Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1966 - 2002 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
4.15 linear feet of textual records; 18 black & white photographic prints; 10 color photographic prints; 4 maps
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
James L. Theodores was born on September 4th, 1922 in Thompson, Connecticut. After serving in World War II, Theodores attended Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts where he completed a BSE in Education. He subsequently completed a Master's degree in Management & Finance from New York University.
Prior to beginning employment at the World Bank, Theodores held a variety of positions related to education planning and management. These included: Superintendent of Schools in Scarsdale, New York; Education Planning, Building and Development Consultant for St. Ceyre Architects in Detroit, Michigan; and Senior Advisor to Colombia's Ministry of Education in Bogota, Colombia. He also published two books in the field of education.
Theodores joined the World Bank in 1970 as an Education Facilities Planner in the Education Department, the primary Bank unit responsible for appraisal, negotiation, and supervision of operational project work in the nascent education sector. Following the Bank-wide reorganization of 1972 that decentralized operational oversight into the new regional vice presidencies (RVPs), Theodores moved into the Education Division of the Europe, Middle East and North Africa Projects Department (EMPED).
In 1977, Theodores was named the Resident Representative for Afghanistan. Situated in Kabul, he held this position until 1980. As Resident Representative, Theodores was responsible for: maintaining liaison between the World Bank and Afghanistan government and presenting the Bank's views to the government; advising the Bank on significant developments in the country; participating in the preparation and presentation of projects for consideration by the Bank; providing information or responding to requests of the Afghan government; and facilitating the work of Bank missions visiting the country.
Following the closure of the World Bank's Kabul office in 1980, Theodores returned to World Bank headquarters in Washington D.C. and was named Senior Management Analyst in the Organization Planning Department (OPD). Theodores was named acting Field Coordinator (FC) in 1981, replacing Lawrence H. Berlin, and was officially named the new FC Coordinator in July 1982. As Field Coordinator, Theodores was responsible for introducing and establishing systems of security for both travelling and resident Bank/IFC staff and their dependents and advising the Vice President, Personnel and Administration (VPA) on field office matters.
Theodores left the Bank in 1987. He retired to Newport, Rhode Island before moving to San Francisco in 2009. He passed away on March 9th, 2014.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated to the World Bank Group Archives by the daughter of James L. Theodores in 2015.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Fonds consists of records from Theodores's time as Resident Representative in Kabul, Afghanistan and as Field Coordinator for the World Bank Group. Many of the records in this fonds appear to be a selection made by Theodores either during his time employed at the Bank or upon his departure. Some of the records, such as those relating to Afghanistan after Theodores had completed his time as Resident Representative there, may have been collected by Theodores for personal interest or in support of potential research projects to be undertaken at a later date. A small number of records relating to Theodores's employment with the World Bank or to the history and future of Afghanistan are also included.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Records are subject to the World Bank Policy on Access to Information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).
Disclosure status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
9 August 2016