European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 07, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse The Experiment getting people living f working together is Story and photos by Marion Lee can people of different nation understand each other Well enough to see to it that their governments can live peacefully together the Experiment in International Liv ing inc. Nilhas been asking the same question since it began in 1932."yes. I think so very definitely declared David m. Dave Delaskar a american student who took part in the 1968 German Experiment. If you gel enough people from different nations Liv ing working and talking together it shatters false the organization s working Constitution puts it this Way the Experiment in International living exists for the Pur pose of creating and promoting Mutual understanding respect and Friendship Between people everywhere in the world regardless of politics Creed or race As one Way of furthering peace this summer 20 groups of 10 person were put in German Homes after a month s grooming at the Eil Headquarters in Putney it Eil is a nonprofit organization aimed at fostering International understanding on a people to people basis. After six weeks with Host families atypical group in the bad Kreuz Nach area said a collective Goodby to Host families at a Pancake supper. The final dose of the european Way came during a trip to Paris and Berlin before returning tothe . At the end of August. At the beginning of this summer s Experiment the 10 High school seniors and College freshmen under the Tutelage of a second year Harvard Law student were told to go to Germany be them selves and acclimate themselves to different Way of life. Dave Delaskar a student at Middlesex Academy in Concord mass., from Ripon wls., came to Europe under a oud of apprehension he explained atthe supper. You s5e� my oth is jewish. Sheana grandmother were violently opposed to my coming to Germany. My father was very much in favor of the trip. Finally reason won out and i m glad to say was Able to participate in toe German whittle meant by shattering false images the other night in a discussion after dinner i mentioned the fact that i had a jewish Mother a subject i had More or less avoided until i came to know my father and mother1 quite Well and an Opportunity presented itself. I wanted to determine for myself if any anti semitic sentiments were still rustling around in the Corners. My Host parents were just great they did t react at All either negatively or positively. There was no cover up. It just did t make any difference. This wiped away any Blond nordic super race image smudging my picture of Germany today. On the other hand i helped cleanup their foggy idea of american youth. Until i came into their Home the picture they had was of some kid pitching a brickbats through a window in Watts the clean Cut six footer said. William Meyer 23, of Tigard ore.,the group Leader said this clarification through Contact is a snowballing thing. Once someone is involved in the Experiment he is bound to influence those in his sphere through a deeper understanding of a foreign culture. An experimenters Are also Likely to participate further either directly or Lothar Martin a German school official in Kirn who Speaks Oxford eng Lish illustrates Meyer s years ago Germany s Das Experiment arranged a three month trip to the United states for Martin two other school officials and a group of students to study american schools student is now Das Experiment s representative in his area and served a Meyer s Host his father during the Law student s stay in Germany. He also found Homes for the other members of the group. German families Are not reimbursed for the expense in making the experimenter a member of the said this eliminates anyone who is not genuinely the initial stages on the other Side of the Atlantic after meeting rigid Host sister Sabrine Risdell helps serve Coffee for Farewell Pancake supper. Application requirements the student participants must provide $1,200 to de fray expenses of the three month pro Gram. Two members of the Kirn group Are what is known As Community ambassadors. A Hometown civic club sponsored their trips. Group leaders like Meyer Are selected before experimenters. One require ment is some knowledge of the area to be visited and a previous trip to the country. Leaders Are salaried. The summer begins for experimenters with a month of intensive training in Vermont including a crash course for students not familiar with the the group arrives in the coun try it Breaks up into individual Home for a month. At first everything is new Rita Beard of san Francisco said even the most Basic saturday september 7, 1968 Meyer a snowballing German father Lothar Martin. The stars and stripes in spite of warnings about cultural Shock during the month s orientation Rita said for the first couple of weeks i Felt really Dave said i did t feel this cultural Shock As much As some of the other experimenters. I m used to being far from Home i attend school 1,200 Miles away. And this is my third trip to Europe but the first time i had the Opportunity to live among the total immersion in the culture is wonderful for your he has had two years of German. Herbert m. Fritz Sampson Iii 18,of Omaha said i would avoid the other experimenters. If i spoke English in the morning i could t speak Ger Man in the afternoon. But i got to the Point where i could t think of the right word in English. It took me three minutes to remember that Stubl was a chair and three Days to think of imagine " after a month with their German family group members join with Ger Man Brothers and Sisters for a tour of the country. Travelling around Rita said Wesaw so Many americans Liquing to Gether speaking English. All they saw was the monuments and but we viewed Germany As a american trying to be a German sees it and got a better look at the country Dave said. During the trip is when really became close to my sister Dagmar the situation were reversed and 14-year-old Dagmar visited Dave in the United states she would be astonished. She would be lost he feels. Two years ago she visited franc for a week. She wrote Home every Day. She was terribly homesick. She would be again Dave said sympathetically. You Don t just got close to these people during the stay Here. They really become a second groped the air for words with one hand and finally said with feeling they be been really warm. Ill be Damn sorry to Page 11
