Norwood Family Has International Flair Through Peace Corps and AFS-September 24, 1965

The Mylod Street home of Mr. and Mrs. John Bremer brimmed with international flair as the household balanced preparation for a daughter’s two-year Peace Corps deployment with the welcoming of an exchange student from the Dominican Republic.

Janna Bremer Departs for Peace Corps Service in Tunisia

Janna Bremer, a 1964 graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., is embarking on a two-year Peace Corps assignment in Tunisia, where she will teach English. Having studied Arabic in college, Janna was selected for the Tunisia program to build upon her language background.

Reflecting on her rigorous Peace Corps training at Brown University in Providence, Janna expressed enthusiasm for Tunisian educational customs, noting that teachers are relieved of mundane administrative tasks like hall monitoring, detention duty, and cafeteria duty, allowing them to focus entirely on classroom discipline and instruction. She also noted a structured professional environment: her volunteer group met their future employer, the Tunisian minister of education, who briefed them on teaching methods and regulations. While acknowledging that maintaining the aloof professional distance expected by the European-influenced school system might present a slight adjustment, Janna felt optimistic about her assignment, contrasting her path with volunteers tasked with infrastructure development like building latrines and laying roads.

Betty Grullon Arrives from Santo Domingo as AFS Student

While Janna prepares to depart, the Bremer household welcomed Bethania “Betty” Grullon, a 16-year-old American Field Service (AFS) student from Santo Domingo who is enrolled at Norwood High School.

Betty’s journey to Norwood was marked by political turmoil. The daughter of a Santo Domingo businessman, she had not attended school since the outbreak of a revolution that closed educational facilities. When her city was divided by conflict, Betty and her family fled the rebel section to seek refuge at an aunt’s home in a secure zone, leaving behind their belongings. “For a time there was no safe place,” she recalled, noting mixed public sentiment regarding the U.S. Army’s presence.

Now adjusting to life in Norwood alongside 17-year-old sister Andrea Bremer, Betty is focusing on business courses at Norwood High School with plans to pursue college psychology. Commenting on cultural contrasts, Betty noted that dating in Santo Domingo is strictly restricted until a young woman reaches 18 or 19. Though initially apprehensive, Betty praised the warm reception she received from her classmates, smiling as Andrea encouraged her with, “As long as they speak slowly… everything will be fine at school.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger