Archaeology
Our friend Cliff who was a construction volunteer in the Peace Corps and has built several houses (including helping rehab our house in Pittsfield) would mark his name somewhere in the inner structure of the building, a sign for future generations.
So, we half expected to find some traces of the original builders as we have been taking apart the school and teachers’ houses. After working in one of the classrooms, taking down the rotten beams, scraping and brushing the solid ones, making bricks, we would pause and stare at the walls, out the windows, catching our breath in the heat of the day.
And then we saw it, right where the blackboard had been hung. The numbers 1, 9, 6, 5, and the letters JA and then bigger letters PD.
JA is of course the man who has approached near legendary status in the village, Jerry Anderson, the team leader of the group in 1965 that built the school. Near legend because we hear his name often, and not just in connection with the school. Several people have told us he drilled a hole in a rock and found a source of clean water, that continues to run. There he was, behind the blackboard, reaching across the 50 years to send us a message.
We are not sure what the PD stands for so we welcome any input from the earlier group of volunteers.
The first picture is of Arcel and Jean-Baptiste making bricks in the classroom. Hope you all can make out 1965, JA and PD in the next photo.
We remember Dan.
Encore de la Paix 
January 23, 2015 at 10:19 am
Great story John. Keep them coming! I would like to point out that the window block mold being used in image 12 is a replica of the mold designed by Paul Holloway and Jeff ?? in/around 1980 and became the PC school identifier for 80’s and 90’s schools. Much like the rock foundations and double roofs identify the 60’s schools. Bob Weisflog RPCV/APCD/PCD 1980 – 1992
January 23, 2015 at 4:17 pm
And be sure that the folks who are rebuilding the school do the same — maybe a time capsule to boot! There was something in the news in the Boston area recently about a time capsule from the Revolutionary War era that was opened, examined, and replaced with additional material in it.