Interview with John Evans, July 7, 2023

Interview Summary

Dominican Republic, 1967-1969, Education Honduras, 1982-1987, Deputy Country Director Deputy Regional Director, 1987-1988, 1989-1990 Interim Regional Director, 1988-1989

John Evans was raised in California – Antioch and San Mateo. He graduated from Stanford University in Spanish, including a year abroad in Madrid. He was invited to the Dominican Republic for a rural community development project. He trained at Camp Radley in the rainforest outside of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. However, because of his exceptional Spanish, he was reassigned to a Teacher Training project even though he himself had no teaching education or experience. Since the project focused on current elementary school teachers who only had an eight-grade education, it was felt he could learn the basic elements from the other Volunteers. John was first placed in El Seibo, a regional hub of PCVs working on the project. During the Summer, Dominican teachers and Volunteers spent six weeks of workshops learning about their craft and were monitored and advised about their teaching during the school year. John was moved to San Juan de la Maguana to pilot test the project with secondary school teachers. Because of a national strike, all schools shut-down!

Interview Keyword

Dominican Republic education Rome, New York Southern California San Francisco Antioch San Mateo childhood friend Stanford University Spanish Study Abroad Madrid, Spain JFK speech University of Michigan application staging Philadelphia Pre-Service Training Puerto Rico Arecibo Camp Radley Rural Community Development FSI test El Seibo work site batey sugar cane community normal schools teacher training schools San Pedro de Macoris Boca Chica workshop site Bellows Falls, Vermont grandfather passing Jon Gant project manager publico taxis Summer school housing PCVs Sam Ten Brink District Education Office supervisors political appointees San Juan de la Maguana second site urban secondary teachers San Cristobal Salesian Fathers Don Bosco school students strike Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo San Pedro Sula Salesian school teaching Peace Corps staff vacations friendships change process Dominican culture Dona Tina food provider Peace Corps value

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.