2013. Transferred to general collection.
  2. Digital files including Peace Corps Sierra Leone Mende Language Manual , “Hike to the Falls” Video, digital images  

Photographing the Firsts: Maureen Carroll in the Philippines

 

Maureen Carroll served in the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers to the Philippines from 1961-1963. Carroll served as an English Teacher in Castilla, Philippines. Carroll previously worked for AT&T, who paid H.A. Figueras of Black Star Photography to come to her town in the Philippines and follow her around for a day to capture every angle of her life there.  The photos show her housing, her transportation, in the classroom, in the market, at church, at the beach, and around town.

 

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Carroll lived in Castilla with three other PCV roommates in the home pictured above on the left. The home had a tin roof and was raised on poles above the ground. There were three rooms, a sala or living room with a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.

 

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Pictured here is the community library Carroll and her roommates fashioned out of the former store attached to their home.

 

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Carroll and other Volunteers regularly used the local bus which also transported neighbors and their animals. Pictured here, Carroll and another PCV wait for the bus to arrive.

 

pcca_carroll_0004Maureen Carroll lived with three other roommates, Gloria Paulik, Hope Gould, and Anne Wilson. Here, Carroll and her roommates enjoy lunch in their living room.

 

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Pictured here, Carroll prepares her English lessons for her students. She co-taught with local teachers across multiple classrooms at Milagrosa Elementary School.

 

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Carroll and her fellow PCVs taught local Filipino students both English and Science.

 

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Peace Corps Volunteers in the Philippines purchased provisions from the local businesses. Carroll purchased rice from the market and canned corned beef, candles, soap, salt, and other small sundries from the sari-sari stores.

 

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Like other PCVs, Carroll’s connection to family and friends back in the United States came in the form of mail. Pictured here, Carroll checks with the local mailman for her letters.

 

For more information on Maureen Carroll’s service, read her article “Not For Girls like You: A Jersey Girl’s Journey,” in Answering Kennedy’s Call: Pioneering the Peace Corps in the Philippines.

 

For more information, please visit the Peace Corps Community Archive website. To use the collections or make a donation, please contact the AU Archives at archives [at] american.edu.

Timing their Training: Scheduling Peace Corps Volunteers’ Training

Before leaving for a foreign country, Peace Corps Volunteers in the 1960s were required to complete intensive training to help prepare them for their experiences abroad. This training occurred at universities all over the United States. They learned a variety of tasks ranging from agriculture and livestock care to language studies. Each PCVs’ training varied by where they attended training, their service type, and other factors.

Peace Corps Volunteers all received informational packets on their training, much like this one from Karen Keefer who trained at Columbia University for her service in education in Nigeria.

Peace Corps Volunteers all received informational packets on their training, much like this one from Karen Keefer who trained at Columbia University for her service in education in Nigeria.

 

One of the earlier PCVs is Thomas Hebert, who trained at University of California, Los Angeles in June of 1962. Hebert served in Nigeria from 1962 to 1964 educating youth and managing the University of Ibadan’s Shakespeare Traveling Theatre program. Hebert spent a total of 419 hours training for his service in Africa. The bulk of his training program was an orientation on Africa and Nigeria, totaling 92 hours, where he learned how to effectively communicate and understand the culture he would be serving in. Interestingly enough, Hebert also had a total of 81 hours of training in American Civilization and Institutions, which would “[enable] the volunteers to see political events more perceptively, to view the interchange of political interests more realistically, and to articulate democratic values more convincingly,” according to the training informational packet.

Hebert also spent 60 hours learning educational practices for Nigeria, in order to understand how to effectively reach his students abroad. He also had 55 hours of training in the languages of Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba, the three major indigenous languages of Nigeria. In addition to his practical training, Hebert also spent 43 hours on health training and 56 hours in physical education. The Peace Corps emphasized the importance of each PCV’s health during their service. Lastly, he also spent 32 hours on “Special Features,” which ranged from lectures to documentaries.

Winifred Boge attended training at University of California, Davis from February to May 1965. The program totaled 720 hours of work over a 12-week period, resulting in an average of 60 hours per week. Boge served on the Health Nutrition Project in India, but her training also covered a variety of topics to assist with her transition into life in a different country.

 

As part of her training at UC Davis, Winifred Boge learned agricultural techniques.

As part of her training at UC Davis, Winifred Boge learned agricultural techniques.

 

For Boge, the most time was spent on language training, with a total of 300 hours on learning Telugu. Next, she focused on technical studies on health and nutrition, for a total of 200 hours. Following this, she also learned area studies and world affairs for 105 hours in order to understand the history and culture of her place of service. Also required for training was physical education as well as health and hygiene to ensure the health of every PCV.

One of the more interesting areas of study is the topic of Communism for 15 hours total. While each area of study in the information packet includes a description and list of teachers, Communism lacks this information. Even though the Red Scare of the 1950s had passed, the Peace Corps probably wanted to prepare their PCVs for different types of government in the world.

 

Many Volunteers enjoyed their training because it gave them a chance to get to know fellow PCVs. Pictured here by Boge, PCVs interact during their training at UC Davis.

Many Volunteers enjoyed their training because it gave them a chance to get to know fellow PCVs. Pictured here by Boge, PCVs interact during their training at UC Davis.

 

Peggy Gleeson Wyllie trained at Brooklyn College from 1963-1964 for her time as a nurse in Colombia. She spent most of her time–a total of 360 hours–in intensive language studies in Spanish. Not surprisingly, the second highest element of training at 106 hours was technical studies, along with 30 hours of health education. Technical studies included techniques in Nursing as well as the prevention and treatment of diseases found in Colombia. Wyllie also spent 72 hours learning the history and culture of Colombia, as well as 60 hours studying American studies, world affairs, and Communism. Like Boge, Wyllie learned “critical appraisal of the developing concepts and organizational challenges of the Communist world.” Lastly, she attended classes in physical training for 72 hours and a general “Peace Corps Orientation” for 20 hours.

 

After completion of their training, many PCVs received a certificate like this one. Steve Bossi completed his training in conducting Science Workshops in India from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

After completion of their training, many PCVs received a certificate like this one. Steve Bossi completed his training in conducting Science Workshops in India from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

 

Each training session, no matter how different in terms of location of training, location of service, or service type, served to best prepare each PCV for the challenges and successes they experienced during their service. Training takes into account the culture and society each PCV is entering in order to provide guidance for the most effective approaches to help both the Volunteer and community alike.  

Sharon Keld in Morocco

Country of Service: Morocco
Service Type: Community Development
Dates in Service: 2006 – 2008
Keywords: Language

Accession Date: March 30, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Notebooks containing language lessons and practice, training notes, and meeting and work related notes.
  • Dictionary (2v)
  • Training materials
  • Photograph

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Close of Service 
  2. Dictionaries (self made by Keld) 
  3. Language Journals 
  4. Language Journals & Notes (Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4) 
  5. Peace Corps Morocco Official Statements 
  6. Personal 
  7. Service Work: Community Development 
  8. Site Visit Reports 
  9. Training & Swearing In 
  10. Training, Ongoing (2007-2008) 
  11. Volunteer Information: Rent & Allowance 

Albert Briggs and Anne Briggs in Malaysia

Albert Briggs
Anne Briggs

Country of Service: Malaysia
Place of Service: Penang
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Library, Mathematics, Penang

Accession Date: January 7, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Photographs
  • Letters
  • Programs
  • Publications

Finding Aid

  1. Holiday Greetings from Al and Anne (Christmas 1964, 1965, 1966) 
    1. Christmas letters 
  2. Letters from Al to parents (Training, May 1964 and ‘Thank You’ for Anne’s parents) 
  3. Letters from Anne to Parents, Feb 23, 1964-May 6, 1964 (Training at Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL and Hilo, Hawaii) 
  4. Letters from Anne to Parents, ’64-’66 (Service; may 9, 1964-Nov 30, 1966 and Travel; Dec 9, 1966-Jan 12, 1967) 
  5. Letters from Anne to Jenny and Hans Arps (January 18, 1965-December 14, 1966) 
  6. Newsletter, “Keridek Glugor,” 1966 (Interview with Anne Briggs) 
  7. Official Letters to Al Briggs 
  8. Programme, Nov 6&7, 1965 
  9. Teaching Material, Malavia, Oct 1965 
  10. Workshops, Nov 1966 

Susan Shepler in Sierra Leone

Susan Shepler

Country of Service: Sierra Leone
Place of Service: Gbendembu
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1987-1989
Keywords: Gbendembu

Accession Date: October 7, 2015
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Language learning notes and language manual
  • Peace Corps Sierra Leone newsletter, De News De
  • Swearing in Ceremony Program
  • Volunteers Guide to Freetown
  • Sample exams
  • Gbendembu Secondary School staff list, letterhead and program

Finding Aid

  1. Field Material Math Schoolwork 
  2. Language Materials (Kiro) 
    1. Notes, notecards, language manual 
  3. Material From the Peace Corps (Program, Certificate) 
  4. Newsletter 1988-Monthly “Di News De” (March, July, November) 
  5. Newsletter 1989-Monthly “Di News De” (January, April) 
  6. Recipes 
  7. Volunteer Handouts (Addresses, Town Guide) 

Patricia Kay in Kenya

Patricia Kay

Country of Service: Kenya
Place of Service: Othaya
Dates in Service: 1966-1968
Keywords: Kenya, Education, Chinga Boys High School

Accession Date: May 21, 2015
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Slides

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Letters Home, 1966-1967 
  2. Slides