Tag Archives: language

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 

James (Jim) C. Todd in Colombia

Country of Service: Colombia
Service Project: Educational Television Utilization Volunteer
Dates in Service: 1963-1965
Keywords: Architecture, Business, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Urban Planning, Youth

Accession Date: April 16, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: 1 linear foot (located in Friends of Colombia Boxes 62 & 63)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Reports
  • Publications
  • Training Materials

Finding Aid

Box 62 

  1. Correspondence, January 4, 1964-May 26, 1964 
  2. Correspondence, June 3, 1964-December 30, 1964 
  3. Correspondence, January 6, 1965-December 8, 1965 
  4. Correspondence, February 1, 1966-December 1, 1966 
  5. Photographs: Peace Corps Education Television Project, 1963-1965 
  6. Publication: “El Grito!” June, 1964 
  7. Bound Report: “The First Year of Peace Corps Educational Television in Colombia,” January, 1965 

Box 63 

  1. Bound Reports: Numbers 3 and 8 (November, 1966), “The Peace Corps Volunteer and Achieving Educational Change with New Media” (August, 1969) 
  2. Field Utilization Reports, September 16, 1963-December 21, 1963 
  3. Paper Reports: April 1964-June 1972 
  4. Paper Report: “The Peace Corps Educational Television (ETV) Project in Colombia—Two Years of Research: Overview of Research Reports No. 1-10,” November 1966 
  5. Bound and paper reports: no date 
  6. Training Materials and Handwritten Notes 

John S. Jacoby in Nepal & South Africa

Country of Service: Nepal; South Africa
Place of Service: Bastipur (Nepal)
Service Type: Teacher at Bastipur High School in English (grades 6 & 7), Science (grade 6-8), & Math (grade 6); Peace Corps Country Director for South Africa
Dates in Service: 1970-1972; 2011-2014
Keywords: Agriculture, Architecture, Business, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, HIV/AIDS, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Sports, Urban Planning, Youth

Accession Date: April 4, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: .5 linear feet (located in small collections and map room)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Reports
  • Publications

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence, November 11, 1969-April 10, 1972 
  2. Negatives, Scans and Originals 
  3. Personal Documents and Training Materials (Passport, Description of Service, etc.) 
  4. Documents Pertaining to Jacoby’s Time as Peace Corps Country Director for South Africa, 2011-2013 
  5. Map Room, Drawer A9: Poster, no date 

Patricia (Penny) Jessop in Niger

Country of Service: Niger
Service Type: Public Health Educator, Maternal & Child Health
Dates in Service: 1970-1973
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Health, HIV/AIDS, Literacy, Youth

Accession Date: March 2, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: 3 linear feet + 1 digital collection

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Reports
  • Publications
  • Sound
  • Training Materials

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

Box 1 

  1. Jessop Archive: Content Guide 
    1. This is a document created by Patricia Jessop that lists (in no particular order) the entire contents of her donation 
  2. Audio Tapes 1-6, September 9, 1970-April 24, 1971 
  3. Audio Tapes 7-12, May 28, 1971-January 7, 1972 
  4. Audio Tapes 13-14 and “Supertape” Reel-to-Reel 
  5. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), June 24, 1970-October 4, 1970 
  6. Correspondence Transcriptions (Penny to her family and friends), June 24, 1970-October 4, 1970 
  7. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), October 10, 1970-December 23, 1970 
  8. Correspondence Transcriptions (Penny to her family and friends), October 10, 1970-December 23, 1970 
  9. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), January 2, 1971-April 18, 1971 
  10. Correspondence Transcriptions (Penny to her family and friends), January 2, 1971-April 18, 1971 
  11. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), April 25, 1971-December 25, 1971 
  12. Correspondence Transcriptions (Penny to her family and friends), April 25, 1971-December 30, 1971 
  13. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), January 26, 1972-December 8, 1972 
  14. Correspondence Transcriptions (Penny to her family and friends), January 26, 1972-March 4, 1973 
  15. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), February 3, 1973-May 5, 1973 
  16. Correspondence (Penny to her family and friends), May 22, 1973-October 25, 1973 
  17. Correspondence (Penny to her grandmother: Charlotte A. Petersen Fischer), January 22, 1970, November 27, 1972 
  18. Correspondence (Grandmothers Kincaid + Fischer to Patricia Jessop), August 9, 1970-December 30, 1970 
  19. Correspondence (Grandmothers Kincaid + Fischer to Patricia Jessop), January 16, 1971-March 6, 1973 
  20. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), June 29, 1970-September 14, 1970 
  21. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), September 16, 1970-December 29, 1970
  22. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), January 15, 1971-July 15, 1971 
  23. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), July 19, 1971-December 11, 1971  
  24. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), January 4, 1972-June 1, 1972 
  25. Correspondence (Jean Jessop to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), June 5, 1972-December 1, 1972 
  26. Correspondence (Jean Sutherland to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), February 3, 1973-June 16, 1973 
  27. Correspondence (Jean Sutherland to her daughter: Patricia Jessop), July 2, 1973-September 25, 1973 
  28. Correspondence (Siblings Peter, Karen, and Kathy Jessop to Patricia Jessop), July 13, 1970-October 6, 1971 
  29. Correspondence (Siblings Peter, Karen, and Kathy Jessop to Patricia Jessop), October 8, 1971-August 28, 1973 
  30. Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1970-1973 

Box 2 

  1. Publications: Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff, Publishes Short Stories and Pamphlets, Newspaper Clippings  
  2. Reports: Field Reports that Patricia Contributed to During Peace Corps Service; State Department Report 
  3. Slides, Box 1, June 1970-December 1973 
  4. Slides, Box 2, June 1970-December 1973 
  5. Slides, Box 3, June 1970-December 1973 
  6. Slides, Boxes 4 and 5, June 1970-December 1973 
  7. Training Materials + Personal and Administrative Documents

Karen Proffitt in Nigeria

Country of Service: Nigeria
Place of Service: Abiriba
Service Type: Secondary School Teacher, Enuda High School
Dates in Service: 1965-1967
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Youth

Accession Date: February 16, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: .25 linear feet (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Correspondence

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence, May 13, 1965-October 13, 1965 
  2. Correspondence, October 17, 1965-May 31, 1966 
  3. Correspondence, June 2, 1966-April 22, 1967 

Mary Dana Marks in Iran

Country of Service: Iran
Place of Service: Kerman
Service Type: English Teacher
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Libraries, Literacy, Youth

Accession Date: September 22, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: .5 linear feet

Document Types:

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications (Memoir & Cookbook)

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence, 1962-1965 
    1. Postcards, letters with photographs, etc. 
  2. Correspondence, Sept. 1964-March 1965 
  3. Correspondence, April 1965-Jan. 1966 
  4. Correspondence, Dec. 1965-May 1966 
  5. Correspondence, July 1966-Aug. 1966 
  6. Correspondence, July 1971-Dec. 1971 
  7. Correspondence, Jan. 1972-June 1974 
  8. Memoir & Cookbook 
    1. Mary Dana Marks, Walled in Walled Out: A Young American Woman in Iran (Oakland: Peace Corps Writers, 2017). 
    2. Cookbook: Peace Corps, Iran (no publication information). 
  9. Photographs, 1965 

Character Reflections from Kambia, Sierra Leone

In 1983, Jim and Carolyn Hitter left a notebook in the Peace Corps Rest House in Kambia, Sierra Leone, as a way to remember the work of their fellow volunteers. Scrawled on the inside cover of the faded notebook: “Dedicated to us, the PCV’s, VSO’s of Kambia. Twenty years of Volunteers have been here and left no record, no footprints…With this small beginning maybe our successors will know us by our deeds and misdeeds.” 

Once the first journal filled, other PCVs added another in 1988. Many of the entries are a bit of gossip, others are firsthand reflections and memories of their time in Sierra Leone.

Here are some entries from the two notebooks:

Dewey- N. Carolina

Econ major at UNC? Aggie [Agriculture] at Bapinga 1980-1982. Extended to fisheries winter of ’82. Lived with Pa Laurin. Seemed to get along well with farmers. Speak languages well. Mr. Generosity. Dewey gives things away!

Extremely conservative politically. 

Married Sierra Leonean, Regina Durwig, at Pt. Loko on 9 July 1983.

No; Dewey’s father came to S.L. to convince him that this was not a wise thing so Dewey’s wedding apparently turned into an “engagement party.” 

In fact, Dewey went home without Regina and apparently with an agreement that he would never come back, nor send for her.

Page from Jim Hitter’s Notebook, Jim Hitter Collection, Peace Corps Community Archives.

Logan 72-74

History at Kolenten. Had a masters in World History and a BA in African History. (Orland was in his Form III Class). There was a riot at school because all the history students were getting poor grades. “Logan must go or die” was chalked on the streets. According to Orlando, “he resembled Jesus and he never laughed.

Jim Hitter, 1982-1984 Kambia
…”Lived” (in a matter of speaking) through 2-3 extensive beer droughts. Saw the price of STAR [beer] go from $.80 to $4.00.

…Never taught before this experience and never will again. In fact I expect never to work again. My background for this was some years as an engineer in the aerospace industry, VISTA (in a veterans project in Seattle) and 10 years retirement. I would have been long gone if it hadn’t been for the support/love/and good humor of Carolyn, my wife!

Martin Seviour, 
1980-1982, Sewafe/Kono
1982-1984, Kambia

I’m leaving this country tomorrow after 4 years, and it does seem a day too long! I’m a VSO. I taught secondary English in Sewafe for two years and came to Kambia to work in the KELT Primary English Project.

I dislike Kambia only slightly less than Jim Hitter and know only slightly more Temne…I would like to deny all rumours that I extended only to avoid the draft for the Falklands War. 

Hopefully, I will be the first of a long line of VSO’s using the Kambia Rest House. I would like to express my thanks to all the PCVs who have strived at all time to let me not feel inferior. Special thanks should go to Douglas whom I’ve only known for a short time but who has been a good friend (Keep the toilet clean Dough!) and to the Hitters who have put up with my verbal ramblings late into the might and have cooked wonderful meals and given me lots of encouragement and advice…”

Carolyn Hitter
1982-1984, Kambia, Primary Workshops

…The Hitters lived in the “suburbs” –on the fringe of Kambia at Kolenten. The greatest thing thaat happened in Kambia was finding Kemokoh, an excellent cook, an honest man, and the only Sierra Leonean to complete a job on time…

Jim and Carolyn, old enough to be the parents of other Kambia volunteers (47 and 45) showed their age by drinking more beer than most. All those years of practice, you know!

Jim and Carolyn Hitter, 1982. Jim Hitter Collection, Peace Corps Community Archives.

[Added by another volunteer:] “Pictured above in typical form. Great people who are well worth visiting should anyone pass through Seattle.”

And in the second journal…

Bernadette
“I succeeded Chris Lavin in Bayonde village. I have enjoyed living with the Jimbra people, and tell God “tenki” everyday that I was not placed in Temne-land; Bayonde is a “seke-free zone.”

…Unlike the other Kambia PCV’s and VSO’s, I was not particularly fond of Kambia, mostly because of the rude, obnoxious, ruff bobos that hung around the rest house, whose hobby was to taunt me…

Anyway, back to Bayonde and my Peace Corps “work.” I think all of us PCV’s have realized that we are not here for the work we do; we are here as cheap P.R. for the American government. I guess that’s not so bad as long as we realize that, and also realize that we are not going to “develop” this country. As I’m sure you’ve heard a zillion PCV’s say: It’s not the work that counts so much, it’s enjoying the people and the culture where you will get the most satisfaction. At least, this has been true in my case…

I am a living example of why the Peace Corps has decided to bag the motorcycles. I broke my ankle in a Honda spill and was unnecessarily sent back to D.C. (a Salone doctor wanted to operate–yikes!) Even though an operation was unnecessary, I tell Peace Corps plenti plenti tenki for that wonderful holiday!”

Bernadette on her motorcycle in Sierra Leone. Featured in her entry in the second notebook. Jim Hitter Collection, Peace Corps Community Archives.

After the program in Sierra Leone disbanded in the ‘90s, the journals made their way to the United States. In his own notes about the journals, Jim explains: “In 1994, when rebel activity became too much, the Peace Corps was ordered out of the country. The diaries (and the large US flag that hung on the Resthouse wall) were rescued by the Catholic fathers and sent to the US.” 

Another RPCV preserved the journals until 2002, when they were ceremoniously revealed at the Friends of Sierra Leone annual meeting and 40th Peace Corps Anniversary Celebration in Washington, D.C.

Peter Crall in Libya

Name: Peter Crall
Country of Service: Libya & Thailand
Place of Service: Cyrenaica
Dates in Service: 1968-1969, 1969-1973
Keywords: Community Development, Education

Accession Date: January 30, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 linear inch (located in small collections)

Document Types/Finding Aid

  • Memoir  Edited by Catherine Dellapenta and Rosalind Pearson, “East of the Marble Arch,” c. 1968-1969 

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  

Sara Miller in Panama

Name: Sara Miller
Country of Service: Panama
Place of Service: Los Santos
Service Project Title: Community Environmental Conservation
Dates in Service: 2016-2019
Keywords: Agriculture, Community Development, Environment

Accession Date: October 6, 2019
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 digital file

Document Types/Finding Aid