Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1961-08-19
Wealthy Negro
School / eacler
Volunteers For
Service With
Peace CORPS


family illnesses and the handicaps
of race to win financial security
and community prestige has tossed
success overheard to serve in the
Peace Corps.
At time of life when she might
sit back to enjoy the fruits of her
long struggle for an education and
career, Miss Madge Ship of De-
troit, Michigan, has chosen to en-
bark on new adventures in the SER
vice of humanity.
Miss Shipp is one of 10 Peace
Corps Volunteers training at Iowa
State University, Ames, Iowa, for
Peace Corps project on the island
of st. Lucia in the West Indies Fed
GRAFTON. Miss Shipp, who holds a
Masters Degree in Education, is
expected to teach in elementary
schools there.
The project calls for agricultural
assistance and teacher training pro-
grams in primary, vocational, pub
lie health. and home economics edu-
cation. Volunteers are studying
during August at Iowa State and
will report in September to a train
ing site in the West Indies Fedora
ton.
Heifer Project, Inc, a non-profit
organization which distributes live
stock and poultry to areas through
out the world, will supervise the
work of the Volunteers under the
direction of the Government of St.
Lucia.
Miss Ship, if accepted for over
seas service by the Peace Corps,
will turn down a contract for a
teaching position which would pay
her about $1,000 per year.
Why is she willing to make such
financial sacrifice? She says
that more emphasis should be
placed on the intangibles in life:
There is a common bond between
all peoples-we are all human be-
ings." She says that whether she
is accepted by the Peace Corps or
not, the remaining part of her life
will be one of service to others.
eff | am accepted" she said, 81
do not intend to go and just touch
the edges or scratch the surface. i.
l intend to live, if not just like the
people l am trying to help, no
more than one step above them.
This might give them something to
work toward"
Miss Ship heard about the Peace
Corps during the Presidential cam
paign. She has cherished the idea
ever since. She would have volun-
teered as soon as the Peace Corps
was activated by President Ken
nedy on March l., but she thought.
at first, that only young people
were wanted. But one day, she
went to the information office at
Wayne University and asked whe-
Their the Peace Corps would con-
slider someone her age. The answer
was: "Madge, the Peace Corps
would be lucky to get someone like
you." She went home, filled out
her QUESTIONABLE and mailed it to
Washington.
Members of her family and her
friends have told her that she is
making a big mistake. They know
that she has made many sacrifices
to reach her $1,000 year school
teaching job. They know, for in
stance, that family finances forced
her to leave school after the 10th
grade and that she was unable to
return to finish high school for
seven years.
But Miss Shipp says that this
is one of the reasons that she is
dedicated to the Peace Corps idea
She knows what it is like to want
an education and not be able to go
to school. She had given this SO
much thought before she heard
about the Peace Corps that she was
planning a program to bring Afri-
can students to the United States
and pay their tuition through the
eighth grade. During her teaching
career, Miss Shipp has paid tuition
fees for many deserving boys and
girls who otherwise might not have
been able to go to college.
Miss Shipp was 81 when she re-
turned to high school in 1880. She
was graduated in 1888. A school
official told her she was too old
to 60 to college, but she was deter
mined to try.
In September Of that year, she
went to East Michigan University,
Ypsilanti, Michigan, to register,
a