370 Indicate Willingness to Join Peace Corps Project in Nigeria

Three-hundred and seventy upperclassmen are willing to embark on a two year program designed to send Harvard graduates to teach secondary school in Nigeria. They are willing to go even if the program does not guarantee exemption from the draft.

This figure, obtained trough a poll taken Tuesday in all House Dining Halls, constitutes more than 35 per cent of the 927 students who responded, and more than 10 per cent of all the students in the upper three classes.

Composed as an adjunct to the faculty proposal for a Harvard "youth corps," the poll presented three possible variations of the project: 1) a two-year project which leaves open the question of the draft; 2) a one-year project which does the same thing; or 3) a two-year project representing an alternative to the draft.

If they were guaranteed a draft exemption, 520 men would be willing to go. A one-year program would attract 462.

Fewer Seniors--107--are willing to go on a two-year program without draft exemption than Juniors or Sophomores--137 and 137, respectively. If the problem of conscription is removed, however, the comparative figures line up much more closely--168, 179, 173. Answering the questionnaire were 311 from the Senior class, 337 Juniors and 279 Sophomores.

The two subjects for which the Nigerian Government most seriously needs teacher's are English and Science. However, a sampling of the questionnaires returned indicates that relatively few natural science majors would be willing to join the program.

Response to the poll has reportedly provoked a great deal of interest outside of Cambridge. To discuss the Harvard project--and possibly lend it support--the Afro-American Institute has invited a faculty member and an undergraduate to attend a small meeting in Washington, D.C., according to Michael Hornblow, Vice-Chairman of the undergraduate group that drew up the poll.

Figures close to President-elect Kennedy are also said to have expressed interest in the Harvard project, and are reported to have asked for results of the poll.