THEN AND NOW: Talib during his university days in New Zealand (left) and today as the Assistant Minister of Tourism and Heritage.
Talib
THEY were mostly young and idealistic, serving for a small allowance, all of them riding bicycles.
That’s how I tend to remember the early Peace Corps volunteers generally.
During my schooldays at Bintulu Government Secondary School from 1964 to 1966, the Peace Corps teachers were big Alfred Johnson from New Orleans, Mississippi, and a young couple, Eugene and Jacky Turner.
There were other volunteers — Margaret Kinney from Canada, Roderick Trott and David Clements from New Zealand and Mr Packer, a talented footballer, from England.
Not long after the Turners arrived, they decided to take ‘lessons’ in Malay although they had undergone a basic course in Hawaii before their posting to Sarawak.
Now I must presume they must have wanted to have a quick practice in Malay when they chose a student to do it with.
At three ringgit an hour, a princely sum then, I accepted the offer without a second thought of my zero experience or other possible shortcomings as a language tutor.
After the Turners, Margaret Kinney also followed suit. Definitely, it was a great feeling ‘teaching’ the teachers while at the same time earning valuable pocket money.
The lesson was quite simple — mainly they tried speaking in Malay and all I needed to do was reply in Malay.
Looking back I would have happily offered my service for a lot less.
But of all the volunteers who taught in Bintulu Government Secondary School, many students seem to remember Alfred Johnson the most fondly.
In our conversations, we always address him simply as Mr Johnson. The first Peace Corps volunteer to serve in Bintulu, he was a good science teacher and sportsman who doubled as coach for basketball and softball.
Before he left, he and his parents arranged to ‘foster’ a student to stay with them and study in the US.
That student is now a medical specialist and still practising in the US.
Mr Johnson was also a kindly person who would help out the not-so-well-to-do students. We thought he was special.
As an Afro-American, he was different. But that was all. We were not exposed to the discrimination that prevailed in his home country (US) or Africa, nor had we heard of the Apartheid policies of South Africa.
Perhaps that experience alone convinced me that prejudice was taught and conditioned by society.
Mr Johnson did come back for a second tour of duty in Sarawak while I was away studying in New Zealand.
He was stationed in Kuching then, coordinating Peace Corps activities, I understand, rather than teaching.
Over the years, he came back for private visits. I managed to meet him on two of those occasions. The last visit, he came with his wife Cora.
On each of his visits we would have a small gathering of his former students and friends. He was always good company, hale and hearty.
It was, indeed, very sad when we received the news of his passing at the age of 68.
Sir, we bid you a collective difficult farewell and say thank you. We are proud to learn you fought to the very last.
When I was at Tanjong Lobang School (1967-1968), I came across more Peace Corps volunteers.
They were Bob Lynn (English), Peterson (physics), Susan Stacy and Daniel Boylan (both history).
Apart from classroom teaching, the Peace Corps teachers were active in extra curricular activities.
They were found coaching students in sports, organising events and so on.
There were quite a number of volunteers then as Sarawak did not have many qualified teachers.