Interview with R. Chaffee Monell, October 25, 2023

Interview Summary

R. Chaffee Monell, Dominican Republic, 1966-1969, Rural Community Development. R. Chaffee Monell was born into a large, middle-class family near NYC. He graduated from Antioch College with a degree in biology. Chaffee saw Peace Corps service as an alternative reflecting his values opposed to the Vietnam War. He completed Pre-Service Training at Camp Crozier in the rainforest south of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The core purpose of the training was to test the physical and mental capacities for service through an “outward bound” approach, in addition to learning about the country and taking immersion Spanish classes. Chaffee was initially assigned as an extension agent for the Dominican government Office of Community Development in Cerro Gordo, Valverde Mao. Unfortunately, given the wealthy landowners’ control of the area, Chaffee didn’t envision much potential to assist the interest of the local farming workforce. He transferred to Santiago de la Cruz in the neighboring province of Dajabón to support the completion of a school construction project initiated by a terminating Volunteer and then a kitchen/dining room for the same school. Following this, Chaffee worked with community leaders in a successful effort to bring clean, potable water from a mountain stream to the community by means of a 6-kilometer PVC aqueduct.

Interview Keyword

Dominican Republic community development NYC Antioch University biology Vietnam War Spanish Mexico application staging Philadelphia Tony Tramontano RPCV Pre-Service Training Camp Crozier Arecibo, Puerto Rico trainee drugs Cibao dialect outward bound physical survival Cerro Gordo, Valverde Mao first work site Rio Yaqui del Norte Office of Community Development physical projects farmers host family Agrarian Reform promotores sociales extensión agents Joe Zuiker PCV Santiago de la Cruz, Dajabón second work site description of community Loma de Cabrerra Restauracion Partido Moncion Santiago de los Caballeros other towns and cities público taxi living condition and situation routine agenda community leadership school cocina/comedor kitchen and lunch room community aqueduct second project NGO loan tutompote (rich person) Trujillo dictator vegetable garden military threats “communist” meetings Peace Corps staff camino vecinal farm to market road Constanza development workshop Caritas Catholic Charity Monte Grande priests health issues hospitalization threat of coup memorable moment Haitian issue change process Vietnam War petition Culture habits coming home.

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