Donald Watt - School for International Training and Experiment in International Living

About

Donald B.Watt had a unique idea, bringing high school students to live with families in other countries to learn about other cultures and thereby promote world understanding and peace. The result was the Experiment in International Living which began in 1932, in Putney then took root in Brattleboro. Watt laid down his ideas in a 1967 book "Intelligence is Not Enough." His work evolved also into the School for International Training (SIT) and World Learning which flourished from their home on Kipling Road in Brattleboro, leaving an indelible stamp on the character of the town and the world, producing important global leaders such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams. Its vision is one of world peace; its mission is to help build it. Alvino Fantini worked there most of his life and now directs the SIT archives which features ground-breaking language instruction books and materials developed for the Peace Corps under the guidance of Sargent Shriver, who was an important part of the early building of the institutions. Much of SIT's operations have now moved to Washington, but several global peace-building programs still happen in Brattleboro.

Research & Production

Community Researcher/Script/Narrator/Editor: Angelika Pavlovna Karapetian
Interviews: Alvino Fantini, Director of SIT/World Learning Archives
Voice of Donald Watt: John Loggia

Ongoing Development and Involvement:

As a community-created project, we encourage ongoing dialogue, questions, and engagement. If you would like to be involved in future developments, have information or a perspective that could deepen others' understanding of this topic, please contact us.