Interview with Blanche Grade Griffin, February 19, 2021

Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project

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Interview Summary

Blanche Grade Griffin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967 in the Education Program. Griffin was inspired to volunteer by a former Peace Corps trainer she met in graduate school while studying Educational Psychology. Language and culture training for her group, Malaysia 13, was conducted at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, with an additional two weeks of student teaching in Hilo, Hawaii. Griffin’s assignment was at a primary school in Bandau Halt, a train stop near the town of Membakut, south of Kota Kinabalu (formerly Jesselton), in the state of Sabah. Blanche taught English to students up to 16 years of age, and incorporated English songs into her lessons. The interview discusses training, living conditions in a small Malaysian community, experiences teaching, and relationships with students and their families. She also discusses travel throughout Asia during school breaks and after completion of service. Griffin remains in contact with fellow Malaysia RPCVs, and organized a reunion in New Mexico.

Interview Accession

2021oh0115_pcrv0126

Interviewee Name

Blanche Grade Griffin

Interviewer Name

Julius "Jay" Sztuk

Interview Date

2021-02-19

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.

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Griffin, Blanche Grade Interview by Julius Sztuk. 19 Feb. 2021. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Griffin, B.G. (2021, February 19). Interview by J. Sztuk. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.

Griffin, Blanche Grade, interview by Julius Sztuk. February 19, 2021, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.





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