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By MARY ELLEN GODDARD R. Sargent Shriver, director of the Peace Corps, told 53 Peace Corps trainees here Saturday that even Peace Corps workers “who suffle papers around in Washing ton” must have a deep interest in the individual, whether Indian or American, “People from foreign nations do not want your money.’ Instead, they want you to share our Amer ican revolutionary spirit with them. They are interested in your char acter and idealism,” he assured the trainees. Nearly 3,000 Peace Corps volun teers are operating in 15 countries today, and by October 5,000 volun teers will be settled in 36 coun tries, Shriver said. As far as quan tity of volunteers, the Corps is doing 9 or times as well as optim ists thought was possible, he add ed. Quality More Important He emphasized that quality is more important than quantity. “The volunteers are of a higher quality today than they were at the beginning,” Shriver said. At the origin of the Corps 10,000 vol unteered, but only 1,000 were ac cepted. Shriver explained that volun teers are chosen by an assessment process. A scale ranging from one to five points determines each in dividual’s selection. “About 90% of the trainees today receive a four rating or above,” he said. Peace Corps job classifications are in four major groups: teach ing, agriculture, health and skilled trades. Within these classifications there are some 300 specific jobs. ‘Tricky Job’ Shriver referred to the selection process as a “tricky job” since the ‘task is done without ever seeing any volunteer. Currently, there are 36 Peace Corps training bases at private and state institutions ex tending from Puerto Rico to Ha waii. The Ethiopian government re quested 300 high school teachers for this fall. “The 345 teachers be ing sent to Ethiopia will work to double the total high school popu lation,” said Shriver. The director mentioned the Mar jorie Michelmore post card inci dent that occurred in Nigeria earli er this year. When the incident happened, there were 36 Corps members working in Nigeria. “Soon we will have the total of 400 volunteers working in Nigeria, and all will be sent by the request of the Nigerian government,” add ed Shriver. . There are six Peace Corps mem bers over 60 years of age. “We've had good luck with these senior citizens,” Shriver explained. “The Peace Corps is one of the few organizations that has been able to exist one year without adopting any flag, button, emblem or letterhead!” Shriver laughed. Colombian Plane Crash Shriver spoke of the Colombian plane crash that killed two Peace Corps members, Larry Radley, a University graduate, and David Crozier of Missouri. Shriver in formed the parents of their sons’ deaths. “I'll never forget the cir cumstances as long as I live,” he said. Mrs. Crozier told Shriver, “That was the best year of my boy’s life.” A two-paragraph letter Shri ver received from the Crozier fam ily will be inscribed on a bronze plaque and placed in Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., Shriver announced. Shriver told the trainees for India they have “an unrivaled chance.” “If the first volunteers in India had done a bad job, you wouldn’t be going today,” he explained. Debt of Gratitude “A debt of gratitude must be paid to the first volunteers and to Congress for their bipartisan sup port,” said Shriver. Preceding a 15-minute press con ference, Shriver spoke informally to the trainees. He explained that President Kennedy asked him to formulate the plans for the Peace Corps which many Americans thought would be a “big fiasco.” Shriver was leery of his role, and then the President joked, “Well, it will be much easier to fire a relative’ than a_ political friend.” The director warned the volun teers for India to be ready for hardships and complications. The volunteer must participate in the full life of the country. One mem ber was sent back to the States be cause he refused to take part in the social-recreational life of Ni geria, Shriber said.
Newspaper Details
Chicago Daily Illini
Chicago, Illinois, US
Thu, Jul 12, 1962
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Byron H.
USA 09 Aug 2026
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