The Brightest children of the DR during the 40's & 50's.

frank12

Gold
Sep 6, 2011
11,847
29
48
Here is a story few people in the DR know about.

Under Trujillo, there was a scholarship program that took the brightest child out of each high school in the DR and educated them for free in Santo Domingo. This system was enacted to help facilitate bringing the brightest, most qualified people in the DR to the Dominican government--where they helped serve in different positions of their expertise. My uncle, Francisco (Frank) Clodomiro Genao won this brightest scholarship award in Bonao in the 40's and was immediately sent to Santo Domingo, and then to the University of Chicago.

Under the scholarship, you were free to study whatever subject you wanted. My uncle chose medicine. To give you a little background info on my uncle Frank, he was the oldest of three boys (my dad was the youngest); they were from Masipedro--which is a mountain town up in the hills surrounding Bonao. They grew up dirt poor, with dirt floors, no electricity, no plumbing, and with a fanatical religious father who went to church every day and read the Bible constantly, but couldn't tell you what made it rain, thunder, or lightning except to say "It is the will of god."

When my uncle won the scholarship award, he was sent to Santo Domingo where he started medical school. From there he went to the University of Chicago where he specialized in Urology and also did his internship. He married another Dominican doctor, and together they had three daughters (two of which are doctors, the other is blind and runs her own school).

He got a job offer in Dayton, Ohio, where he moved to and became a medical surgeon of Urology, first at the VA hospital, and then at Kettering memorial hospital.

While he was in the U.S practicing, he pioneered some advanced medical surgery techniques for urology. As a result, he spent the greater part of his adult life travelling, giving lectures at medical conferences around the world where he demonstrated some pretty clever advanced medical surgery techniques on what else: The Penis.

Anyway, this scholarship system under Trujillo educated a lot of very bright Dominican children and gave them--and my uncle a unique--once in a lifetime--opportunity to follow their dream and become whatever they wanted at the expensive of the government--including housing, supplies, and food. Everything was covered. Keep in mind, were talking about the 1940's and 50's here.

Afterwards, these scholarship adults served on the DR government in whatever capacity they qualified for. My uncle became the chief urologist for the president and all of the big shot in the government.

Some interesting facts about DR. Francisco Clodomiro Genao

1. He was an Atheist. His father (my grandfather) was a fanatical religious catholic that didn't believe anything that was not written down in the Bible. he believed the earth was 6000 yrs old and no one could convince him otherwise.
2. He (my uncle) raised three daughters--two became doctors, and one, Loli Genao, runs her own school in Santo Domingo which has become a sort of orphanage for poor, disenfranchised, abused children who's parents can no longer take care of them. She's ended up adopting many of the children herself. These children have grown up and now take care of my cousin, Loli Genao (she is blind.)
3. His wife (my aunt) was a well known doctor of Pediatrician and is still living in Santo Domingo.
4. His two younger brothers (my father & uncle) didn't even get to attend high school, but educated themselves on their own after rebelling against their religious fanatical father.
5. My uncle now has a few buildings named after him, and Avenue in Santo Domingo, a street in Bonao, and some other stuff.
6. While growing up, i spent my summers in the DR with him, where i was majorly influenced by him, his books, his philosophy, and his brilliance. Sadly, none of his brilliance rubbed off on me, but his life long love for reading did. And for that i am eternally thankful.

Frank
 
Last edited:
Jul 4, 2010
403
22
0
It's quite refreshing to hear something good about Trujillo for a change. El Jefe's scholarship program also helped my aunt, Francisca Ang?lica Romero Beltr?, born in Las Yayitas, Azua, who studied architecture in Santo Domingo, and became the first woman to graduate in that field in the DR, and later studied finance at the University of Connecticut. During Juan Bosch's shortlived presidency, she held the post of Deputy Minister of Finance in the Dominican government.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
This is from Mr. AE. who enjoyed Frank12's post:

There are so many brilliant minds in the DR today, but no one helps them today. All the politicos think about is publicity for themselves and how much they can line their pockets with.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I know one Dominican who went to work at the Banco Central and they paid for her to go to for her Master's degree in NYC at Columbia with the stipulation that she return here and serve for two years. They also gave her a loan for a down payment her first home .. $35k US at good rates.. so there are some groups that are helping.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
I see this almost everyday!
My 11 year old daughter goes to a "POOR" church with her grandmother.
Some of the "POOR" children come to visit her from time-to-time.
They are so "Bright" and intelligent.
I know it my heart that their future will be early pregnancy, and a life of poverty.
JUST Like the Government, and the "Ricos" want!!!
That way you have a never ending source of cheap labor, and an electorate of people who's votes can be bought with a few chickens, and a "Gift Basket" in December!
"4%", for Education ???????????????????????????
Like THAT will change anything!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
"Annie" at THAT rate, it will take another 500 years to make any difference.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i got all the way to the moment you mentioned "penis" and then got distracted. miesposo is out on a business trip :( but he's coming back soon. :cheeky:

before i get distracted even more, i believe there is a plan for similar project. the smartest kids will be allowed to study for free and will receive grants.
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
0
Trujillo actually did quite a bit of good for the country. He prob could have remained in power even with his abuse of it, but after trying to bomb Betancourt and murdering the Mariposa Sisters, he had to go. As anti Communist, he "may have been a bastard, but he was our bastard." Back then sugar was more important commodity and we didn't to lose the DR as a source country esp with Castro recently taking over in Cuba.

Even Papa Doc did some good before he went crazy. He wiped out yaws in Haiti, which was a common disease that affected many kids.
 
Jul 4, 2010
403
22
0
My daughter Angela Marianne Romero Foucault is doing her internship at the local hospital as a requirement for graduation (this comings August 25th) from the Instituto Polit?cnico de Azua, a public yet exclusive school, with the highest honor (Estudiante Meritoria), having achieved a better than a 98% average in all her grades. Do any of you believe she has been offered a scholarship or help of any kind to continue her education?, well she hasn't, although I personally contacted the Ministry of Education.
 

jabejuventus

Bronze
Feb 15, 2013
1,437
0
0
Impressive Frank. You are dr1 royalty. I mean that sincerely. Thanks for the share. I'll pass the share on to my Dominican wife whose father was a maestro for Trujillo. Maestro Martinez recounts similar positive stories regarding Trujillo's reign in power.

P.S. It's unfortunate that the soon to be released movie regarding Trujillo will probably be devoid of balance.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
They deserve scholarships from the dominican government if they are smarter than dominican kids? eh..

something you disagree with? the smartest kids at school deserve scholarship. if all the smartest kids happen to be haitian - more power to them.
 

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
6,808
202
63
Are you a "politico"?

Maybe it is meant like "the smartest sons and daughters (of the ruling class / party) receive..." :rolleyes:
My daughter Angela Marianne Romero Foucault is doing her internship at the local hospital as a requirement for graduation (this comings August 25th) from the Instituto Polit?cnico de Azua, a public yet exclusive school, with the highest honor (Estudiante Meritoria), having achieved a better than a 98% average in all her grades. Do any of you believe she has been offered a scholarship or help of any kind to continue her education?, well she hasn't, although I personally contacted the Ministry of Education.