February 17, 2005: Headlines: Directors - Shriver: Athens News: Shriver grabbed the receiver, and said, 'Vern, for heaven's sake, don't you know you're talking to the president of the United States? Get your ass back here!' Needless to say, I cancelled my beach plans, and left for Washington.
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February 17, 2005: Headlines: Directors - Shriver: Athens News: Shriver grabbed the receiver, and said, 'Vern, for heaven's sake, don't you know you're talking to the president of the United States? Get your ass back here!' Needless to say, I cancelled my beach plans, and left for Washington.
Shriver grabbed the receiver, and said, 'Vern, for heaven's sake, don't you know you're talking to the president of the United States? Get your ass back here!' Needless to say, I cancelled my beach plans, and left for Washington.
Shriver grabbed the receiver, and said, 'Vern, for heaven's sake, don't you know you're talking to the president of the United States? Get your ass back here!' Needless to say, I cancelled my beach plans, and left for Washington.
Former president keeps close tabs on OU and Athens
2005-02-17
By Jon Peters
Athens NEWS Columnist
Last weekend, amid appointments with university officials and local luminaries, former Ohio University President Vernon R. Alden granted The Athens NEWS an exclusive interview concerning past and present issues inside the Ivory Towers.
Alden, 81, led the university from 1962-1969. He currently resides in Brookline, Mass.
[Excerpt]
PETERS: You've walked shoulder to shoulder with very prominent people in your lifetime. Of all of them, with whom did you cultivate your most memorable or unique relationship?
ALDEN: Probably Sergeant Shriver, who developed the Peace Corps. Let me tell you a little story: I had been working my tail off for three years at Ohio University, working weekends and weeknights, when I was invited to give a speech in Hawaii. I decided to budget in a couple of days to spend on the beach. After delivering the speech weeks later, I took my robe and towel to the beach, where a beach boy found me, and asked, 'Is your name Alden?' He proceeded to tell me that I had an urgent phone call from the White House.
When I picked up the phone, it was Shriver, who said, 'Just a moment, I want to put the president on the phone.' Only seconds later, President Johnson was on the phone, saying, 'Dr. Alden, I'd like to have you come back to Washington tomorrow to talk to me about something.' In response, I said, 'Mr. President, I have some prior commitments out here, and I don't think I can get there for three or four days.' At that point, Shriver again grabbed the receiver, and said, 'Vern, for heaven's sake, don't you know you're talking to the president of the United States? Get your ass back here!' Needless to say, I cancelled my beach plans, and left for Washington.
I soon began traveling to Washington, at Johnson's request, two days per week to help plan the Great Society program. This was advantageous to the university because I formed relationships with very influential people. I arranged for Johnson to announce the Great Society Program on our campus.
To have President Johnson on our campus was very upsetting to (then) Governor Rhodes, though, a staunch Republican. To appease him, I began writing to former President Eisenhower, inviting him to accept an honorary degree. I wrote four letters, and received four refusals. Finally, my fifth letter earned an acceptance.
Those contacts, among others, helped raise the university's visibility. Each person saw our campus and, in turn, he or she could talk to colleagues about its beauty, quality.
When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state. |
| WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service. |
| Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress. |
| RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey. |
| Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." |
| Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help? |
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Story Source: Athens News
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