Miss Lou taught Peace Corps volunteers 57 years ago

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I read with interest recently that special activities will be held to commemorate Miss Lou’s 100th birthday in September 2019.

The Peace Corps, a United States government programme founded by President John F. Kennedy, has an interesting connection to Miss Lou. She was employed by the Peace Corps to teach our American Peace Corps trainees from Group 1 the Patois (Patwa) language and Jamaican culture back in 1962.

We invest in learning the Jamaican language and culture as a way for our volunteers to better understand and work more effectively alongside the people of Jamaica. After all, our mission is peace and friendship!

Recollections

I asked Robert O’Brien, one of our former volunteers (he is now 80 years old) and active in environmental issues in Jamaica to this day, his recollections about Miss Lou. Robert shared the following:

“In April 1962, I reported for training in JFK’s brand-new Peace Corps. We were destined for Jamaica, then a British colony about to become an independent country. Jamaica was not my first choice. I wanted to learn a new language and be exposed to a ‘foreign’ culture. From what little I knew, Jamaica lacked both.

“At age 80, I can state with certainty that I have never learned as much in as short a time as I did in those few weeks. We had several outstanding trainers, but far and away the most engaging and the most educational was Miss Lou. By the time we finished training, I had only begun to comprehend Patois, but I had learned that there is indeed a Jamaican culture, woven from many threads but unique and wonderful.

“Jamaica has become a huge part of who I am. If I had to pick an individual who pointed to the road that I have followed, it would be Miss Lou. After 1962, I only saw her on TV or on stage, so I never said thank you. God bless you, Miss Lou. I will miss you.”

PAUL SULLY

Country Director

Peace Corps Jamaica