The AFS Centennial: Commemorating Our Past, Celebrating Our Future
CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015:
The AFS Centennial: Commemorating Our Past, Celebrating Our Future 2 AFS’s 100th Birthday Challenge: Preparing Global Citizens for the Next Century AFS Returnee Day 6 AFS Centennial Reception & Gala Dinner 7 100 Days, 100 Stories 8 Celebrating the AFS Centennial Around the World 10 AFS Centennial World Congress: Daring To Create Change 11 Letter from the AFS International President 12 AFS Remembers Arthur Howe, Jr. 13 AFS WWII Ambulance Drivers Last Post 14 The AFS Centennial Continues! 16
4
Dear AFS Friend, What an exciting time for AFS! This special centennial issue should arrive at your door exactly one hundred years after A. Piatt Andrew negotiated an agreement with the French military to have ambulance units comprised of American volunteers serve closer to the front lines of battle—a group that later became known as the American Field Service (AFS). AFS kicked off its official centennial celebrations in November 2014 in Paris, France. Raquel Martinez, AFS International’s Creative Director, selected some of her favorite photographs from Paris to feature in this issue. Sheryl Hilliard Tucker, Director of Marketing and Communications at AFS International, describes highlights from the events, which brought together more than 1,200 individuals from all over the world to commemorate the history of AFS and celebrate its future. Later in the issue Vincenzo Morlini reflects on the importance of this centennial year in his “Letter from the AFS International President,” and how recent world events are a strong reminder that the world needs an organization like AFS. We also say goodbye to our friend, Arthur Howe, Jr., a World War II ambulance driver and a leader of the post-war secondary school exchange programs. This issue brings a new iteration of the AFS Janus—expect more photographs and an exciting new, colorful design for the AFS Centennial. We would also like to thank and bid goodbye to Carlos Porro, AFS International’s Manager of Resource Development and Communications, who served as editor of this publication for the past four years. Please join us in continuing the centennial celebrations of AFS through 2015. I hope you enjoy this special issue, marking our commemorative year. We are grateful for your continued support!
Nicole Milano Head Archivist and Historical Publications Editor
nicole.milano@afs.org AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. 71 West 23rd Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10010-4102 USA tel: +1.212.807.8686 fax: +1.212.807.1001 www.afs.org
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 2
The AFS Centennial: Commemorating Our Past, Celebrating Our Future by Nicole Milano
W
hile writing this article from my desk on a snowy New York City day, my mind drifts to a photograph preserved in the AFS Archives depicting American volunteers in Alsace, France, braving the wintry elements to rescue an injured soldier in 1915. The American Field Service volunteers would go on to evacuate more than a million wounded in both World Wars, an incredible feat for an organization comprised entirely of volunteers. My mind then moves to a photograph from more recent years showing an AFS Participant from Ghana experiencing snow for the first time in Wisconsin, and then again to another showing an AFS Participant on an exchange program to New Mexico, happily making a snowman with his host siblings and a fellow AFSer. The AFS Archives contains thousands of photographs spanning the course of 100 years and many seasons, and I could spend days recounting their significance.
1
2
3
This rich history of AFS has inspired and intrigued many people, but has also confused some. Why did a volunteer ambulance and camion corps founded in World War I transition into an international student exchange program after World War II? What connects these two seemingly disparate entities? For me, having delved deeply into the historical records of AFS over the past four years, the answer is easy: courage and international understanding. Traveling overseas to volunteer for a foreign war effort; driving over treacherous roads to swiftly bring the wounded to safety; leaving the comforts of home to live with a family in another country and embrace a new culture: this all requires courage and a willingness to take on the unknown. The courageous AFS Drivers had been willing to cross international boundaries to serve alongside foreign militaries in wartime to be of service to others. After experiencing the horrors of war, they founded the secondary school exchange programs to perpetuate international understanding among new generations in peacetime. From the mountains of Alsace to the deserts of New Mexico, let us continue to find the courage to embrace the unknown and contribute to better international and intercultural understanding as we enter the second century of AFS.
1. Loading an SSU 3 ambulance in Alsace, France in 1915. 2. A German AFS Participant making a snowman with his host siblings and a fellow AFSer in New Mexico (USA) in December 1959. 3. An AFS Participant from Ghana experiences snow in Wisconsin (USA) for the first time in 2006. Photograph courtesy of AFS USA.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 3
1
AFS’s 100th Birthday Challenge:
Preparing Global Citizens for the Next Century by Sheryl Hilliard Tucker
I
t was an amazing milestone in AFS history when representatives of the AFS Global Community convened with global luminaries for two symposiums held on November 8, 2014 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France to make a bold statement about the importance of global citizenship education and the role AFS has taken to advance this movement. AFS’s goal in coordinating the symposiums, which were under the patronage of UNESCO, was to “drive the intercultural learning and global citizenship education movement to reach and cultivate partners, advocates, influencers, thought leaders and potential global citizens—young and old—especially those living or working in areas of great turmoil,” explained Melissa Liles, Chief Education Officer of AFS Intercultural Programs. The day started with the spectacular 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Symposium, which had an audience of around 500. Using creative presentation techniques, young thought leaders shared 19 powerful recommendations for action to advance global citizenship education. These can be read online at symposium.afs.org/100yy. The recommendations were developed from a series of online forums and a two-day 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Workshop in Paris, where 100 young AFSers and representatives of other youth organizations from 31 countries discussed and debated key issues in global citizenship education. Building on the dynamic morning session, more than 1,200 attendees were charged with excitement at the start of the Learning to Live Together—from Ideas to Action: AFS Global Intercultural Education Symposium. Roberto Ruffino, Secretary General of Fondazione Intercultura and Honorary Chairperson of the European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL), set up the afternoon session with reflections on the theme, which was inspired by Jacques Delors’s challenge that we “learn to live together by developing an understanding of others.” Mr. Delors is the former three-time President of the European Commission and Chairperson of the UNESCO Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 4
2
1. The afternoon session featured a string quartet performing in front of a slideshow of AFS photographs from the past 100 years. 2. Participants of the 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Workshop brainstorming about the role of stakeholders (schools, governments, media, businesses, NGOs, and community groups) in educating global citizens. 3. Attendees applauding the panelists during the afternoon session. 4. The panelists speaking before an engaged audience. 5. Oscar Arias giving his inspiring keynote address. 6. Chernor Bah presenting with representatives from the 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Symposium during the afternoon session. All photographs courtesy of Incorp Agency/Guillaume Deperrois. Visit centennial.afs.org/afs-globalintercultural-education-symposium to view more.
The distinguished roster of speakers included Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of Costa Rica (1986-1990, 20062010), who gave the keynote address. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland and the world’s first woman democratically elected as a constitutional head of state, Andreas Schleicher, head of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Éric Falt, Assistant Director-General at UNESCO, and J. Brian Atwood, Chair of Global Policy Studies at the University of Minnesota, former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and member of the AFS Board of Trustees. The speakers engaged in thought-provoking conversations exploring the dimensions and challenges of developing global citizens who can work across cultural differences to create a more just and peaceful world. “We must make intercultural understanding not a footnote in our educational systems, but rather a mandatory course of study,” stated Arias in his keynote address. Finnbogadóttir agreed with this point during the panel discussion, commenting: “If we are to have peace, we need to learn about other cultures.” As promised, the panelists also offered some concrete steps to help turn ideas into action. The audience was elated to hear Shleicher announce that PISA 2018 will “judge schools on how they educate youth to be global citizens.” Chernor Bah, the youth representative on the High-Level Steering Committee for the United Nations Secretary General’s Global Education First Initiative, joined the panelists to initiate a substantive discussion about issues presented in the 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Symposium. He pressed the panelists to explore specific actions that learning to live together require, while questioning who sets the agenda for educating global citizens and what values should prevail in this process. During his remarks, Bah also underscored the importance of education, adding that a “lack of opportunity in the world leads to extremism.” In closing, facilitator Vishakha Desai, Special Advisor for Global Affairs at Columbia University and President Emerita of the Asia Society, encouraged everyone in the audience to think differently about their own efforts, following the important discussions. “Be the change you want to see in the world. That is, my friends, what we are all about,” advised Desai. “If you think you’re too small to make an impact, try to fall asleep with a mosquito in your room.”
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 5
3
4
5
6
AFS Returnee Day
by Sheryl Hilliard Tucker
A
lthough the event was called “AFS Returnee Day,” more than 700 AFSers representing the entire AFS Global Community—from spouses to host families—turned out to enjoy a day of reconnecting at the Palais des Congrès on November 7 in Paris, France. Throughout the day, AFSers energetically discussed the importance of staying connected to AFS—and provided interesting ideas and insights on how to strengthen the AFS Returnee Community. Some highlights of the day included: • A delightful French regional buffet lunch prepared by AFS Volunteers • Two AFS panel exhibitions—one by AFS France and the other developed by AFS International—featuring important milestones in AFS history • The opportunity for photographs with Ambulance 255, a reconstructed Model T Ford ambulance that had just completed a tour of France • A lively musical tribute to the Harlem Hellfighters, the first African-American regiment to fight in World War I • Displays about the AFS Foundation by their Vice President and Treasurer, Marianne Meyer, and the AFS Archives by Head Archivist Nicole Milano The event was co-hosted by AFS International and AFS France, and events were arranged by a committee of AFS Returnees, Staff, and Volunteers. “I was enormously impressed by the large turnout and by the affection and enthusiasm people showed for AFS. Returnees came to Paris from all corners of the world to celebrate the AFS Centennial, and through their participation and comments, it was clear that AFS had offered a life-changing experience for many of them,” explained AFS Centennial Celebrations and Returnee Day Chair Bill Meserve. “It truly felt like a warm reunion of a very large global family.”
1. The event included a tasting of regional French wines. 2. AFSers viewing one of the historical panel exhibitions. 3. An attendee taking a photograph with an iPad of Ambulance 255, which was reconstructed by George King III to inspire volunteerism today. This type of ambulance was the same model used by the AFS Drivers during World War I. 4. The Harlem Hellfighters tribute band finishing a song. The tribute was sponsored by AFS USA and led by professor and pianist Cecil Lytle. Photographs courtesy of Incorp Agency/Guillaume Deperrois. Visit centennial.afs.org/returneeday to view more.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 6
1
3
4
2
AFS Centennial Reception & Gala Dinner by Sheryl Hilliard Tucker 1
2
1. The Gala was held on November 8, and ended with an international dance party enjoyed by AFSers of all ages.
3
2. Master of Ceremonies Mahadzir “Dale” Lokman (center) oversaw the cake cutting with (from left) Jorge Castro (Director, AFS USA), Betty McManus (Chair, AFS USA Board), Christian Kurtén (Chair, Board of Trustees), Bill Meserve (Board of Trustees), and Philippe Peccatier (Director, AFS France) 3. AFS Returnee Junna Shiga from Japan, Ghana National Director Kwame Otchere, AFS Volunteer and Host Parent Josephine Owusu-Bonsu from Ghana, and AFS Returnee (and Junna’s mother) Shioko Shiga from Japan.
E
veryone was a star at the dazzling AFS Centennial Reception & Gala Dinner! Representing more than 50 countries, the AFS Global Community came out to celebrate on a beautiful November evening at the Hyatt Ballroom in Paris. The evening began with welcoming remarks by AFS International President Vincenzo Morlini, Board of Trustees Chair Christian Kurten, and Chair of AFS France Saman Hosseini. Chair of AFS Malaysia Mahadzir “Dale” Lokman then took the reigns as Master of Ceremonies at the Gala Dinner, following a dramatic start by the Battery Dance Company, honoring traditional dances of eight countries. A sea of traditional dress also filled the room; “festive attire or national dress”
was the recommended dress code sent out to attendees before the event, and the Gala guests did not disappoint! AFS honored its past through a video tribute to the AFS Drivers, with excerpts from “The Drivers” forthcoming documentary by filmmaker Tracy Christian. The Gala guests were delighted when the tribute ended with a virtual 100th birthday toast to AFS by World War II AFS Drivers Ward Chamberlin, David Ford, Arthur Howe, Jr., Dewitt “Dick” Morrill and Robert Sawhill. Looking toward the future, attendees heard comments from AFS Returnee Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, via a prepared video. BP Executive Vice President and Group Global Human Resources Director and
Photographs courtesy of Incorp Agency/Guillaume Deperrois. Visit centennial.afs.org/afs-centennial-reception-gala-dinner to view more.
AFS Returnee Helmut Schuster also made remarks about the BP/AFS Global Citizens of Tomorrow Scholarships. Lokman led a rousing roll call acknowledging the countries represented at the Gala before dinner evolved into an international dance party. Those interested in having a more relaxed evening enjoyed musical selections at the piano lounge. At midnight, everyone reconvened in the ballroom for a wonderful champagne toast to AFS’s 100th birthday, complete with a beautifully decorated tiered birthday cake topped with dazzling sparklers. AFS International and AFS France would like to thank everyone who made it such a beautiful and festive event. It was a night to remember!
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 7
100 Days, 100 Stories
Robert Montgomery, 1940
by Nicole Milano
F
or one hundred days leading up to the AFS Centennial in Paris we shared stories from the history of AFS in an online social media campaign called “100 Days, 100 Stories.” Each day, a digitized photograph, video, drawing, or document and its accompanying story was shared on Facebook and Instagram, two popular social media websites. On Facebook alone, the project had nearly 3,000,000 online views! Some social media users became more actively involved, sharing specific stories on their own personal or professional Facebook page. As of February 2015, there were more than 49,594 “likes” (meaning users actively and publicly endorsed the item) for all 100 items. These numbers continue to increase, as new users join the AFS International Facebook page and view the items for the first time. On the following two pages you will find some highlights from the “100 Days, 100 Stories” campaign, which help demonstrate the power of AFS in connecting lives, sharing cultures, and creating change. You can view the entire collection at centennial.afs.org/100.
Khaki the Dog, 1915
Khaki was a stray dog taken into the care of an AFS ambulance unit after he was found on the roadside in Belgium by AFS Driver Joshua G.B. Campbell. Although Khaki was terrified of the bombshells, he would never let the AFS Drivers go about their work alone. During the bombardment of Dunkerque, Khaki fought against his fear and helped the AFS Drivers search for survivors among the crumbling houses.
Robert Montgomery was a famous American actor, director, and producer who put his career on hold to become an AFS Driver during World War II. After his service with AFS, Robert returned to Hollywood and was nominated for an Academy Award. Leveraging his keen interest in politics, Robert served as an unpaid consultant and coach to President Dwight D. Eisenhower—advising him on how to look his best in television appearances. Photograph by Acme (Paris).
AFSers Reach for the Stars, 2013
“My experience abroad at the age of 16 had a completely different impact than if I had done it later or while in college or while working. To find myself abroad for one year alone without the support of family and friends brought out in me resources I wasn’t aware I had, resources we all have, but don’t think about and use,” noted Luca Parmitano, Italian AFS Returnee and European Space Agency astronaut. Parmitano is one of several AFS Returnees who became an astronaut! Photograph courtesy of ESA/NASA.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 8
Jaroslava’s Holiday Card, 1949
AFSers Help to Clean Up in the Aftermath of the Eyjafjallajökull Eruption, 2010
This holiday card was designed by AFS Returnee
After the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in
Jaroslava (Jara) Moserová and was sold to raise
2010, AFS Participants in Iceland volunteered to
funds for the AFS International Scholarships
help local farmers clean and shovel ashes at and
Program. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Jara
around their farms. AFSers become part of the
helped regenerate AFS in Czechoslovakia. When
communities they are hosted in, which sometimes
the country peacefully split in January 1993, Jara
involves coming together in times of need. These
founded AFS Czech Republic (AFS Mezikulturni
AFS Participants saw the opportunity to help and
programy, o.s.) with two other Returnees from the
they took it.
1947-1948 program year.
Photograph courtesy of AFS Iceland.
The AFS Luggage Tag
Hanging from backpacks and suitcases of daring AFS Participants, the AFS Luggage Tag has been all over the world. It knows every airport, has seen every landmark, and heard every language imaginable. It has arrived in thousands of new homes, and has seen its owners become part of the family. Today, it holds on tight to the luggage of hundreds of new AFSers that are about to begin their adventures.
John F. Kennedy Addresses AFSers at the White House, 1963
In the summer of 1963, United States President John F. Kennedy received AFSers from around the world at the White House for the third time. Kennedy expressed his trust that the AFS Participants would “desire to see good-will among all nations” after their experience abroad, and that they would stand “for those principles that motivate us all around the globe, a chance for everyone, a fair chance for everyone and also for a world in which we have some hope for peace.”
Special thanks to Cristina Rins and AFS Argentina & Uruguay for contributing luggage tag images.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 9
Celebrating the AFS Centennial Around the World by Sheryl Hilliard Tucker
W
hat better way to celebrate a 100th anniversary than engaging the AFS Global Community throughout the world? We share a few of the many highlights from the AFS Partner events and projects commemorating the AFS Centennial below!
1
2
AFS Dominican Republic held their festive national Centennial Celebration on September 20, 2014. More than 500 AFSers and guests attended, including Rafael Juarbe Pagán from the Office of Foreign Affairs of Puerto Rico. The AFS Foundation gathered digitized historic items from the AFS Archives, Returnees from around the world, and their own collections to create a virtual museum at www.the-afs-story.org. AFS Germany organized a fundraising dinner in Berlin at the Allianz Forum on October 18, 2014. AFS Returnees Wolfgang Ischinger, former ambassador to the US and UK and head of the Munich Security Conference, and Axel Jansen, professor of history at the University of Tübingen, were featured speakers. AFS Italy produced a 30-minute documentary about AFS, which was featured on RAI Storia (the history television channel in Italy) on January 30, 2015. AFS Russia tapped the AFS Archives to create a fun history quiz for AFS Participants and Volunteers.
1. AFS USA held their Centennial Celebration event on December 4, 2014 at the French Institute Alliance Française in New York City, which two AFS World War II Drivers attended: Dr. Bayard Clarkson and DeWitt Morrill (featured above entertaining the crowd). Photograph courtesy of AFS USA. 2. AFS Brazil Staff and Volunteers (shown above) planted 100 seedlings in the Park of Native Nations in Campo Grande-MS to commemorate the AFS Centennial during their National Assembly on September 13, 2014. Photograph courtesy of AFS Brazil. 3. AFS Philippines created a gallery of historic photographs for the second annual AFS Asia and the Pacific Initiative (AAI) meeting in Manila in March 2014. The display can be seen in the photograph to the right, which includes (from left to right) Dharma Bendersky (AFS Australia Program Manager), Zhang Ling (AFS China National Director), Catherine McBride (AFS Australia National Director), Yin Chang (AFS China Hosting Coordinator) and Reg Smith (AFS Australia Board Chair and AAI Vice President). Photograph courtesy of AFS Philippines.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 10
3
AFS Centennial World Congress: Daring to Create Change by Raquel Martínez and Sheryl Hilliard Tucker
T
he AFS Centennial World Congress provided the perfect opportunity for delegates from 57 AFS Network Organizations to acknowledge the impact AFS has had on individuals and communities for the past 100 years. Equally important, the centennial milestone provided an occurrence for the leadership to launch new initiatives to guide AFS into its second century. The event, held from November 3-6 in Paris, was led by AFS International, coordinated by the World Congress Design Team and Steering Committee, hosted by AFS France, and supported by an incredible group of volunteers from around the world. In the spirit of the World Congress theme, “The AFS Effect: Daring to Create Change,” the AFS Network leaders dared delegates to envision the organization differently to better meet the challenges of educating 21st-century global citizens. To start the event, the delegates were asked to imagine AFS in a hundred years, and create a poster with their vision. Many fruitful and futuristic ideas were shared and by the end of the activity, the posters were collected and preserved in a time capsule that will be opened in 2115. The World Congress also showcased two important awards: the inaugural Intercultural Learning in Our Own Backyard Award, highlighting intercultural learning activities at the community level, and the longstanding Galatti Award, honoring outstanding AFS Volunteers. As a result of the World Congress, the leadership committed to strengthening the current programs, launching new innovative offerings, engaging and reengaging AFS Volunteers, and empowering more Staff, Participants, Host Families, and Volunteers with the tangible skills and perspectives required to work across cultural and other differences.
2
3
1. The World Congress delegates in front of “The AFS Effect: Daring to Create Change” mural at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. 2. Vincenzo Morlini, President and CEO of AFS International, holds the time capsule containing the ideas and vision of the World Congress delegates for AFS in 2115. 3. Bill Meserve (AFS Board of Trustees) participates in one of the World Congress activities.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 11
AFS Remembers
Letter from the AFS International President
I write this letter in the middle of our exciting AFS Centennial commemoration year. This has been a year of reflection, honoring the legacy of this groundbreaking organization, as well as a year of renewal and change as we prepare to take AFS into its second century. I would like to thank the more than 1,200 members of the AFS Global Community representing 69 countries who convened in Paris, the birthplace of our organization, this past November. A very successful World Congress was followed by several days of exciting events when AFS Returnees, Volunteers, Staff, Host Families, and friends came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of AFS. I was warmed by the countless hugs I witnessed among reunited friends on Returnee Day, and was inspired by the lively discussions that followed the AFS symposiums on the importance of global citizenship education held at the UNESCO headquarters. The people I met and reconnected with in Paris reinforced my belief in the value of this organization, and the lifelong commitments it engenders. The events in Paris sent us a very clear message: the organization is alive, active, and excited to move forward. There are many challenges to keeping a 100-yearold organization fresh and relevant, but AFS has a legacy of transformation. Our inspiration comes from our visionary founders—the AFS Drivers of World Wars I and II. They transformed a wartime humanitarian aid organization into a pioneering student exchange program that still continues to thrive. Recent, tragic world events have made it apparent that the world needs AFS. I look forward to facing the challenges of 2015 and beyond, with an energized community of AFSers poised and ready to launch our second 100 years. With this partnership, I am confident that AFS will enjoy a great future ahead. We will continue growing our programs in 2015, and will renew our commitment to creating a more just and peaceful world. Please join us as we continue to celebrate the AFS Centennial through 2015 and our 100-year-old legacy of volunteerism! Thank you, as always, for your continued support of AFS and its important mission.
Vincenzo Morlini President and CEO, AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 12
AFS World War II Driver and Life Trustee Arthur “Art” Howe, Jr. passed away on December 16, 2014 at age 93. Art was one of the founders of the post-war AFS secondary school exchange programs, and in 1965 officially began his tenure as president of AFS. When he resigned in 1971, AFS had 38 national offices worldwide. AFSers around the world will remember him as a visionary and outstanding leader, and the impact of his lifelong work in creating a more just and peaceful world will never be forgotten.
“Rest in peace, dearest Art, great champion of volunteerism, great ambassador of priceless values for humankind, we will not forget you and will treasure your legacy.” Vincenzo Morlini AFS International President
Arthur Howe, Jr. (1921-2014)
1
“Being a hero in our times involves courage, wisdom, humbleness, and vision. Art was our hero.” Victor Oporto AFS Argentina Board Member
2
“His compassion for those who needed help to rise above their perceived potential was enduring and took many forms in the long struggle for justice and peace around the world.”
3
Stephen H. Rhinesmith Former AFS President
“Whenever I think of Art, I will always remember the clarity of his voice and the twinkle in his eyes.”
“Art, one of the best men I met in my life.”
Tsugiko Yamagami Scullion AFS USA Board Member
Ezio Vergani AFS Foundation President
“Now we must live up to the path he showed us.” Brigitte Buffevant-Ladret AFS Returnee
1. AFS President Art Howe, Jr. greets AFSers in Santiago, Chile. Photograph by Cerrillos Chile. 2. Ward Chamberlin, Jr. and Art Howe, Jr. with their 90th birthday cake in New York City. 3. Art Howe, Jr. in the Middle East, circa 1944. Photograph by Loftus B. Cuddy, Jr.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 13
AFS WWII Ambulance Drivers Last Post Allan F. Block
Fred N. Creed, Jr.
Carl W. Engelleiter
(IB 1)
(IB 55)
(CM 99, IB 59-T)
Allan Forrest Block passed away on October 23, 2013 at age 90. Block volunteered for AFS in the IndiaBurma theater of war between July 1943 and August 1944. He later became a leather craftsman and musician whose shop was part of the folk music scene in New York City. Block is survived by his daughters, son, brother, and three grandchildren.
Fred Nelson Creed, Jr. passed away on February 3, 2014 at age 89 in Concord, New Hampshire. Creed volunteered for AFS in the India-Burma theater of war between May and October 1945. He later held a variety of professional positions and became an active member of his local community. Creed is survived by his wife of 41 years, daughter, and son-in-law.
Carl William Engelleiter passed away on January 30, 2014 in Sacramento, California. He was born on October 9, 1926, and was 18 years old when he volunteered for AFS. He served in the Italian Campaign and was briefly transferred to India before being repatriated in November 1945. He is survived by his four children and five grandchildren.
Joseph B. Helfrich, Jr.
William E. Johnston
Robert E. Kennedy
(CM 43)
(CM 92, IB 59-T)
(CM 75)
Joseph Bowen Helfrich, Jr. passed away on February 9, 2014 at age 91. He volunteered for AFS in 1943, receiving the Purple Heart after the Battle of Monte Cassino. He was later in a family appliance business and became a Purchasing Agent for Atlantic County (New Jersey). Helfrich is predeceased by his wife and survived by three children and nine grandchildren.
William Edmund Johnston passed away on January 23, 2014 at age 88. Johnston volunteered for AFS in 1944, serving in the Central Mediterranean theater of war before being transferred to India. He was the owner of Johnston Motors in Crugers, New York. Johnston is predeceased by his first wife and survived by his second wife, three sons, and two grandchildren.
Robert Edgar Kennedy passed away on April 8, 2014 at age 92. Kennedy volunteered with AFS in the Italian and France-Germany Campaigns during World War II. After the war, he was the owner of Kitchen Design Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts, and was active in his local community. Kennedy is predeceased by his wife, and survived by his son and stepson.
Robert C. Lally
Hugh S. Lamberton
(IB 59)
(ME 32)
Dr. Robert Charles Lally passed away on November 29, 2011 at age 87. He was sent to the India-Burma theater of war in July 1945 after volunteering for the American Field Service at age 20, and returned to the United States soon after owing to the cessation of wartime hostilities. Lally was survived by his wife, three children, and sister. AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 14
Hugh Stirling Lamberton passed away on August 21, 2014 at age 92. Lamberton volunteered for AFS between 1942 and 1945, serving in the African Campaign in the Western Desert and the Italian Campaign. He received a degree in civil engineering from Drexel University after the war. Lamberton is survived by his wife, four children, and eight grandchildren.
William J. Melanson, Jr.
Frederick W. Scott
Lorenzo Semple III
(ME 37)
(IB 16)
(ME 2, FFC)
William Joseph Melanson, Jr. passed away on June 11, 2006. Melanson was born on July 2, 1924, and volunteered for AFS at age 18. He was sent overseas in 1943, serving in Syria and Italy until 1944. He was later employed in various places, including Johnson & Johnson. Melanson was survived by his wife, four children, and twelve grandchildren.
Frederick Wendell Scott passed away on May 6, 2007 at age 87. Scott served with AFS in the Burma Campaign between 1944 and 1945. He later retired as the vice president of the Howard Savings Institute in Newark (New Jersey) after 41 years of service. Scott was survived by his wife, two sons, a sister, and three grandchildren.
Lorenzo Semple III passed away on March 28, 2014 at age 91. He was sent overseas with AFS in January 1942, serving in the African Campaign in the Western Desert. Semple later became a playwright and screenwriter, and became the creator of the 1960s television show Batman. He is survived by his wife, a brother, three children, a stepson, and six grandchildren.
William Stump
Dennis A. Weaver
Forrest W. Williams
(ME 32, FR8)
(ME 16, FR 4)
(ME 37, IB 57)
William Stump passed away on October 23, 2013 at age 90. He served with AFS in the African Campaign in the Western Desert, Italian Campaign, and France-Germany Campaign between 1942 and 1945. Stump later became the editor of The Baltimore Sun. He was predeceased by his wife and daughter, and survived by two children and five grandchildren.
Dennis Aloysius Weaver passed away on July 22, 2013 at age 97. He volunteered with AFS in the African Campaign in the Western Desert, Italian Campaign, and France-Germany Campaign between 1942 and 1945. Weaver later became a professor at several universities, Director of Policyholder Education at Wausau Insurance Company, and was a leader of the safety management movement.
Forrest Wilbur Williams passed away on April 1, 2014 at age 89. He volunteered for AFS at age 18, serving in the Middle Eastern and Central Mediterranean theaters of war between 1943 and 1945. After the war, Williams became a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado. He is survived by his wife.
In Memoriam
William M. Dyal Former AFS President William “Bill” Dyal passed away on January 29, 2015. Bill joined AFS in 1981, and was a driving force in expanding and diversifying the AFS Programs. His achievements included overseeing China’s formal entry into AFS, an effort that started under AFS President Stephen Rhinesmith. His impressive career also included being named president of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland.
AFS JANUS • CENTENNIAL ISSUE 2015 • 15
71 West 23rd Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10010, USA
The AFS Centennial Continues! A FS will continue to celebrate and commemorate the AFS Centennial throughout 2015! AFS International and AFS Partners around the world are planning exciting upcoming events and projects, including an AFS Youth Forum in Argentina in April and a conference titled “Learning to Live Together: Humanitarianism, Reconciliation and Education for Plural Societies” in Italy in May. You can learn more about the activities around the world, and how you can participate, at centennial.afs.org There are many resources available online for those hoping to learn more about the history of AFS over the course of the year– from a six-minute video to a new leaflet created for AFS Volunteers, both found at www.afs.org/about. Additionally, there are hundreds of newly-digitized photographs available on the website of the AFS Archives at www.afs.org/archives.
Please consider contributing to AFS to fund important projects like these, and to further the educational and volunteer efforts that will support the next century of AFSers. You can send a tax-exempt contribution by check in the enclosed envelope, or donate online at www.afs.org/donate.
by Nicole Milano
AFS Founder and Inspector General A. Piatt Andrew with Assistant Inspector General Stephen Galatti at the AFS Headquarters in Paris, France in 1917. Photograph by H.C. Ellis.
Cover images (clockwise from top right): AFS Drivers at the AFS Headquarters in Paris in 1917 (Photograph by O. King); AFS Americans Abroad Participants on a bus trip through Denmark in 1967; Participants from the 100 Years Young! AFS Youth Workshop in Paris in November 2014 (Photograph courtesy of Incorp Agency/Guillaume Deperrois); AFS Driver John Amory with a group of officers of the 255 Indian Tank Brigade in September 1945. All photographs are courtesy of the Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS Archives) unless otherwise noted. The holder of copyright for some of these items may be unknown. Please contact the AFS Archives if you can help identify the copyright holder(s.)