Archive - January 11, 2010

A Proposal for the President Shriver introduced Wiggins and Josephson at the February 6, 1961, meeting and distributed copies of “A Towering Task.” From this point on Wiggins and Josephson became the engine room of the Peace Corps. Shriver describes Wiggins as “the figure most responsible” for the planning and organization that brought the Peace Corps into being. Twice more in February Kennedy would telephone Shriver to ask about progress on the Peace Corps. The final draft of the report was done with Charles Nelson sitting in one room writing basic copy, Josephson sitting in another room rewriting it, Wofford sitting in yet another room doing the final rewrite, and Wiggins running back and forth carrying pieces of paper. In his book, Wofford writes about a ‘statement of purpose’ for the new agency. Some of the Mayflower Task Force wanted a single purpose stated. Shriver, according to Wofford, “found the tension . . .