Comments on: Harris Wofford (CD Ethiopia 1962-64) Remembers The Beginning

By: Leo Cecchini

Leo Cecchini — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:18:13 +0000

The lion cage or better said enclosure was just outside one side of the Emperor’s throne room. I speculated if he had those who displeased him thrown out the window. Yes, if was a cheetah that posed with several of the volunteers.

By: David Gurr

David Gurr — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:57:40 +0000

I too attended this event at the Imperial Palace in Addis Ababa, when HIM Haile Selassie formally welcomed the first Peace Corps project to Ethiopia. Harris Wofford introduced each of us to the Emporer, shaking his hand, and some of the Volunteers who spoke French, conversed with him. We were served champaigne and when that ran out, we were served Tej, the local beer made from honey. Needless to say, many of us, with the exception of the Mormons were three sheets to the wind. I do not remember a lion, since they were caged out back of the palace. However, there was a cheetah, with its Ethiopian handler. It was quite friendly. In fact, I took some movie film of one Volunteer putting his head in the mouth of the animal and another Volunteer pulling its tail! Of course, it was harmless and the handler got a great laugh out of our outgoing nature, lubricated by drink. At Christmas later that year, Harris suggested that we go to the Palace and sing Christmas Carols to HIM. He then invited us in and once again, treated us to food and drink. During my second year, I played the flute with the newly-formed Ethiopian National Symphony and our first concert was attended solely by the Emporer; and, once again, we had the pleasure of bowing and shaking his hand. However, my favorite story about the Emporer was when his motorcade suddenly came around a curve and happened upon a Volunteer, Jim Merrill, going in the opposite direction in one of our distinct blue Jeeps. Jim remembered seeing the Emporer in the back seat of his Rolls Royce laughing at the incident.

By: Lloyd Wright

Lloyd Wright — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:59:12 +0000

Having just visited your website again to refresh my memory about some aspect of the early beginnings of the Peace Corps, I am writing to express deep appreciation for the contributions you have made—and are making—to preserve and sustain the work that engaged so many of us so many years ago. Finding on this visit the recent posts regarding Harris Wofford, Blair Butterworth, Jay Rockefeller, Bill Moyers—and Sarge Shriver’s speech of March 24, 1961—did more than merely refresh my memory. They renewed the sense of optimism that prompted our response and revived the sense of gratitude that accompanied our participation. Rowland Scherman’s comment about the photos illustrating Sarge’s speech reminded me anew of his valued contribution to the “Mission of Discovery” recruiting film we produced in the early days. Your participation as one of the first volunteers to Ethiopia can perhaps confirm—or deny—a memory—or a fantasy—that I have about the infusion of that large group. I served as escort officer for that group and remember a reception hosted by Emperor Haile Selassie at his palace. The memory (fantasy?) involves tamed wild animals roaming freely around the palace grounds as the group lounged around the palace steps, with a large lion strolling up behind an unaware volunteer and playfully nudging her long blond hair, provoking a loud shriek from her and amused guffaws from the rest of us. Were you there? Did it actually happen?
Thanks again for your work.
Lloyd Wright