More Reps Around the World
If the compliment is directed to me, thanks very much. Here in multicultural and multilingual New Mexico, with nine indigenous…
Brazil APCD Al Estrin
Sierra Leone CD Walter Carrington and wife on a hillside overlooking the capital city of Freetown
Marice Sill with Pakistani friend
Peru Deputy William Mangin (left) and APCD Emory Biro with El Misti, Arequipa’s volcano, in the background.
Nigeria CD William Saltonstall (right) with Dr. Virgil Payne, the Peace Corps’ oldest married Volunteer.
CD Harris Wofford and son walking down a hillside toward Ethiopia’s Lake Awasa.
The photographs are by Rowland Scherman, Paul Conklin and Jim Walls, first photographers for the agency.
John, I can’t believe that in these recollections you FAILED to acknowledge either earliest founding country director (Ghana, the earliest PC projects), George Carter, OR, even more egregious, forgetting Andres Hernandez, who would shepherd the volunteers in the Dominican Republic through the revolution, keeping them at their posts, and writing a page in the Peace Corps legend that has never been matched. Where is your perspective, , John ??? Or is this just hum-drum ? John Turnbull Ghana-3 Geology and Nyasaland/Malawi-2 Geology Assignment.
I haven’t forgotten anything, John. I haven’t finished.
Apologies, John. And for my overlooking an earlier posting, which DID mention George Carter, describing his unusual academic background, which we volunteers were not aware of. i’ve often thought that George would have been an outstanding agency director, had it not been for the “Five Year Rule”. Again, my apologies. John Turnbull
No problem, John
John, at our Colombia XIII Reunion in May this year, Bill Jones, from our group showed this picture of Christopher Sheldon the 1st Country Director of Colombia, Chris had just lost his wife & son? in a white squall where his High School at sea, Brigantine “Albatross” sailing vessel had overturned caused this tragedy. The movie documenting this unfortunate accident is called, appropriately “White Squall”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Squall_(film)
https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/10/nyregion/the-day-the-albatross-went-down.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/29/us/cb-sheldon-76-skipper-in-a-noted-sinking.html
Chris had degrees from the oldest University in the Western Hemisphere Universidad de San Marco in Lima (yes older than Harvard), University of Madrid & Princeton. A very charismatic person, independent of his position as CD.
I cant seem to load the JPEG, any Suggestions?
You might try sending it directly to me at my email: jcoyneone@gmail.com
Yes Chris graduated in 1951 from San Marcos and in Peru he began to develop writing systems for Indian languages and then translating educational materials into those languages. He then obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1955. He went onto earn more degrees at Princeton Seminary, University of Madrid. I know about the 15 boys aboard the Albatross but not about him losing his wife and children.
I would be interested in learning of the systems of converting spoken languages to written form, and what the functional results have been. Here in New Mexico we have had our own experiments with this, back in the 1950s, with the non-written Navajo (Dine) language. There is a humourous story about that well-intentioned effort, remembered as “The Year of the Secret Papers”, It also captured the legendary, sometimes cynical, dry wit of our Navajo neighbours. John Turnbull Lower Canoncito, New Mexico
You have and are having such a rich life
If the compliment is directed to me, thanks very much. Here in multicultural and multilingual New Mexico, with nine indigenous languages (incl English and two dialects of Spanish) it seems like the Peace Corps experience continues every day, and the unofficial motto of the State is “Everybody is SOMEbody in New Mexico.” Best wishes, Edward, en este dia de Thanksgiving.” John Turnbull