Annual Reports/1961-1962/Text

[Page 1]

BAHA’I ANNUAL REPORTS 1961-1962

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES

Wilmette, Illinois

[Page 2]

ee ae ae ea I > a Sao

ANNUAL REPORTS BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES 1961-1962

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

FFF a ee

DECLELAT YS REPOLt jac cares cere eatbduens dusetee tase ay dawn ve ae owt) 4 WE Les FE te 4 PERCASULETSLUIVED ONE, -s sexs sea) seh Scares &cUevapalbele Mosaic, sccm o's aroue win » cos wpe gible Snsreleon D INTERNATIONAL WORLD CRUSADE COMMITTEES PASC et revit vende SNS 2 dy din mae eliv: oe PE RO ee Me ecomeetecms iby se afl ee eee 6 PASI, ac 1e0e duulte yt SMe e-s ere asses Sim) vale wus ERA s ol aara ares Fwd awe pea Oe es 7 European Teaching: oo... wie 5 ane sere ug none s owl idia es wi nace ac biannin wae oie wos 7 Western Hemisphere Teaching .............. cc ccc cece cece ete e eee eeeeee 8 HOUSE OF WORSHIP COMMITTEES PLEMIDIOMW OESDID Sr ssc: cex gam os wo See Ae SD RS eee ns we canes wl Dee 8 Memple Public) MESHES, .. . << seme cso wh « wistue « le» wid, & wieis wien au0i/e inde ertys openers WaMheces 9 PRG TAP VOM GE CULCLES, <a gecocont:ann alone «surg sun) eseatea dy Ryan oie, Fs5:8/ 9-5 wast aes me RNG ey ian eee 9 Temple Childrents:Schoo]) «sus «ses eH oqpagsacew vous 0 seb Fnie wieyele wide ache wRle PET RSE OS 10 TEACHING COMMITTEES INLGLOM ae TG A CII Gt 5 cx euaraie ss + aneleBng + Gronwnaarel Sloe » ain + vin, audidini 0 St «jefe, inte Suleceae 10 PC CAM NG AC MIILO trees attln.« itthd eqn aiantaestnny axang ew Sie WCB swe ah teem onl ees 12 American Indian Service’ ...<saccWs nc cans aces oy « +4 sien RI SE ee eet 23 Baha’i Interracial Service ......... 0. ccc cee cece eee eee eee ee teenies 23 Baha tl College Burea sic. 5%: + os now ga ties wea aa oe tHe ES OSS EAR ee Fee 24 Service. FOr The BUG ©... sie e nje eels wire esis: + ies i: « wiser wiwiere w hie # ere,0 oie, eqn sentlouwte «lee 25 Sotivenir of “AbDAUYUEBANS. oo. ace cee cea toms owe ses waar ses wee ewe sawene eee 26 TMI GSALINAELONS, shes cens oe 3 Ge aanpsi as onesie Wl 6 APNE ¥ Gora GIN) aubidle onal @ oi? cere © gus ec bgouapehoes 26 PROCLAMATION AND SERVICE COMMITTEES The Baha’t World BGitorial . 0 0 ccchsdi vce «ose Mteim « eters w mine ood o ce ele wienela esedelane s 27 Bahay) PuUblshing TRUS cots aw sa earns dace esas eee ssw caw i amie} oreo aur 27 IBAA GING WS yEGiLOT a... ye0s sac 4 mses sense, obeheior done oi ove wre, « susie «aly ssi geaguiei-eers bine BEES 28 PU gO CL SIR Why ile rcs eas wae aero deg the « Wie sume a airs raved igus: ¢ ates ele eantenbe teste gene 29 National Baha’ Archives and History: «i cos caxcswe se eneeane cae seas pew ones 29 National Reference Library ..........0 cee cece cnc ewe eee tee eeteencenenge 29 National library Service: x «ssix vey ves died ou 258 4 sweres me hind tpi km E See Wale oRee 30 Public Information! Segvices. 5 .,< ea ost vale oie s scre © eine hun «ove Severe wneis Cimih MindBlowess 30 Natignal Radio Service’ . agi 02s ciicle dine sais voce sont wae ore elem Wall cs <4 buen les 31 AUGIO-“Visuial MAUCAatION sass ceeds ee ees ie BUS Eee Oe a SR OS we Oa E SES 31 VOM ACW 8 ae x a soe sept docks. ¢ nsw ater © mann antse embeds bo Soya s oie! 8 Gus! « weeope winGdl = wivche aq Cuenens BEAR aE 31 AES UIE ANS ALO a a lea rcte, Sayre ste v oxane Sree eeem eet es 3 BN Sioa daea dvaal Ga a Deere Pe ee 32 ConventionwATranSeMents cise s ve wtiee aie suk Ua «wie sdetns Biele ¥ uals Gis Ha AITO RE 32 BAHA’i SCHOOLS DD AVISOW ous su 2 sic ace Sa ROH He o Me ¥ RON AS ecw Aa & oe aN a eels Realy slate Sales euecoanes 32

I IO OI OI OO PF PPC PO II

BK AeA A ee ee ee ee‘ A ee ee ee A ee ee

hina tc eR thr

AT it i aR i i ii iD Bin th i Ai A Ai i A Ti a ba ach

[Page 3]ANNUAL REPORTS

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY

Members: H. B. Kavelin, Chairman; David S. Ruhe, Vice-Chairman; Hugh E. Chance, Secretary; Charlotte Linfoot, Assistant Secretary; Edna M. True, Recording Secretary; Arthur L. Dahl, Treasurer; Amoz Gibson, Sarah Pereira, Velma Sherrill, (Charles Wolcott, member until September 5, 1961).

Two epochal events highlighted the ninth year of the beloved Guardian’s global crusade—the election of the International Baha’i Council, and the initial procedures for the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

Three members of the American Baha’i Community, H. Borrah Kavelin, Charles Wolcott and Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh, were named to the International Baha’i Council. At the first meeting of the Council, Mr. Wolcott was elected Secretary-General, necessitating his residence in Haifa and his resignation as Secretary and member of the National Spiritual Assembly on September 5, 1961. Likewise Mrs. Mottahedeh resigned her position as a member of the Auxiliary Board to the Hands of the Cause in the Western Hemisphere in order that she might devote her time to the affairs of the International Council.

Mr. Hugh Chance was elected to succeed Mr. Wolcott as Secretary, and Mrs. Velma Sherrill was named in a by-election on September 29, 1961 to replace Mr. Wolcott as a member of the National Assembly.

On December 3, 1961 Baha’is in the United States initiated the procedures which will finally culminate in the election of the Universal House of Justice. On that date delegates to the 1962 National Convention were elected, and they in turn will function as the electors for the National Spiritual Assembly whose members will join with members of no less than 55 other national bodies throughout the world at a meeting in the Holy Land during the first four days of Ridvan, 1963 for the purpose of casting their ballots for members of the supreme administrative institution of the Faith.

During the past year two of our beloved Hands of the Cause have passed to the Abha Kingdom, our own Corinne True and Amelia Collins. Mother True passed in the hundredth year of her life on April 3, 1961 and was interred in ground blessed by the prayers of the Master.

During the 1961 Convention memorial services were held for her in the Mashriqu’1]-Adhkar—the Mother Temple of the West—the construction of which was so closely associated with the devoted and loving service of Corinne True.

On January 1, 1962 word was received that Amelia Collins had passed in Haifa where she spent so many years in assistance to Shoghi Effendi. An outstanding benefactress of the Faith, she continued her work to her last breath, one of her last acts of service being a substantial contribution to the work of converting the masses in the Philippines. Memorial services were held for Amelia Collins in the House of Worship on February 24, 1962.

Following the Fifth Annual Conclave of the Hands at Bahji in November, 1961, Hand of the Cause, William Sears, was released to join hands of the Cause, Zikrullah Khadem and Hermann Grossmann in the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Grossmann will devote his time largely to Latin America, with Mr. Khadem and Mr. Sears spending most of their time in North America.

The visit of Hand of the Cause, Paul Haney, to the 1961 Convention and his tour of Baha’i centers throughout the United States immediately following the Convention was a greatly appreciated bounty, inspiring the believers to new frontiers of accomplishment and service.

Other Hands of the Cause who made brief visits to the United States following their visits to Latin American countries were General ’Ala’i and Enoch Olinga.

As we approach the tenth and final year of the Crusade we are acutely aware of the fact that ‘‘there is no tomorrow.”’ The days and months of the Ten Year Plan have come and are almost gone. The day of accounting will soon be at hand.

Fortunately, the tasks remaining to be completed are dwindling in number. We are assured, for example, that all national assemblies assigned as U.S. goals will have been formed by Ridvan, 1962 as the National Spiritual Assemblies in the following European countries come into being: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. We were assigned the task of translating Baha’i literature into twenty European languages—thirty

have been completed. We were to complete translations in ten American Indian languages—seventeen were completed, and to this add translations of Baha’i Writings into Trukese, Ponapaen and Chomorro, Asian languages which were not originally assigned to the United States.

All three Temple sites assigned to the United States—Johannesburg, Panama and Stockholm—have been purchased. Thirty-six Haziratu’lQuds have been purchased. Thirtysix endowments have been established. The Baha’i Publishing Trust has been established and is functioning. The Baha’i Home, the first dependency of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, has been constructed and is in operation. The landscaping of the House of Worship at Wilmette has been completed.

Ninety-five pioneers from _ the United States were declared to be Knights of Baha’u’llah in the opening year of the Crusade. There are now 410 adult American pioneers in foreign fields—56 in Africa, 50 in Asia, 122 in Europe, and 182 in the Western Hemisphere.

Twenty-six American Indian Tribes are represented among the enrolled believers. Teaching contact has been established with thirty-three additional Tribes. There are ten pioneers on Indian Reservations, and many others adjacent to Reservations doing extension teaching work.

In short, all but a very few of the tasks assigned to the United States by the beloved Guardian are completed—many of them long before the time called for. Following is a brief review of those that remain:

Two virgin areas (Ukraine and Sakhalin Island) are both inaccessible, and two areas where consolidation work is to be done (China and Manchuria) are likewise inaccessible. Five virgin areas which had been opened are now vacant and need to be resettled.

It is estimated that thirty national assembles remain to be incorporated. The exact number incorporated in Latin America is unknown at this time.

Our principle task still uncompleted is on the home front. The report of the American National Teaching Committee presents a general picture of the status of the teaching effort as of March Ist. It became apparent during the first days of 1962 that an increased number of settlers [Page 4]would be needed to move to goal areas if 300 local assemblies were to be formed by Ridvan. Representatives of the National Assembly visited the larger centers to encourage dispersal to goal cities; letters were written to isolated believers suggesting the need to move to goals; and limited financial assistance was made available to home front pioneers who desired to serve, but lacked certain financial backing. It was the desire of the National Assembly to leave no stone unturned to win the home front victory this year if possible. By Convention-time we shall know how well we arose to the challenge.

We are virtually assured that we will surpass the required 100 incorporated local assemblies. With the incorporation of Broward County, Florida on November 15, 1961 only three more are needed, and at least four assemblies are actively considering corporate status. Four previously incorporated assemblies are temporarily below status, but one or possibly two of these hold promise of regaining status this Ridvan.

Increased teaching activity in all sections of the country reflected itself in substantially increased _ enrollments. Particularly encouraging were reports of the many Negroes in certain localities in southeastern United States who have accepted Baha’u’llah during the past year. Also, the increase of youth activity and in the number of youth enrollments was very encouraging.

Statistically, it can be recorded that there are 1,566 Baha’i Centers in the continental United States; 228 assemblies; 704 groups; and 634 isolated centers. Seventy-seven school districts in 27 states now recognize Baha’i Holy Days; and thirty-one states legally recognize Baha’i marriages.

Thirty-five National Spiritual Assembly sponsored Conferences were held in September and October of 1961 with approximately 2,400 Baha’is in attendance. Climax of each conference was the showing of the slide talk ‘‘Call to Action’’ prepared for us by Mr. William Richter of Rochester, New York. Purpose of the conferences was to produce an awareness among the believers of the needs for the remaining months of the Crusade and to relate the effort of the individual believer to the national teaching and proclamation programs.

On December 3rd the friends gath ered in various localities for their respective State Conventions heard the historic message from the Fifth Annual Conclave of the Hands of the Faith, and learned that the World Congress celebrating the 100th anniversary of Baha’u’llah’s Declaration has been set for April 28-May 2, 1963 in London, England. It also announced the international convention of members of National Spiritual Assemblies in the Holy Land to cast ballots for the members of the Universal House of Justice.

Under the direction of the American National Teaching Committee two pilot proclamation programs were instituted late in 1962 and will continue until Ridvan. Assemblies and groups in the Salt Lake City and in the Dallas-Fort Worth areas are co-operating in testing plans for public proclamation of the Faith which, it is hoped, can be launched -by every local Baha’i community during 1962 and 1963. Later in the Baha’i year, assemblies and groups in the Milwaukee area were able to pool sufficient resources to put on their own proclamation effort beginning late in March.

The National Assembly is in the process of planning proclamation activities for the coming Baha’i year. High on the agenda is the observance of the 50th Anniversary of the visit of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to the United States. Special observances are planned for many of the cities visited by ‘Abdu’lBaha in 1912, but every locality will be encouraged to hold its own special meetings using materials which are currently being prepared and which should be available at the Convention. The first such observance is set for April 28 when Baha’is attending the Fifty-Fourth Annual Convention and their friends will join in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone

‘of the Mother Temple of the West

in Wilmette. Hand of the Cause, William Sears, will deliver the principle address.

The event assumes even more significance when we remember that it will launch the tenth and final year of the Crusade and will usher in the year of the Most Great Jubilee which will see the erection of the crowning institution of the Administrative Order of Baha’u’llah, the Universal House of Justice, completing the framework of the promised ‘‘Kingdom of God on earth.’’

tions,

ANNUAL REPORTS

REPORT OF THE

TREASURER 1961-1962 From the perspective of the

Treasurer’s Office, the current Baha’i year is one of the most dramatic and inspiring in recent history. In the vernacular of Hollywood it was a real cliffhanger with our whole Crusade effort, after coming perilously close to disaster, being saved at the crucial moment by a sudden awareness of the crisis by the American Baha’i Community, followed by a wholehearted response which gives every sign of turning defeat into glorious victory.

The year started out grimly indeed. It had been necessary at the 1961 National Convention to increase our budget to $550,000 from $375,000 because of the demands of the Frankfurt Temple, the stepped-up teaching effort on the home front, and the inclusion in the budget itself of a $125,000 allocation for the Joint Deputization Fund. It seemed that the delegates to the convention understood the necessity for this increase and accepted the added responsibility in a mature fashion. The National Spiritual Assembly was_ confident that contributions would reflect this awareness by equaling the new monthly budget of $45,834.

Such a hope proved unduly optimistic. As each of the first seven months rolled by, reflecting contribuexclusive of non-recurring gifts, ranging from a low of $21,300 in September to a high in October of $29,667, the deficit mounted and the outlook grew bleaker. The National Spiritual Assembly determined that a stand would have -to be made at the State Conventions, for by the middle of November a deficit of $107,248 had been accumulated and a crisis was upon us. The Hands of the Cause were clearly aware of this, for the momentous message from the conclave emphasized a financial outpouring as one of the three great needs at this crucial stage of the Crusade. This message, plus the figures which spoke for themselves, enabled the treasurer to make an exceedingly strong plea to the American Baha’i Community to meet the challenge head-on before it was too late. This was pondered at all the state conventions, and reached all American Baha’is through the January BauA’i News.

oa [Page 5]ANNUAL REPORTS

The response was immediate and overwhelming. It was reflected in the number of donors, the frequency of the contributions and their size. There was a noticeable increase in both small and large contributions. A study revealed that a high percentage of the local assemblies were contributing at least fairly regularly, and a follow-up letter by the National Spiritual Assembly to those contributing only once or not at all has resulted in a response from everyone, so that at present we have received from every local assembly in the United States at least one contribution during this fiscal year.

The results showed up quickly in the figures. Regular contributions for December were $40,283, for January $45,389, for February $36,667. For the first half of March it is estimated that they will be between $18,000 and $20,000. In addition, there has been a sharp step-up in special gifts, which in mid-March total over $150,000. We are still dependent to an important extent upon the large gift, often out of capital, since over twothirds of the special gift total has come from two families and one local spiritual assembly. But the fact remains that increases have come from all quarters, and we have needed them all to do the job.

The outlook, then, has changed radically the past three months. The deficit of $107,248 at the end of November, based on. the prorated budget, has shrunk to about $3,300 at mid-March. It is actually even less at the present time, for expenditures have been about $6,000 less than the budget, though there is reason to think they will be closer to the budget by the end of the fiscal year. And one local assembly has offered to make up, out of capital funds, any deficit which exists at the end of the year up to a substantial limit.

This is truly an inspiring accomplishment. It demonstrates once again the ability of the American Baha’i Community to respond to a challenge once it has been clearly understood. However, the very dramatics of this response creates a new danger: complacency. As of the moment, our financial position is excellent. This condition will persist, however, only if regular contributions continue at the newly established levels not only for the balance of this year, but for the next year as well. Undoubtedly teaching efforts on the

home front will be stepped up to an even faster rate after the National Convention, our support of the Frankfurt Temple must continue at least at the same rate, and it is quite possible that we might have to undertake a larger share of the support of pioneers on the Joint Deputization Fund than in the past. Certainly we cannot count on a duplication of the extremely large special gifts received during the past few months.

There are many evidences that the substantial increases in contributions reflect a reawakened spirit on the part of the American Baha’is, which will continue to grow and manifest itself in accomplishments on many levels. If this proves to be the case, and is matched elsewhere in the world, the Baha’i World Congress in 1963 will truly be the climax of a glorious Crusade, a fitting tribute to its author, our Beloved Guardian.

UNITED STATES AFRICA TEACHING

Members: man; Mrs. William Burgess; Edna Williams.

Rexford Parmelee, ChairSylvia Parmelee, Secretary; Albert James; Mrs.

Pioneers in Africa: The number of American pioneers in Africa (56), has: remained approximately constant during the past year, those pioneers who returned having been replaced by an equal number of new ones. Because of the importance of the home front this year the Committee has not made general appeals for pioneers, those who have gone to Africa having had specific job assignments which took them there. At least twice as many American believers who considered moving to Africa gave up in favor of helping on the home front. Nevertheless, additional teachers are still very much needed in Africa. Mass conversions have been at such a rate that they have strained the administrative staff, and pleas have gone out for additional teachers who could help in the work of deepening. The committee wishes American believers to include Africa in long range plans for pioneering in the coming years when demands on the home front may not be so pressing.

Half the American pioneers in Africa are in U.S. goal areas, the majority being in South Africa. At pres ent only three Americans are in virgin goal areas assigned to the U.S. Crusade Goals in Africa: Of the eleven U.S. virgin goals, all have been filled and at present only one is vacant. As the teaching throughout Africa is carried on under four Regional N.S.A.’s, these bodies have _ sent travelling teachers and African pioneers to these and other areas where the need arises.

Some of the highlights of activity during the past year, in addition to the mass conversions in Central and East Africa, have been as follows:

In the South West Region the teaching theme for the year has been: ‘“To live the life and teach the masses.’’ A summer school and at least three regional conferences were held. Teaching has also been carried out by the means of correspondence courses, using a series of lessons and written tests. In the first few months of this year the number of believers doubled or more in nine of the fifteen areas of this region.

In the North and West Region teaching has been especially active in the Cameroon area of Nigeria, pioneers from there having gone out to Liberia, Ghana and other nearby countries. In the British and French Cameroons there are now some 50 local assemblies. The North and West Regional N.S.A. has a seven year plan for teaching, adopted in 1956 when that Regional body was established. Among other things this plan ealls for 12 new local assemblies, 71 more groups and 14 additional isolated centers this year. Haziratu’l Quds have been established this year in six more countries, with five additional local ones in the Cameroons. Two more are needed (in Monrovia, Liberia and Accra, Ghana) to accomplish this goal of their Seven Year Plan. Believers in the whole area number over 3200, with the number growing rapidly. Pioneers and travelling teachers are being sent especially to French and Portuguese areas. The regional quarterly bulletin is published by committees in each of three languages: Arabic, French and English.

Other Committee Activities: This committee has been occupied mainly with keeping in touch with the American pioneers in order to assist them when possible; encouraging and consulting with potential pioneers and providing pertinent information on conditions in the various areas. [Page 6]A project of sending Baha’i books to Ghana for placing in public and college libraries has been completed this year; a total of 121 volumes having been sent for fourteen libraries, together with Library of Congress cards to enable proper listing.

A member of the committee was one of two Baha’i delegates to the Eighth National Conference of U.S. National Commissions for UNESCO, held in Boston last October. The subject of this conference was: ‘‘Africa and the U.S.—Images and Realities.”’ This afforded a number of opportunities for mention of the Faith, both to individuals and to one large audience.

Two committee members and one former member conducted a_ program on the Faith in Africa at the Southeastern Summer School during Labor Day weekend. The presence of an African believer, enrolled in Africa and now living in the U.S., added much to the spirit of the occasion.

In addition to pioneer settlers, there are occasionally believers who visit Africa for a few weeks or months in connection with professional duties. This ‘‘part-time pioneering’’ service is most welcome. We wish to encourage any who can to take such trips.

ASIA TEACHING

Members: Rouholah Zargarpur, Chairman; Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Secretary, Mrs. Eleanor Metz, Robert Metz, Mrs Myrtle Wendler.

The number of American pioneers in the Asia field as of March 1, 1962 was 50 of which 24 were in virgin and consolidation goals originally assigned to the United States by the Guardian in his Ten Year Plan. Only three of these have gone out since Ridvan 1961.

Five virgin areas are at present without any American Baha’i pioneers: Hainan and Sakhalin Islands, now under the jurisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly of North East Africa; Dutch New Guinea, now under the jurisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly of South East Asia; Marshall Islands transferred to our jurisdiction last summer, and Tibet.

Although the Caroline Islands, where our pioneer has been resident since 1954, is accessible to Americans under certain conditions, the teaching work progresses very slowly because of the problems involved

in contacting the natives.

Mass proclamation has started in the Philippine Islands, formerly assigned to the United States but now under South East Asia, and three of the American pioneers are devoting practically full time to living and teaching in native villages in the various provinces.

There are rich opportunities and much need for pioneer settlers in all parts of Asia, particularly in the South East where mass conversation is already a reality. It is the hope of the committee that with attainment of the home front goals and the anticipated enrollment of larger numbers of new believers in the United States, many more American settlers can soon be released to assist with the consolidation of the Faith in these areas.

EUROPEAN TEACHING

Members: Miss Edna True, Chairman; Miss D. Thelma _ Jackson, Secretary; Mrs. William C. Henning, William Henning, Dr. Katherine True, Mrs. Myrtle Wendler, Mrs. Clara Wood.

The eleven goal countries in Western Europe completed the formation of their required number of local spiritual assemblies, plus an additional one each in Denmark, Holland and Spain, at Ridvan 1961, making a total of seventy-five local spiritual assemblies. The effort this year has been to maintain these local institutions as well as to consolidate and expand the Faith in Europe in preparation for the tremendous ultimate climax of the formation of independent national spiritual assemblies in these countries during Ridvan this year.

Eleven newly established nationa’ spiritual assemblies at Ridvan 1962, together with the one formed in France in 1958, will raise to twelve the total number of pillars erected in Western Europe during the TenYear Crusade upon which the Universal House of Justice will be founded, and will mark the victorious conclusion of this stage of the European enterprise which was_introduced in 1946 and had its real beginning in 1947. The four regional spiritual assemblies formed at the beginning and during the Ten-Year Crusade were forerunners to these independent pillars and will be replaced by them. From the beginning of their establishment they have assumed and discharged their rightful

ANNUAL REPORTS

responsibilities in the preparation for the formation of the independent national spiritual assemblies.

The committee is deeply grateful to each pioneer, each native European believer, and each regional spiritual assembly for their invaluable share in the victories to be witnessed this April.

The influx of pioneers in Europe last year, some of them during the last days before Ridvan, necessarily involved a period of adjustment, and it is felt that this year their work has been increasingly effective. An unprecedented number of new enrollments of native believers has been one of the most important evidences of this.

At the beginning of the year the European Teaching Committee compiled and furnished to the four regional spiritual assemblies an outline, called ‘‘The Unfoldment of the Divine Plan in Europe,”’ from which plans could be made for a program of deepening, consolidation and expansion of the local assemblies this year.

Close contact with the pioneers and the regional assemblies has been maintained throughout the year through correspondence.

The committee is grateful to report that it has not been necessary to send any new pioneers into the European field to hold the goals already won, with the exception of Spitzbergen where two new settlers accompanied the original pioneer to that post. On the contrary, some few have left the European field for various reasons. As of March 1 there is a total of 109 American pioneers in the eleven goal countries and the virgin territories of Europe, plus fifteen additional in other countries of Europe. ;

Holding Spitzbergen open to the Faith remains a very serious problem; however, the post is being held this year by a group of three pioneers; one American, one English, and one Dutch. In the meantime efforts are being made to find someone who could obtain employment on the islands and thus place this post on a more secure basis.

Summer schools, teaching conferences, circuit teaching, and related activities have been successfully carried out by the various regional spiritual assemblies.

It is recognized that the work in the European countries will involve further sacrifices, dedication and [Page 7]vi

ANNUAL REPORTS

strenuous effort for the consolidation and expansion of the Faith in the last year of this Crusade and in future crusades.

WESTERN HEMISPHERE TEACHING

Members: William de Forge, Chairman; Mrs. Maurine J. Kraus, Secretary; Mrs. Barbara Caban, Mrs. Katherine de Forge, Paul Ioas, Samuel B. Kruas, Mrs. Viola Wood.

Every true Baha’i heart is thrilled and gladdened by the jubilant news of the tremendous expansion and progress of the Faith throughout Latin America during the nineteen months of this momentous Baha’i year, 118. As the goals of the Ten-Year Crusade as envisioned by the beloved Guardian, are won the promised victories accrue. The achievements of the twenty-one national spiritual assemblies, accomplished objectives of the Crusade, in this the first year of their functioning become a matter of historical record of which the Baha’i world is proud. It has been a challenging year for these new institutions—a year of testing, groping, and growing. The course, beset with obstacles, administrative and financial, has not been easy. A great up-surge of spiritual power and enthusiasm, engendered by ambitious plans for mass conversion among the indigenous peoples which most of these countries formulated and pursued, has contributed a sense of balance and of impetus to the several assemblies. The phenomenal victories despite meager funds, mounting month by month, are the result of monumental hard work, sacrifice, concentrated effort, deep devotion, and faith. This committee compliments and salutes the twenty-one national spiritual assemblies! Committee work has been closely tied to this development of the Latin assemblies. It has been our privilege, when called upon, to ease the way and expedite matters through proper administrative channels. At the request of the assemblies we have assisted in the vast work of Indian teaching projects. Through the interchange of letters with specific assemblies we have attempted to give encouragement, to stress and communicate warmth, to emphasize the wide opportunity for venturous and bold action.

For many years there has been a close bond between the North American pioneer in Latin America and

this committee. With the formation of the new, independent, and sovereign assemblies we felt our pioneers should work in close harmony with the respective institutions; that the pioneer had now matured and grown stable. The pioneer, we are convinced, is a Baha’i pioneer, regardless of country of origin and functions directly under the national spiritual assembly where he resides. We suspended publication of the Crusader because it went exclusively to North American pioneers. The assemblies throughout Latin America are now publishing their own newsletters and bulletins. The techniques we have used to strengthen the tie with the assembly having control over the pioneer have been much harder on this parental committee, we feel, than on the pioneer.

Each mail brings us news of the many countries of Latin America which will add new local spiritual assemblies, some all-Indian, and new groups with close assembly potential. The BaHA’i News of recent months has reported graphically on many Indian communities. Incorporation, a Crusade goal, has been achieved by a number of assemblies. Cuba, that sorely torn island, which formed its national spiritual assembly during revolution, has maintained its local assemblies and reports that Camaguey, the local spiritual assembly developed during turmoil, has the largest number of adult and youth believers, all active.

The virgin goals directly under this committee, which report to no national spiritual assembly—Kodiak, Unalaska, Falkland Islands and Key West—are all in urgent need of reenforcement. Each goal is being maintained but sparsely. The valor, perseverance, and dedication of the wonderful pioneers maintaining the goals in these far-flung, difficult places are a constant tribute to our beloved Cause. Puerto Rico works diligently to expand. The chairman of this committee spent five days in Puerto Rico demonstrating publicity techniques, teaching and proclamation methods. Two unsettled goals are the constant concern of this committee. Each poses seemingly insurmountable difficulties—the Galapagos Archipelago, under the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, and Easter Island, under the National Spiritual Assembly of Chile. Each goal requires a fearless, stalwart, completely dedi cated Latin American pioneer. The prayers of all believers, for the solution of these difficulties, will do much to remove them. Hawaii has bloomed during this Baha’i year, adding largely to its membership.

Throughout the Western Hemisphere the great surge of spiritual power has lifted the Cause to evergreater heights. The scope of the work still to be accomplished is a tremendous challenge. The loving and cooperative spirit of the national spiritual assemblies, the indefatigable efforts of the pioneers and the devotion of the believers have been factors contributing to the victories so close to the beloved Guardian’s heart. We are grateful for this year of marked progress.

TEMPLE WORSHIP

Members: Mrs. William C. Henning, Chairman and Treasurer; Mrs. Mabel Eastman, Vice-chairman; Miss Hortense Bredehorst, Secretary; Mrs. Anne Floyd, Robert Hammond, Mrs. Mary Lou Martin, Richard McCurdy, Mrs. Harriet Terry, Mrs. Mary Frances Zargarpur, Rouholah Zargarpur.

The Temple Worship Committee was appointed to assume full responsibility, under the general direction of the National Spiritual Assembly, for planning and conducting six anniversary programs, and weekly programs of devotions and a cappella music in the Auditorium of the House of Worship. The devotional programs are held at 3:30 p.m. every Sunday, lasting about forty minutes.

The work of the committee includes the planning of new programs and constantly revising the current ones. Some programs show how the same spiritual truths are to be found in all of the Holy Scriptures, while others have been developed with no central theme, the latter having been selected to create an attitude of meditation and devotion. Much study, research, and consultation go into both types of compilations. Scheduling and producing these weekly devotions means having each Sunday’s program printed, selecting readers (usually three) who read clearly and with understanding, as the Guardian requested, and selecting a committee member to monitor. The selection of choral numbers is determined in consultation with the director of the Baha’i House of Worship A Cappella Choir, Lloyd W. Cousins, who is also [Page 8]8

Director of Music, National College of Education, Evanston, Illinois.

In order to find, encourage, and help readers the committee holds a workshop the second and fourth Sunday of each month at the House of Worship. In addition a special workshop for all readers was held November 4th. Tape recorders were used to aid each participant toward better reading in the Auditorium. Because of the success of this one, another special workshop will be held May 12th. All workshops are designed for all readers, new and old.

Through the untiring efforts of Rouholah Zargarpur and the generous contribution of Mrs. Mabel Eastman, new and greatly superior microphones have been installed at the reading stand in the Auditorium of the House of Worship.

During the past year the members of the committee have conducted fifty-two weekly devotional programs, the devotional program at the area conference at Green Lake, Wisconsin, and the following anniversaries:

IN AWS LZ ts wu. aleaereeewce da March 21 Feast of Ridvan .......... April 28 Declaration of the Bab ....May 23 Birth of the Bab ....... October 30 Birth of Baha’u’llah .November 12 Day of the Covenant .November 26

Anniversary programs have been conducted as public meetings with devotional readings in the Auditorium followed by a meeting downstairs in Foundation Hall at which there was a Baha’i talk on an appropriate theme. Light refreshments were served on the Anniversaries of the Birth of Baha’u’llah and the Feast of Naw-Ruz.

Guest readers this year have included Dr. Marcus Bach, Mr. Eric Grimwade, and Mr. E. Willis Jones.

TEMPLE PUBLIC MEETINGS

Members: Laurence LaRocque, Chairman; Miss Lauretta E. Voelz, Secretary; Miss Hortense Bredehorst, Mrs. Gene Bernstein, Robert Hammond, Mrs. Gertrude Marks.

The Temple Public Meetings Committee was appointed to conduct meetings for the proclamation of the basic principles and essential verities of the Faith. Such meetings were held regularly in Foundation

Hall on the third Sunday of each month at 4:15 p.m.

Programs for the year have been as follows:

Date: May 21, 1961 Speaker: Hugh E. Chance Subject: “The Appointed Hour’’ Chairman: Hortense Bredehorst Date: June 18, 1961 Speaker: Riaz Khadem Subject: “The Sign of Revelation’’ Chairman: Gertrude Marks Date: July 16, 1961 Speaker: Eleanor Sweeney Hutchens Subject: “The Spirit of Faith” Chairman: Samuel Jackson Date: August 20, 1961 Speaker: Margery McCormick Subject: “The Promised One of All Ages” Chairman: Robert Meinhard Date: September 17, 1961 Speaker: Laurence LaRocque Subject: “Religion and World Peace” Chairman: Eunice Braun Date: October 22, 1961 Speaker: Vivian Fellows Subject: “Prelude to a New Age” Chairman: Laurence LaRocque Date: November 19, 1961 Speaker: John Bustard Subject: “Divine Truth for Today”’ Chairman: Anne Floyd Date: December 17, 1961 Speaker: Dan Jordan Subject “The Educators of Mankind” Chairman: Margaret Jensen Date: January 21, 1962 Speaker: Hugh E. Chance Subject: “Faith for an Evolving World’ Chairman: Helen Hobbs Date: February 18, 1962 Speaker: Rouholah Zargarpur Subject: “The World’s Greatest Need”’ Chairman: Barbara McCurdy Date: March 18, 1962 Speaker: Gertrude Marks Subject: “The Source of Unity”’ Chairman: Herbert Baler Date: April 15, 1962 Speaker: Muzhan Khadem Subject: “Religion and Civilization”’ Chairman: Margaret Jensen

Advertisements for the above meetings were placed each month in the five North Shore papers as well as the Chicago papers along with publicity articles.

The committee recommended to the National Spiritual Assembly that steps be taken to identify Foundation Hall for the benefit of the visitors

ANNUAL REPORTS

and this was carried out by the Maintenance Committee upon their request. Much time was spent in the preparation of new guides and outlines for speakers and chairmen which are now in use. Two new records were donated by a committee member for the music played at the start of each program.

Throughout the year, the committee has had the valuable assistance of Mrs. Agnes Mitchell in the mailing of the printed programs to the communities in the area and the lists provided.

TEMPLE GUIDES

Members: Robert C. Bartlett, Chairman; Mrs. Helen Hobbs, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. Dotha Cooper, Program Secretary; Mrs. Thais Baker, Mrs. Wilhelmina Becker, James Gray, Mrs. Minnie Hadley, Mrs. Leona Jackson, Mrs. Alvena Lange, P. Robert Meinhard, Mrs. Susanna Meinhard, Frank Peter, Miss Katherine A. Walker.

As in past years, numerous wellknown people have visited the Temple. Among these were many Baha’is, including Hands of the Cause Shu’a’u’llah ‘Ala’i, Paul Haney, Zikru’ll4ah Khadem, Enoch Olinga and William Sears. Other notables were Arnold Toynbee, celebrated British historian; McHenry’ Boatwright, widely acclaimed baritone; a group of eleven Japanese spiritual leaders accompanied by Dr. Marcus Bach as tour leader. Every state and about one hundred other countries were represented among the visitors.

Large and small groups and tours made up the greater part of the visitor total. These ranged from Senior Citizen clubs to Cub Scout troops, from engineering societies to elementary school pupils, and included almost every other type of group that could be named—churches, Sunday schools, choirs, garden clubs, civic organizations.

Every month brought change and contrast in the visitors. An organized travel group from Austria, Iran, Indonesia or Latin America might be followed the next day by 200 grocers’ wives from a convention in Chicago or several busloads of ordained ministers from a nearby Bible school.

The total number of visitors for 1961 was 92,716, which compares very well with 93,008 for 1960. But for unusually severe winter weather dur[Page 9]ANNUAL REPORTS

ing November and December of last year, the figure would no doubt have been several thousand greater.

The Temple Guides Committee extends heartfelt thanks to the many friends who gave so generously and so regularly of their time—as guides and=as speakers for large tours—and to those who spent their vacations in Wilmette, devoting full time to guiding. Without the help of these Baha’is from near and far, even from the east and west coasts and Canada, the guide service could not have been carried out successfully.

Anyone wishing to give all or part of vacation time to the guiding service during the coming summer is requested to contact the Temple Guides Committee as far in advance as possible.

TEMPLE CHILDREN’S SCHOOL

Members: Mrs. Minnie Hadley, Chairman; Mrs. June S. Meese, Secretary; Miss Marie Bohmann, Mrs. Patricia deBoucher, Mrs. Edna M. Fechtner.

The basic functions of this committee are threefold: preparation of and experimentation with a curriculum for children’s classes, the holding of classes for children in the Temple, and the encouragement of children’s activities.

Curriculum: In preparing curriculum and materials we tried to prepare them in such a way that the most inexperienced teacher will be able to successfully conduct and teach a class of children.

Two series have been completed to date. The first, ‘‘The Kingdoms of Creation,’”’ is designed to acquaint the child with the world in which he lives, to help him to realize that the world has been created by a Superior Power, and that this world lives and moves in conformity with scientific laws. The second series covers

the Hindu Faith. Through this pres- °

entation, the child is guided to realize for himself the oneness of truth as he compares what he finds in the Hindu spiritual teachings with what is in the Baha’i teachings. Also, the child is shown that people are the same the world over—with the same desires, loves and _ physical likenesses.

Each series consists of nine lessons, each of which includes art work, lesson object, quotations from Baha’i writings, prayers, reading

suggestions and hints and reminders for the teacher. The material covers four levels of understanding for children from ages four through fifteen.

The National Spiritual Assembly has granted permission for experimentation with the curriculum in children’s classes throughout the Temple area, in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California, and in other communities which have petitioned the National Spiritual Assembly for use of the material.

The third series now being prepared will cover ‘‘Judaism.”’

Child Education Forums: A wellattended Child Education Forum was held in April 1961, as a means of determining and _ evaluating the ‘Kingdoms of Creation”’ series of the curriculum. The concensus of opinion was that this series was a big step in helping the experienced or inexperienced teacher to start and continue children’s classes.

A second forum was held in September 1961, to present the Hindu series of the curriculum and how to use it.

Children’s Program at the National Convention 1961: The total threeday attendance of children participating in the first children’s program of this type was 108.

In the morning the children attended classes which had as_ subjects: “What is a Baha’i?,”’ ‘Knowing God,’’ ‘‘Prayer,’’ and ‘“‘Oneness of Mankind.”’ Part of the material used was from the curriculum and part was especially prepared for these sessions. These lessons gave the children a better understanding of the Faith and a lasting spiritual memento to take home with them.

In the afternoon, a session was offered which included games, dancing, singing and handicrafts. There was also a special event for each day—a ___ professional accordionist played one afternoon, an expert on Indian lore showed artifacts and slides as well as lecturing on the American Indian, and a professional guitarist played folk songs to which the children sang and danced.

The Convention display used ‘‘Spiritual Springtime”’ as its theme. Mimeographed sets describing ‘‘How to Start Children’s Classes’’? and ‘‘How to Use Children’s Classes as a Means for Contacts’’ were available for interested persons to take home.

Children’s Services: Two children’s services were held in the Temple in 1961—Naw-Ruz and the Birthday of

Baha’u’llah, with children only as readers and as members of the chorus. The average attendance of children and adults was 95, with people attending from as far away as 150 miles. Non-Baha’i children as well as Baha’i children actively participated. Each devotional service, held in the upstairs auditorium, was _ followed by a fellowship hour in the children’s rooms, which included games, refreshments and a favor for each child.

A Naw-Ruz for 1962.

Children’s Chorus: The Children’s Chorus is composed of children from the Temple area who attend rehearsals regularly. It has participated in three major events during 1961—the two Children’s Services and the Christmas program at the Lake County Home for the Aged, Libertyville, Illinois. After participating in the Christmas program downstairs, the chorus went through the wards and halls caroling, bringing joy to many elderly persons usually unable to see children. As part of their “Christmas gift’? to these 158 residents of the Home, the children distributed to each person a copy of Communion With God. Other communities and areas throughout the country could start a children’s chorus and use it in such instances as this —making contacts and receiving publicity for their participation.

Weekly Fellowship Hour: A Fellowship Hour for children is held every Sunday from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Temple. The new curriculum is being used in connection with these classes.

service is planned

NATIONAL TEACHING

Members: Lloyd R. Sherrill, Chairman; Mrs. Velma L. Sherrill, Secretary: Mrs. Florence L. Avis, Miss D, Thelma Jackson, Daniel C. Jordan, Paul M. Moon, Paul R. Pettit.

Functions: To promote the attainment of the Crusade goal of 300 assemblies; to stimulate teaching activities leading to mass conversion; to stimulate teaching of youth; to supervise and coordinate the work of the area teaching committees; to arrange area circuits and settlement projects; to collaborate with the Indian Service and Interracial Service Committees.

Objective: With only two years remaining in the Ten-Year Crusade, it [Page 10]10

seemed evident that the 1961-62 objective should incorporate three primary goals:

(1) Win the 72 additional assemblies needed to bring the total to 300 through (a) dispersal of believers from large Baha’i communities into the goals; and (b) strong local teaching programs pointed toward increased enrollments.

(2) Hold and consolidate existing assemblies.

(3) Initiate a proclamation program designed to “‘proclaim the Faith through the press and_ radio throughout the U.S. of America.’’

As a means of attaining the above objectives, the following, program was adopted, and early in the year American National Teaching Committee representatives met for prolonged one to three day consultative visits with most of the area committees to discuss implementation of the homefront teaching program as related to the services of area committees.

Preferred Goal Groups to Assembly Status: In all, 100 Baha’i groups were designated to receive preferred and concentrated teaching assistance. This assistance was directed by the American National Teaching Committee in close cooperation with area committees, utilizing services of Auxiliary Board members, area teaching committee members, circuit teachers, — settlers, and extension teaching committee activity.

To encourage a strong, sustained local teaching program in each goal group, area teaching committee members and/or other Baha’i teachers were regularly scheduled to goal groups for consultation and teaching assistance in local contact, fireside, and confirmation class activity.

Throughout the year the teaching services of Auxiliary Board members were made available by the Hands of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere in areas having a heavy concentration of goals. As of March 1, in cooperation with the area teaching committees, 33 extended circuits, lasting from four days to six months, had been completed, and some 250 two to three-day visits had either been completed or were in progress. However, great emphasis was placed on intra-area circuit teaching this year under the direction of the area committees themselves, and many

such assignments were completed which have not yet been reported.

Numerous extension teaching projects were reported and undoubtedly this effort lent impetus to the overall teaching effort.

Materials provided by the American National Teaching Committee to assist goal groups include:

(a) Teaching Reference File—designed to deepen and encourage the believers in individual teaching effort (reference source, primarily Advent of Divine Justice).

(b) Questionnaire study material covering function of a Baha’i group (reference source, The Baha’t Group).

(c) Questionnaire study material covering the function of a local spiritual assembly (reference source, Trustees of the Merciful, Covenant and Administration, and the Baha’i Community).

(d) Study manual, Invitation to Learning, adaptable for fireside use, confirmation class, or deepening study.

(e) Fireside teaching kit, featuring slides, tapes, book displays, study guides and other miscellaneous materials helpful in planning home firesides and public meetings.

Dispersal: The Hands of the Faith and the National Spiritual Assembly have made special appeals to the believers to disperse from the large Baha’i communities and serve as pioneers on the homefront. Auxiliary Board members and members of the National Assembly itself, have visited the larger Baha’i centers and consulted with the friends concerning the beloved Guardian’s directive in this regard. Appeals were also made to isolated believers able and qualified to serve in this capacity. Further, the National Spiritual Assembly acted at its February meeting to establish an ‘‘emergency fund’’ to assist the friends to go forth and fill the goals. As of March 1, 67 Baha’is have been reported as relocated in goal cities (32 of these from the Los Angeles community alone). An additional 13 are scheduled to be at their posts by Ridvan, and some 50 pioneer applications are being processed.

Hold and Consolidate Existing Assemblies: As an aid in deepening

ANNUAL REPORTS

and consolidating existing assemblies, the American National Teaching Committee continued to offer the special National Spiritual Assemblyapproved program of deepening and teaching assistance to newly formed and small Baha’i communities. This assistance utilizes the services of a capable Baha’i teacher for a period of several days to meet with the believers for study and consultation, covering a special reference file of materials designed to (1) deepen the believers in knowledge and _ understanding of the Covenant and the administrative institutions of the Faith (with emphasis on the function of the local assembly) and, (2) assist the community to carry forward a stepped-up proclamation and teaching program with focus on individual teaching effort in making contacts, holding firesides, and confirmation classes. Some 34 assemblies were included in this effort.

Mass Proclamation Programs (pilot studies), were carried forward in three general areas—the DallasFort Worth, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah programs from November to Ridvan; and a similar program launched in the greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin area late in March. These three programs involve in all, a total of 16 assemblies and 9 goal groups. The effort carries a two-fold objective: (1) to proclaim the Faith to the masses throughout the areas involved and, (2) gain experience which can be used as a basis for carrying forward effective mass proclamation programs ‘‘through the press and radio throughout the U.S. of America’’ during the final year of the Crusade.

As of March 1, unprecedented coverage through press, radio and television, as well as tremendous response from the public to the press and radio programs, is recorded. Enrollments are beginning to come in and firesides and confirmation classes are in progress, as the cumulative effect of this effort gains momentum.

From experience gained in this year’s pilot proclamation study, the National Teaching Committee has produced a simplified procedure for setting in motion, immediately following Ridvan 1962, effective proclamation and follow-up teaching programs in most assemblies throughout the U.S. This procedure forms a part of the overall homefront teaching program recommended for con -— oe [Page 11]ANNUAL REPORTS

sideration of the National Assembly for the final year of the Crusade.

Youth Teaching: There has been a marked acceleration of youth activity throughout the country—witnessed by the steady flow of youth enrollments during the year. As of March 1, 23 youth conferences have been reported by local Spiritual Assemblies and area teaching committees. The practice initiated last year of carrying special youth teaching supplements in area bulletins was advanced this year.

Conferences: In addition to the National Spiritual Assembly-sponsored conferences arranged throughout the United States, area conferences and institutes numbering 29 have been reported.

Enrollments: The National Assembly reports that from the period of May through February 1962, adult enrollments have increased a third over the same period of last year. March 1 progress reports indicate 35 goal groups with assembly status assured, and an additional 30 groups very likely to attain status by Ridvan.

Homefront Teaching Program—Final Year of World Crusade: The National Spiritual Assembly-approved 1962-63 teaching program will be presented for information and consultation by the delegates at the National Convention. It is expected that this program will include strong local level proclamation, teaching and consolidation activity, inviting the concentrated, dedicated effort of every ‘‘stout-hearted and persevering herald of the Faith of Baha’u’llah’’ who will arise with renewed firmness and dedication and grasp this final opportunity to play his or her part in winning total victory of the beloved Guardian’s Crusade.

The Hands of the Cause have reminded us that, ‘‘the opportunities lying within our reach are of such magnitude that only future generations can comprehend their glory and their significance in the majestic unfoldment of Baha’u’llah’s WorldRedeeming Order.

NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND STATES

(Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)

Members: Douglas Struven, Chairman; Mrs. Sara Ellen Fultz, Secretary; Mrs. Beryl Kendrick, Fred Kendrick, Jr., Boyd Leavitt, Mrs. Hazel Owen, Benjamin

D. Weeden, Mrs. Gladys A. Weeden, Miss Alta Wheeler. Sara Ellen Fultz resigned from the Committee in September and Gladys A. Weeden: was appointed secretary in her place.

All-day meetings are held once monthly with good attendance. One special meeting was held with Mrs. Velma Sherrill, Secretary of the American National Teaching Committee, in July.

A conference was held’in Concord, N.H., in May, and a joint conference with the Southern New England Area Committee, was held at Green Acre in August.

The annual meeting at the Cathedral of the Pines was held on a Sunday with Martha Kavelin as the speaker. The presentation of a beautifully framed and hand illuminated copy of the ‘‘Prayer for all Mankind’? made by Conrad Rothman of Hartfort, Conn., to Mr. Douglas Sloan, the founder of the Cathedral, was the highlight of this year’s event. Mr. Sloan took it himself to Hilltop House, where many other interesting items from various religions are on display, and placed it in a prominent position.

The second annual series of Baha’i radio broadcasts on The Chapel of the Air, Station WKXL, Concord, N.H., was successfully carried on by Sara Ellen Fultz. Special notices were sent out to many contacts as well as the friends in the radius of the station.

Regular Sunday broadcasts called “Words for the World” are carried on by Jack Benjamin of Brattleboro, Vt., and Dr. Greenfield, Mass., on Station WKTV, Brattleboro, Vt.

Materials provided by the National Spiritual Assembly and the American National Teaching Committee, such as records, slides and study outlines, were circulated through the area and greatly appreciated.

Approximately 150 bulletins are mailed out in the three states. It is gratifying to note the interest of the friends in this publication. Also, we are happy to receive bulletins from other areas as they help us to realize the strength of the Faith in our country and that we are not alone in our efforts.

World Religion Day was widely observed. At one meeting 29 seekers and four Baha’is were present. This was a combination meeting of Uni Elmer Kenneally of

LEM

tarians, Society of Friends and Baha’is.

Special emphasis has been placed on the two goals in our area—Hinsdale, N.H. and Brattleboro, Vt. Weekly firesides, deepening classes and public meetings have been held. Youth classes are conducted weekly by Mrs. Hebe Struven, resident teacher, rendering valuable service in these twin goals, which are only seven miles apart. Any event in either Hinsdale or Brattleboro attracts the friends from a radius of twenty miles. The goals have been visited by one Auxiliary Board member, three circuit teachers and seven intra-area teachers.

Although the emphasis this past year has been on our goals, good ground work has been done in all three states. The four assemblies— Eliot and Portland, Me., Nashua and Portsmouth, N.H. have been active, devoted and steadfast in their efforts to promote the Faith in their vicinity.

There have been seven adult enrollments and two youth enrollments, and one withdrawal.

Our committee is interested in establishing a closer bond with all the friends in our area. We believe that good results were obtained through warm, personal contact. Names became individuals who knew each other and were working together. We hope the coming year will hold many meetings of this nature.

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND STATES

(Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island)

Members: Dr. Sam McClellan, Chairman; Miss Carole A. Greenway, Secretary; Mrs. Barbara E. Archung, Douglas Covey, Bradford Lucas, Mrs. Leonora P. Norman, Harold Scott.

Meetings: To date, the committee has met twenty times.

General Information: With one exception, the committee has met in each goal group at least once. We hoped, by so doing, to learn to know the individual members better; to encourage teaching activity; and to help the groups prepare for assembly status.

The area has seven goal groups, one of which is new this year. Three of these have nine or more members at this time, and are likely to attain assembly status.

Eight new _ centers

have been [Page 12]12

opened, and the committee has enrolled twelve new Baha’is.

Conferences: The last weekend at Green Acre Baha’i Summer School was the occasion for a tri-area teaching conference, in which the committee participated. Hand of the Cause, Mr. Khadem, as well as Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin and Mr. Paul Pettit spoke to a large group of Baha’is and their contacts.

On September 10, 1961, the committee met in Hartford, Conn., and was well attended by circuit teachers living in the southern portion of the area. We felt that the spirit of cooperation was excellent; and that there was a profitable exchange of ideas on teaching methods.

There was a highly successful youth conference in Providence, R.1I., in November at which Mr. Firoozi spoke to a group of forty youth and adults.

On December 17, 1961, the committee met in Greenwich, Conn., with the purpose of consulting with the Connecticut assemblies on the subject of extension teaching. Considerable activity in this field has been generated by these assemblies in the last few months.

Circuit Teaching: Upon request of communities in the area, the committee supplies speakers for firesides and public meetings. In addition, it has arranged circuits for several outside teachers. Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin has visited most of the goal groups at least once; and Mrs. Ruth Moffett and Mr. Paul Pettit have both spoken in several communities. Mr. Walter Wooten visited Falmouth, Mass., and Providence, R.I. For the most part, however, local fireside needs are supplied by intra-area circuit teachers.

Other Teaching Activities: The committee has, on several occasions, delegated two of its number to show slides in various communities; and in other cases has loaned these slides to groups requesting them. It has also arranged for the circulation of the United Nations recording.

As much as possible, the committee has tried to encourage the believers to settle in goal areas, and has been in communication with several assemblies regarding their extension teaching programs.

Bulletins: Our area bulletin appears once a month, and deals with the

activities of the area, and information provided by the ANTC and NSA.

In summary, the area teaching committee feels that activity in the area has markedly increased this year, and prays that next Ridvan will find all goals surpassed, all assemblies strong and vital, and all the friends working together in love and unity for the successful completion of this last task set us by the Beloved Guardian.

NORTH ATLANTIC STATES

(New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)

Members: Raymond G. Wilcox, Chairman; Mrs. Florence C. Steinhauer, Secretary; Mrs. Mary C. Burnet, Col. and Mrs. Eugene Keller, Jr., Mrs. Mary Louise Suhm, and Mrs. Beatrice Thigpen. Mrs. Emmalu McCandless resigned at the beginning of September to move to Walla Walla, Washington, and Mrs. Suhm was added to the committee in January. ,

Seventeen meetings have been held to date and at least four additional meetings are scheduled.

Nine bulletins have been issued and possibly two more will be released.

The committee joined with the ATC’s of Northern and Southern New England in sponsoring a two-day conference at Green Acre in August; a youth conference was set up in Jamestown, N.Y. in October and in Manhasset, L.I., N.Y. in December.

A meeting with Mrs. Velma Sherrill, secretary of the ANTC, initiated the year’s activities. A supplementary meeting was held in Green Acre with Paul Pettit, also of ANTC.

Members of this committee met with and/or conducted questionnaire studies with the following goals: Ramapo Township, Huntington Township and N. Hempstead Township, N.Y., and Jersey City, Springfield and Englewood, N.J. Questionnaire studies were also arranged for the new assemblies of Amherst Township and Geneva, N.Y. In addition, the committee met with the Teaneck, N.J. Local Spiritual Assembly to consult on an extension teaching program for Englewood, N.J. and with the Bergen County, N.J. assemblies to discuss teaching problems.

Three circuits were set up for Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin, Auxiliary Board Member, to visit Western and Northern New York State. Auxiliary Board Member, William deForge, en route to Western New York on a mis ANNUAL REPORTS

sion for the Hands of the Cause, kindly offered his assistance and _ stopovers were arranged for him to and from his destination. Other circuits set up included one to Western New York for Mrs. Terah Cowart-Smith of Greensboro, N.C.; one to all goals in the area for Paul Pettit of the ANTC and short circuits for Walter Wootten of North Carolina, Rustam Payman of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and Mrs. Beatrice Thigpen, Nat Rutstein and R. Wilcox of New Jersey.

We are indeed grateful for the invaluable teaching assistance and inspiration given to all the goals in our area by Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin. However, the reapportionment of states to Auxiliary Board Members in January by the Hands of the Cause in the Western Hemisphere resulted in lessening to a degree the tasks previously undertaken by Mrs. McLaughlin who was reassigned to the State of New York and in adding to our teaching potential the outstanding ability of William deForge who was assigned to the State of New Jersey.

The Institute and Children’s Classes held every Sunday morning at Evergreen Cabin, W. Englewood, N.J. are sponsored by this committee

Convention report conferences are in the process of being organized and meetings with some goals and weak assemblies within the metropolitan area are now being arranged.

Nineteen adults and five youths have been enrolled to date and two adult applications are expected in the immediate future.

At present writing, three of the eleven goals are assured, six are hopeful and two are doubtful.

CENTRAL ATLANTIC STATES

(West Virginia, Virginia, District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, and North Carolina)

Members: Mrs. Etta Woodlen, Chairman; Albert E. Dorrida, Secretary; Mrs. Helen Harris, Elton M. Smith, Mrs. Meredith Smith, Frank Stewart, Eugene Byrd, Jr., Ross Stewart, Stanley Stewart.

Meetings: Twelve meetings have been held to date, and three additional meetings are planned before April 21st.

Circuit Teaching: Seven circuits were undertaken within the area, covering mainly the states of North Carolina and Virginia, with some circuits extending through the entire [Page 13]

ANNUAL REPORTS

area with the exception of West Virginia. These circuits were mainly part of the nationally sponsored circuit teaching program, and included Dr. Allen Ward, Walter Wootten, and Mrs. Margery McCormick, and circuits taken by Elton M. Smith, Mrs. Etta Woodlen, and Frank Stewart. Also Mrs. Terah Cowart-Smith made several circuits through North Carolina and Virginia. These circuits helped to reinvigorate and deepen the believers and inspired them to a deeper dedication to their tasks in this crusade.

Conferences: Three nationally sponsored conferences were held in the area, in Greensboro, N.C., and Baltimore, Md. These conferences enabled the friends to better understand the status of the overall and local aspects of this wondrous Crusade. Others included the conference on Human Relations, which were recently held in Baltimore and Greens: boro.

Area Development: Many changes have taken place in the area as compared with the last year. Greater activity is noticable in all states, particularly in North Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia. There seems to be an increase in interest in the Faith by the general public. Greater proclamation of the Faith and deeper dedication by the believers, has resulted in a greater number of individual efforts toward the goals. Many more firesides and study classes are now in progress throughout the entire area. Confirmations are appearing more numerous than at this time last year. We can see greater growth in all areas toward the formations of local assemblies. It is hoped that we shall have at least two new assemblies before Ridvan.

Goal Cities:

Charlotte, N.C.—This wonderful group is now assured of its assembly status. Last year at this time there were only six members there, and this year they have confirmed six more, and as a result of the visits of the circuit teachers, and the deep love and dedication of Mrs. Coretha Lovell, and Mrs. Beverly Edmonstone, this group has grown in their personal devotion to their tasks. We are hoping that after their assembly is formed they will assume extension teaching in the vicinity.

New Castle County, Del.: The present year has been one of many adjustments for this group. Several of the friends relocated in the county,

and we have been able to send several nationally sponsored teachers through this county. It does not appear that we shall have an assembly there this year, but are sure that as a result of the visits of the circuit teachers, this will develop by Ridvan 1963.

Baltimore County, Md.—Through the dedication of Dr. Frederick S. Lee, Mrs. Gloria Jensen, Mrs. Madge Palmer, and Miss Madelyn Tunner, it appears likely that Baltimore County will attain their assembly status before Ridvan 1962. This group is now working and functioning actually as though they have already become an assembly. They have made hundreds of contacts within the year, and are really following these contacts and developing study classes. Firesides are held regularly each week, and it is inspiring to see the devotion of this group. We are praying that this will be our second assembly this year.

Augusta County, Va.—This goal includes the City of Verona, and the rural area of Staunton, Virginia. Many contacts have been made through this group. Many firesides are in progress, and through the inspiring visits of the circuit teachers and members of this committee, we feel that this development will continue.

Howard County, Md.—Through the devoted efforts of Mr. Albert James and Mrs. Ruth James, this group is developing slowly and genuinely, toward their goal. The visits of the circuit teachers are beginning to show the results of the dedication of this group. Many contacts have been made and never a moment is lost when the opportunity presents itself to further enlighten a contact. Public meetings are held in several church auditoriums and at the public school auditorium. We feel that this group will develop into an assembly by Ridvan 1963.

Fairfax County, Va.—This is a new goal added this year. Firesides are held regularly weekly, and through the visits of the circuit teachers and cooperative endeavors of local teachers, we look forward to the goal of an assembly in the latter part of 1962.

Other Area Activities: West Virginia is noticeable for its recent influx of Baha’is. Wheeling has been added to the centers of Baha’i activities, as has Huntington and Elkins. Charleston, the only assembly in the state,

13

is doing notable work with the smaller groups and isolated believers. The Baltimore city community has been cooperating with the Baltimore County group in its extension work, and the many facilities of the Baltimore Baha’i Center have been used by many groups for the purpose of extending their activities. The Washington and Wilmington Assemblies are increasing their teaching activities and lending assistance to their surrounding Baha’i neighbors.

This committee is deeply grateful that it has had the opportunity to serve this cause, and feels that without the close cooperation and devotedness of our National Spiritual Assembly and the American National Teaching Committee we would have been unable to accomplish the growth which is apparent in this area.

SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES

(Florida, Georgia, South Carolina)

Members: Richard Benson, Chairman; Miss Nell Golden, Secretary; Miss Yvonne R. Harrop, J. Kenton Allen, Mrs. Mary Allen, Dr. Joy Benson, Miss Martha Fettig, Mrs. Estelle Lindsey, Raymond Lindsey.

Circuit Teachers: Circuit teachers have visited all South Atlantic States goals at least once. National circuit teachers have been: Allen Ward, 18 visits; Mrs. Terah Cowart-Smith, 6 visits; Mrs. Zella Svendson, 3 visits; Mrs. Margery McCormick, 5 visits; Mrs. Eulalia Barrow Bobo, 19 visits (plus other projected visits before Ridvan); Curtis Kelsey, 6 visits; Mrs. Ruth Moffett, 7 visits; Mrs. Vivian Fellows, 9 visits.

Intra-area teaching visits have included: Jack McCants, 9 visits; Mrs. Jane McCants, 3 visits; Allen Perlman, 2 visits; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lindsey, 2 visits; Dr. Tarazollah Akhavan, 2 visits; members of

the Savannah, Georgia, group to Frogmore, S.C., 4 visits; and one visit each by Mr. and Mrs. Dan

Milden, Robert Pickering, Mrs. Nina Nadler, Mrs. Olive Alexander, Paul Petit, Gordon Thomas, George Savitt, Dr. and Mrs. William Tucker; and William H. Saunders. Also four visits were made in this area by Mrs. Betty Dent Lewis of Cleveland, Ohio, after her teaching engagement at the Southeastern Summer School. Conferences: NSA-sponsored conferences in Miami and Sarasota, Fla., and two in Atlanta, Ga.; and [Page 14]14

Interracial Service Committee conferences in Miami and Atlanta. Youth conferences were held in Augusta, Ga., Orange County, Fla., and in Greenville, S.C. An ATC-sponsored picnic was held in Sarasota, Fla., June 25, with 54 attending. The Sarasota community and surrounding groups held a conference on interracial teaching in January with about 35 attending.

For the second year the ATC sponsored a Winter School at Frogmore, S.C., with an attendance of 54 adults, 21 youth, 11 children (a total of 86). There were four enrollments as a direct result of the Winter School, one being the first resident of the island to embrace the Faith. Another highlight of the school was a talk by Mrs. Eulalia Barrow Bobo from the pulpit of a local Baptist Church on Emancipation Day, Jan. 1, 1962, resulting in a wide distribution of literature among the islanders and firesides in the home of one of the Frogmore residents.

Interracial Teaching Survey: A survey was made by the ATC in the early fall with the express purpose of encouraging interracial teaching in this area. Replies were received from seventeen groups and communities. This committee feels that the success of this survey is reflected in greatly increased efforts in interracial teaching throughout the area as shown in the activity reports received since the survey was made.

Bulletins: Bulletins have been issued each Baha’i month, mailing dates timed for arrival a few days before each Feast. The ATC had a change of bulletin editors in mid-year — Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lindsey taking over from Mr. and Mrs. J. Kenton Allen when the latter members resigned to pioneer in Africa.

Meetings: The ATC has met approximately every third weekend with usually full attendance. The committee also met once with the ANTC representative, Mrs. Velma Sherill in June, 1961.

Enrollments: Enrollments in this year were tripled over last year, totaling 36 adults and 9 youth (last year the total was 15.)

Miscellaneous: One of the goals, Ft. Myers, Fla., took on a special project of writing letters to all of the isolated believers in that state, being supplied names and addresses by the ATC.

The ATC members have taken on

an ‘‘extension teaching project’’ in Frogmore, S.C. This village is located on an island populated by 90% Negroes, who seem very receptive to the Message of Baha’u’llah. The first enrollment was Miss Viola Chaplain who was, until her retirement some years ago, the Dean of Women at Hampton Institute, S.C. Several more enrollments are anticipated in that vicinity in the near future, and in fact the members of this ATC have felt for some time that the spark of mass enrollment in the South may well be ignited in this locality. Also extension teaching work was done by committee members in Savannah, Ga., where considerable youth activity is taking place with efforts being made towards organizing a Baha’i Club at Savannah State College (a 4 year Negro college).

EAST CENTRAL STATES

(Indiana, Michigan, Ohio)

Members: Robert Gaines, Chairman; Mrs. Helen Eggleston, Secretary; Wallace Baldwin, Stanley Brogan, Marion R. Finley, Jr.. Alan Higgins, Marvin Hughes, Mrs. Helen McCluskey, Marvin Nochman, Mrs. Laura Post.

Meetings: Fifteen regular meetings have been held with probably four more before Ridvan. Special consultative meetings were held with Mrs. Velma Sherrill, Secretary of the ANTC, Mr. William deForge, Auxiliary Board Member, Mr. Paul Pettit, ANTC member and with Mrs. Margery McCormick, Auxiliary Board Member. This committee greatly appreciated the assistance received from these meetings. One consultative meeting was held in West Lafayette.

Bulletins: Bulletins have been issued on a monthly basis; ten have been published to date.

Membership: Twenty-seven new adult Baha’is and nine new youth have been enrolled for this year. We have 456 believers outside of the communities in this area. Fifteen cities were opened to the Faith this year in the area.

Youth Activities: At each state convention there were special sessions for the youth. In June there was a conference in Dexter, Mich., and again in November. Beginning in February, monthly youth conferences are planned, to be held at the Davison Baha’i School.

Conferences: Three NSA-sponsored conferences took place in Fort

ANNUAL REPORTS

Wayne, Ind., Cleveland, Ohio, and in Detroit, Mich. The ATC conducted a teaching conference at the Davison Baha’i School in August.

Circuit Teaching: Mr. William deForge, Auxiliary Board Member, visited the goal groups in Ohio and Michigan. Paul Pettit, ANTC member, made two trips throughout this area. Mrs. Margery McCormick, Auxiliary Board Member, was in Indiana and Ohio in the summer, and this winter visited all of the preferred goal groups in Michigan. Mrs. Helen Reech of East Cleveland made countless circuit trips through Ohio and Michigan to preferred goal groups. Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Thomas of Columbia gave generously of their time during their vacation. Twentynine believers in our own area have made separate teaching trips to the goal groups, as well as other groups who are striving for assembly status. This committee has been most grateful for all of the cooperation given by these friends, for. without their help we would not have been able to accomplish as much as we did. Mrs. Gail Curwin worked on the consolidation program arranged by the ANTC.

Extension Teaching: We had systematic teaching from the assemblies in Indianapolis, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; and Muskegon, Mich.

Preferred Goal Groups: At the present time we are assured of four of our goals, five probable and the remainder in doubt. We are anticipating a new assembly in Indiana due to the work of the friends there.

CENTRAL STATES

(Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa)

Members: E. T. Sherwood, Mrs. Marguerite Sherwood, Robert C. Bartlett, Robert L. Charles Glover, Dan Jordan, McKenty, William Nedden.

Chairman; Secretary; Desatnick, Mrs. Beth

Regular committee meetings were planned on a twice a month basis.

Our objectives were: The continuation in the development and maintenance of warm and loving communications between individuals, groups and local spiritual assemblies within the area, and to be of such assistance as may administratively fall within our power to render.

The continued development of the area bulletin as a means of inspiring and informing the friends in the area.

To develop closer relationship [Page 15]ANNUAL REPORTS

with and a fuller program for the youth in our area.

To plan and execute such institutes and conferences as would seem desirable and/or as requested by the National Spiritual Assembly.

To stress a unified prayer program and to develop an active teaching program in the area in general, and in the goal groups in particular, consisting of public meetings (where they could be sustained), regular firesides (collective and individual), and regular study classes (collective and individual) for confirmation.

And, to extend every effort toward bringing to assembly status by Ridvan the assigned number of ten or more groups, and to render all possible assistance in maintaining any assemblies that might be in jeopardy during this Baha’i year.

Area Communication: In order that we might develop and maintain a closer relationship with individuals, groups and local spiritual assemblies, an attempt was made to have members of the committee visit and establish personal contact with the friends. In addition to this, an effort was made to establish and maintain close contact with these individuals, groups and communities through written communications and to render assistance to them in the suggesting of or arranging for speakers.

Area Bulletins: Eight bulletins have been issued and two additional bulletins are planned prior to Ridvan. Circulation is now 650.

Youth: Our committee pated and/or cooperated in three youth meetings and conferences within the area during the year and another is in the planning stage. In addition to this, an effort was made to integrate the youth into the Central States Area Baha’i Institute at Green Lake, Wisconsin, both in participation and in consultation.

Institutes: The committee planned one general area institute held at Green Lake, Wisconsin, in early October, which was coordinated with the National Spiritual Assembly’s Call to Action Conference. The attendance was 275, including children and non-Baha’i visitors. This was an increase of about 100 over the previous institute. (

partici Plans for two institutes are under way for 1962 — one at Monmouth, IIlinois, the latter part of June, and the

other at Green Lake, Wisconsin, in November.

Teaching Goals: Three circuits were set up through the cooperation of the American National Teaching Committee, to all designated goal groups, potential goal groups and LSAs in jeopardy, for the purpose of inspiring the friends to action, consulting with them, and assisting in the establishment of a planned teaching program for the year. These circuits served to point out both the weakness and the strength of the groups in the area, and led to the selection of additional potential goals which seemed to have possibility of attaining assembly status by Ridvan.

The committee has developed a list of local teachers to service the area and has assisted and/or arranged for a large number of speaking assignments to goal groups as well as to assemblies, weak or in jeopardy.

The committee, in considering the possibility of coordinating a series of public meetings for World Religion Day and Naw-Ruz, and a desire to have coordinated publicity, precipitated, through the American National Teaching Committee, a fullscale major proclamation program in the Milwaukee area involving 11 communities and 41 groups, and a population area of approximately 3 million people.

Area Membership Outside of LSA Jurisdiction: new enrollments and reinstatements—24; removals, withdrawals and deaths—9; transfers into area—1l7; transfers out of area—20; transfers from Central States LSAs to area—21; transfers from area to Central States LSAs—16.

As of March 1, four of the goals in Wisconsin have nine or more members through enrollments and/ or settlers. There are eight additional goal groups which have reasonable chances of having sufficient numbers to permit the formation of assemblies by Ridvan.

It has been tremendously exciting to feel the pulse of an area coming alive as one after another arises and responds to carry his share of the responsibilities of the American Baha’is in the final phase of the TenYear Crusade.

NORTH CENTRAL STATES (North Dakota, South Dakota)

Members: Alvin Myers, Chairman; Mrs. Elnor Murray, Secretary; Mrs. Hel 15

en Drymon, Mrs. Vera Esinhart, Orville

Kadrie, Mrs. Ruth LaQuier and Harry Rost. Meetings: The committee has

held five meetings with one scheduled for April.

Conferences: 90% of the believers in our area attended a Dakota Institute held in Fargo, North Dakota, July 9. The cooperation of the friends was overwhelming and their awareness of the job that could be accomplished by working together and through the proper channels was greatly stimulated.

Bulletins: There have been ten bulletins with two to follow. For the first time we have had pictures in the bulletins, which have made it more interesting. Also published in the bulletins were announcements from the National Spiritual Assembly, the American National Teaching Committee and different committees.

Enrollments: We are very happy to report three new enrollments in our area and three reinstatements.

Assemblies, Groups and Isolated Centers: There are now two assemblies in the area: Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota. The goal city, Minot, North Dakota, now has a membership of six believers. North Dakota also has three other groups, making a total membership of 24. South Dakota has three isolated believers, making a total membership of 19. The Rapid City, South Dakota, center was reopened by a new believer. Even before her formal declaration, she had a fireside every week.

Extension Teaching: The committee is very grateful for the cooperation of Fargo, North Dakota, in extension teaching in the goal city, Minot, and at the college in Moorehead, Minnesota. They have included in their plan contribution of books to all North Dakota public libraries. Being such a sparsely populated state, this achievement deserves much praise. Other teaching assistance has been given Huron, Brookings and Flandreau, South Dakota.

Indian Teaching: On October 25, Mrs. Elnor Murray and Richard Hoff presented the Faith to about 125 Indian teenagers, at the Flandreau Indian School, South Dakota, at the request of a young teacher who had heard of the Faith in Sioux Falls several years ago. Some time [Page 16]16

previously this teacher had arranged to play the recording ‘‘The Meaning of Ridvan’’ by William Sears at three sociology classes and two world history classes, and the day before the visit he presented the

record prepared by the United Nations Committee to the same classes.

Before returning to Sioux Falls, “Thief in the Night’’ and the record “The Meaning of Ridvan,’’ both by William Sears, were presented by the visitors to a Negro friend who is the head of the music department at the school.

Tim Rost and Gene LaQuier visited the Indians in the Red Lake, Ponemah, Bemidji area. They met with the Red Lake Tribal Council, held meetings and were invited to return.

SOUTH CENTRAL STATES

(Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska) .

Members: Henry Weil, Chairman; Mrs. L. Naomi McCord, Secretary; Mrs. Mildred Birkett, George Halterman, Lacy R. McCord, Mrs. Clarice Weil.

Meetings: Regular meetings have been held twice monthly with special meetings as needed.

Bulletin: Eight bulletins have been issued with two scheduled for the balance of the year.

Enrollments: Six adults and three youth have been enrolled by our committee, plus one. Indian enrollment at Macy, Nebraska, and one _ youth reached adult status.

Conferences: Hand of the Cause Mr. Paul Haney met with the Baha’is in Kansas City, Mo., and surrounding area following Convention last year. In October the NSA-sponsored Conference with the theme “CALL TO ACTION” was held in Kansas City, Mo. The institute, Short Course on Human Relations, arranged by the NSA was held in St. Louis the first weekend in March.

Teaching Activities: Of our four preferred goal groups, one has reached a total of nine to assure assembly status this Ridvan; two more have reached seven.

Early in the fall an ATC representative met with five groups and assemblies to develop an annual teaching plan for each community. Borrowing an idea from the Southern New England Area Teaching Committee, a series of four weekend

meetings were planned on a monthly basis in these communities. Using the theme ‘‘Challenge to Chaos —a Prescription for Living,’’ public meetings were presented with ATCsupplied teachers and outlines on the subjects: (1) God and Man, (2) Religions and Man, (3) The Destiny of the Individual, and (4) The Destiny of Society. The weekends consisted of a public meeting, a meeting with Baha’is only with consultation material provided by the committee and a fireside for interested contacts. Printed announcements were suppled to the communities for this series. The results were generally good and in several cases exceptional. In one group city it was discovered that having the public meeting on a local college campus and placing notices about the campus as well as in the local papers gained much more response than usual. The final meeting of the series was varied slightly in one community to include speakers from several other Faiths speaking on the same subject, ‘“‘The Destiny of Society.’’ This meeting attracted substantially more contacts than the previous meetings had, including a number of college students.

Thirteen teachers presented twenty of the above described weekend programs. In addition eighteen circuit teaching projects have been completed with four more planned.

Copies of the Lutheran tract ‘‘Baha’ism’’ were procured and distributed to all groups and isolated believers with the request that they study the statements made about the relationship of the Faith to Christianity.

Letters written to isolated believers to encourage their activity were continued from last year with a letter setting forth long range goals and short range plans, giving the isolated believer a suggestion of activity for each month.

United Nations records were distributed to five groups with excellent use. Radio time was secured in many communities for this record. Temple slides have been offered for loan to all the groups and isolated believers as well as other audio-visual aids which are now in possession of this committee.

College Teaching: Several college teaching projects have been carried out in cooperation with the LSA of St. Louis. Last May Dr. Allan Ward spoke at Washington University to

ANNUAL REPORTS

two sections of the class on Major Religions of the West and at two classes at Harris Teachers College —Western Civilization and Social Psychology. Dr. Ward was also interviewed on radio in addition to other speaking engagements in the area.

In November, Mrs. Vivian Fellows spoke to the same two classes at Harris Teachers College plus a Geography Club where she told the group about her trip to Israel. Mrs. Fellows gave excellent assistance in many phases of the teaching work while in the St. Louis area. Literature was distributed to all members of the classes and firesides were announced. There have been several responses from these two efforts including two persons who are studying the Faith as a result of these visits. :

Mr. Guiou Taylor gave an introductory talk to a group of students at William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri and spoke with a group of students at Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia.

Dr. Allan Ward also spoke on the A.M.&N. College campus, Pine Bluff, Arkansas to a group called ‘Great Issues Seminar.’’ He has been invited back at some later date to hold vespers.

Dr. Dwight W. Allen spoke to the same classes at Washington University and Harris Teachers College in February and at several firesides including a luncheon for a number of educators.

Proclamation: Through the coordination of the ATC, three communities in the St. Louis Area cooperated to have fireside locations listed in the church directory which is posted in 18 leading hotels and motels in Greater St. Louis.

Books have been placed in all branches of the St. Louis County Library and in a number of other libraries throughout the area in communities where Baha’is reside. An extensive survey of Baha’i books and their condition was made through the groups and isolated believers resulting in th® presentation of twentyseven books to twelve libraries this year.

Mr. Daniel C. Jordan was _ interviewed on ‘‘Ask the Clergy’ radio program over the CBS radio affiliate in St. Louis. This program features a 5-minute interview with the announcer, followed by a question period with questions phoned in by the [Page 17]ANNUAL REPORTS

listeners. The station reported many requests for additional information.

An interesting project carried out jointly by several LSAs and groups is the Greater St. Louis Speakers Bureau. About 500 printed announcements with available talks, panels and slides were mailed to service clubs, churches and other civic groups. Requests from four organizations have been honored with approximately 215 people hearing of the Faith.

A member of the committee participated in a Congress of Balanced Living where mention was made of the Faith as an asset to this ideal and approximately 100 pieces of literature were taken from a display of pamphlets and books.

Extension Teaching: The St. Louis Assembly has assisted the Kirkwood, Mo., Group with seven public firesides completed and two planned. Assistance has been given in planning, in publicity and in providing speakers.

Youth and Children’s Activitiess The following communities report activities for youth and/or children: Clayton, Webster Groves, Kansas City, Mo.; Macy, Neb. and Wichita, Kansas.

Indian Teaching: Excellent teaching is being continued in Macy and Winnebago, Neb. where there are Baha’i settlers on the reservations. One enrollment resulted from this work. Also in southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma where there is a large Indian population, an isolated believer from outside Joplin, Mo. and Baha’is from Rogers, Ark., are at work making friends and gradually including them in Baha’i activities. Slides of the Temple and of Haifa have been shown to Indian audiences of approximately 35-50 people.

TENNESSEE VALLEY

(Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee)

Members: Mrs. Odessa Myers, Chairman; Miss Johanna Zimmermann, Secretary; Mrs. Erma Hayden, Lester Himes, John C. Myers and Dr. Allan L. Ward.

The committee’s aim was to establish a goal city, to keep in close touch with the friends and to urge the friends to read and study the Writings of Baha’u’llah, ‘Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi.

The committee met monthly, beginning in June, when there was a special meeting with Mrs. Velma

Sherrill, Secretary, American National Teaching Committee.

Feeling the need for more direct contact with the friends in the area, the committee has arranged to meet in various cities in the area, convening their meeting at two o’clock in the afternoon and keeping the evening open for meetings with the friends in such cities for consultation. This policy will be continued for the remainder of the year, and will be recommended to the incoming committee.

The committee sponsored a Youth Deepening Session in Nashville, Tenn., January 27-28. Though this was planned as a youth meeting, the entire Baha’i membership in the area was invited. The program included reviews of Baha’i books by Baha’i youth and discussion of the books reviewed, with a public meeting for the January 27 evening session. A similar meeting will commemorate Baha’i World Youth Day, March 24 and ending March 25. Sixteen of the friends have been invited to review books and there will be a guest speaker for the Saturday evening meeting.

The committee deeply appreciates the fine cooperation of the Nashville community in these endeavors.

The inclusion of editorials in the monthly bulletins, inaugurated by the preceding committee, was continued and invitations extended to friends in the area to contribute. We felt privileged to have in our JulyAugust bulletin a poem, ‘‘Dawnbreaker’’ contributed by Mr. Robert Hayden of Nashville, Tenn.

Sustained activities are being engaged in by all assemblies, consisting of devotions, firesides, class studies and deepening sessions, and the isolated believers in Mobile, Ala., and Cookeville, Tenn., especially are giving good account of themselves.

The National Spiritual Assemblysponsored conference in Nashville was well attended and greatly appreciated.

The Human Relations courses, sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly and the Baha’i Interracial Service Committee, three of which were held in our area, aroused considerable interest and much enthusiasm, and were regarded as providing valuable teaching aids.

The committee has worked closely with the Baha’i pioneer in Mobile and one of the committee members

WG

assisted in setting up and speaking at the World Religion Day observance in that city.

Good public meetings were reported from numbers of cities in the area in observance of Race Amity Day, World Peace Day, United Nations Day, Human Rights Day and especially World Religion Day.

There were four enrollments: three adults and one youth.

GULF STATES

(Louisiana, Mississippi)

Members: George Galinkin, Chairman, Mrs. Virginia Johnson, Secretary; Ethelyn Campbell, Carolyn Galinkin, John Bratten, Everett Hubbart, Fred Baker.

Meetings: Nine week end meetings have been held with two more planned before April 21 and one consultative meeting with an ANTC member. Different members of the ATC consulted with the Gulfport and Harrison County Baha’is on four different occasions. Four consultative meetings have been held with the new Gretna, La., group. One consultative meeting was held with the Shreveport Baha’i group and one with the Bossier City believer. ATC members also consulted with a prospective settler for this area and helped arrange a circuit through other areas with Mrs. Eulalia Bobo of Beverly Hills, Calif. and with Mrs. Rhoda Silver from Los Angeles, who visited our area for about a month.

Enrollments: Seven adults; one youth, with four studying for enrollment. (All of these enrollments have been Negroes, which points to the beginning of the fulfillment of the Guardian’s wishes for the South).

Preferred Goals: Shreveport started off as a preferred goal but dropped to three members. Bossier City, La., now has five members but has not yet been declared a goal group.

Crusade Goals Achieved in Area: New groups were formed in Harrison County, Miss., and Gretna, La. A new group is being formed in Bossier City. Groups were also formed in Pineville and Lake Charles, La., but have reverted to isolated status.

Circuit Teaching: Mrs. Eulalia Bobo of Beverly Hills, Calif., spent a month of intensive teaching in the area. Mrs. Ludmila Van Sombeek of Durham, N.C., spent three weeks in the area. Dr. Sarah Pereira, Auxiliary Board member, held a public [Page 18]18

meeting in New Orleans prior to conducting the NSA-sponsored Conference there. Eleven intra-area teachers made thirteen circuits within the area.

Conferences: An area youth conference was held on World Youth Day week end, 1961, in Baton Rouge, with 47 Baha’is and 57 non-Baha’is attending. A youth institute was held in Baton Rouge in September for all of the youth in the area and a youth conference for this year is being planned for World Youth Day in Baton Rouge. An NSA conference was held in New Orleans in October. NSA-sponsored Human _ Relations Conferences were held in New Orleans, La., and Jackson, Miss., in February.

Youth: One youth was enrolled this year and the youth at Southern University is active in holding firesides. Another youth is very active in teaching work with a _ newly formed group. Two youth and two children from the area attended the Summer School in Dallas.

Bulletins: Eight bulletins have been issued with three more to follow.

Prospects: To have an LSA in Bossier City, La., and to preserve Gulfport LSA; to work toward the incorporation of Baton Rouge assembly and to make Gretna, La., and Harrison County, Miss., preferred goal cities. .

SOUTH PLAINS STATES

(Oklahoma, Texas)

Members: John Banks, Chairman; Mrs. Betty J. Hopkins, Secretary; Miss Helen Callaway, Mrs. Nancy Dobbins, Mrs. Arabelle Haywood, Robert Hopkins, Mrs. Allene Squres, Leo Squires.

Committee meetings: 8 regular, 1 special, with 3 more scheduled.

Bulletins published: 5 with 2 more scheduled.

Nationally Sponsored Conferences: Dr. David Rhue in Dallas, Texas on Sept. 30, Human Relations Conference Feb. 24, 1962 in San Antonio, Texas.

Circuits: Mrs. Nancy Dobbins in Amarillo, Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Austin, Castle Hills, and Odessa, as scheduled by the American National Teaching Committee. Circuits sponsored by the Area Committee: Pat Shepphard in Amarillo, Texas; Nancy Dobbins in University Park; Paul Pettit in Amarillo; John Banks in Galveston; Mrs.

Arabelle Haywood and Miss Helen Callaway to Kiverside Indian School at Andarko, Oklahoma.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES

(Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico)

Walter Jensen, Chairman; Mrs. Gladys Roberts, Secretary; Mrs. Mary Creitz, Mrs. Josephine Johnson, Mrs. Esther Morrill, T. O. Morrill, Mrs. Lois Abas, Mrs. Sue Foreman, E. D. Foreman, Miss Betty Creitz (Youth).

Members:

Three Goal Groups were designated in this area: Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyo., and Boulder, Colo. Emphasis was made to all groups on the importance of setting goals, both individual and group-wise, and the committee is gratified with the wonderful response.

The committee has met nine times and will meet two more times before Ridvan; one special meeting was held in June with Mrs. Velma Sherrill on the teaching program. A bulletin has been issued each month by Editors Mrs. Lois Abas, and Mrs. Sue Foreman. Progress reports for goal groups were evaluated and sent to ANTC. The committee corresponded with a number of isolated contacts or referred them to nearby believers to follow-up. U.N. records from U.N. Committee were sent to all groups and reports received of their successful use. Brochures for three goal cities are in process of completion. In order to have a speaker’s list for the area, a speaker’s questionnaire was developed and distributed to be returned to the committee.

Progress: Laramie, Wyo., will no doubt attain assembly status this Ridvan. Groups in Cheyenne, Wy., Boulder, Colo. and Roswell, N.M. have been active in teaching projects and making contacts toward attaining assembly status in 1963. Two new groups were formed, Westminster, Colo. with four believers and Clovis, N.M. with three believers, and a new center opened in Silver City, N.M. The area has received seven new enrollments.

Teaching: All groups were given assistance in reviewing material sent out by the ANTC, namely, the Reference File and Bahd’i Group Questionnaire. The ANTC proclamation kits, slides and tapes are now circulating. The NSA has made a gift to the area of the material and slides used at the October conference and this will be circulated in the area.

ANNUAL REPORTS

Extension Teaching: The Casper, Wyo. Assembly has again carried on a successful program of extension teaching to Laramie and Cheyenne.

Conferences: Four national conferences were held in the area: May 6, in Denver with Hand of Cause Paul Haney; Oct. 8 in Colorado City and Albuquerque; Feb. 25 in Denver on Human Relations. The American Indian Service Committee held a conference in Santa Fe, Oct. 21-22 with Esther and Tom Morrill from the ATC participating. The Pueblo, Colo. Assembly sponsored a teaching conference at Rye, Colo. over Labor Day weekend. Plans are being made for three convention reports.

Youth Conferences: Three successful youth conferences were held June 24-25, Denver; July 29-30, Casper; Feb. 17-18, Boulder. The youth also participated in the conference at Rye. Thanks and appreciation to Gordon Jackson for his service to the youth.

Circuits: Seven circuits were planned and completed, in Wyoming to goal groups Laramie and Cheyenne; in New Mexico to Roswell Group, isolated believers and LSAs; in Colorado to Boulder Group and several LSAs. Good publicity was obtained for all circuit teachers. Our thanks and appreciation to the circuit teachers for assistance to this area: Mrs. Vivian Fellows, Amoz Gibson, Dr. Dwight Allen, Fred: Bell, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Hale, Jr., Mrs. Mary Clark Allen. We wish to make special mention of the circuit to New Mexico by Mr. and Mrs. Hayles. Mrs. Hayles speaks fluent Spanish and was able to reach many of the Spanish-speaking people. Also, Tom Morrill makes a point of calling on all Baha’is in the area when he is making his business circuit. Three more circuits will probably be completed before Ridvan.

SOUTHWESTERN STATES

(California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah)

Members: Francis Johnson, Chairman; Mrs. Loraine Johnson, Secretary; Miss Edith Goranson, Miss Jean Martig, Kenneth Myers, Mrs. Rhoderoi Myers, Carsten Schmidt.

Meetings: Bi-weekly, with additional meetings as needed. Objectives: The committee’s objectives revolved around the over-all ultimate task of gaining 300 local spiritual assemblies in the United

States, recognizing that in this area [Page 19]ANNUAL REPORTS

which contains so many believers and so many assemblies, the major gain will have to be made here.

1. Service to Goal Groups: Through surveys and consultation on the strength of membership and/or teaching work of groups, the National Spiritual Assembly named twenty groups as preferred goals, to receive special attention to assist their growing to assembly status by Ridvan of this year.

Immediate and continued assistance was offered through visits of committee members in conducting study of the American National Teaching Committee’s compilation “Teaching Reference File,’ and helping to set up a local teaching plan both for the individual and for the group; regular correspondence of encouragement and _ guidance; scheduling of teachers on a monthly basis where desired for public meetings, firesides and/or deepening study, and more constant help where possible with special teachers and extension teaching committees of local spiritual assemblies; supplying pamphlet material for contacts and loan of tapes, records, scripts, study outlines and other special materials. Our first consideration all year has been to these goals, through correspondence, consultation and assistance. As of this writing, eight of the goals seem assured, and four additional look promising.

Efforts have continued to promote the growth of new groups, furnishing each new unit with a copy of The Bahda’i Group and a .loan of the “Questionnaire Covering Functioning of a Baha’i Group” for study. We were able to keep our finger on the pulse of activity and needs, through requesting reports monthly from the preferred goals and quarterly from other groups. Several of these “other’’ groups are showing steady growth, with two now assured of assembly status, and two others promising.

2. Enrollments: We are pleased to advise that there have been 50 adult enrollments and 22 youth enrollments so far this year, the highest number since the inception of the Crusade.

3. Circuit Teaching: Speakers, teachers and chairmen have been provided for ATC-sponsored conferences, to communities, groups and for individual firesides on a monthly

basis, unless needed oftener for a specialized series.

This area has had a good 35% increase of available circuit teachers. Most of these friends conduct meetings on week-ends, traveling a distance of from 10 to 400 miles. The committee itself has not had to finance any of these devoted services this year. This has been made possible through the cooperation of host communities in providing hospitality, and in a few instances partially defraying speakers’ transportation costs, while in most instances, speakers covered their own travel costs.

In the small assemblies and groups being assisted, we have not emphasized public meetings, striving rather to have meetings conducted on a less formal note. In the interest of small or endangered assemblies, preferred goals and growing groups, we have had opportunity to schedule Auxiliary Board’-Members and ANTC circuit teachers on extended circuits, lasting a month or more, and enabling each locality to have specialized assistance for three or four days. Other ANTC circuit teachers have been utilized on shorter circuits.

Centers provided with speakers and teachers were strongly encouraged to support the assistance with follow-up activities of individual and/or community firesides and study classes. Our experience has indicated that while speakers stimulate interest, the effort is weakened unless interest is sustained by preplanned teaching activities.

The combined enthusiasm of communities and speakers assured a successful continuous activity from spring through the summer months and on into fall with no loss of time or effort. Speakers have been highly cooperative in fulfilling subject matter needs specified by communities, which then enabled a community to pace meetings with the progressive interest of regular seekers, yet comprehensive and stimulating to new contacts.

All circuit work has been reported on regular forms. These and the reports from assemblies, preferred goals and other groups have broadened our understanding of the many phases of community activity and needs.

4. Assistance to Settlers: Names of the goals and additional number of believers needed in each are carried in each issue of the monthly area

19

bulletin. A survey of job, housing and educational factors in each goal was furnished to the American National Teaching Committee, charged with the responsibility of guiding settlers. A general letter was addressed to all assemblies over fifteen in members, requesting that area bulletins be considered in detail at assembly meetings and feasts, and that information about the goal groups and endangered assemblies be reproduced in local newsletters.

5. Youth Activities: Because our area bulletins have been too full of other information to allow for general encouragement, this has been provided through individual correspondence in reply to receipt of the activity reports, welcome to new believers followed in six months by anniversary letters of encouragement, and an attempt to reply to all communications addressed to this committee.

To encourage youth activity, a separate youth page was included with each bulletin issue, announcing youth events and including news of past activities. There have been eight youth conferences sponsored by this committee, in as many locations, with a total youth attendance of around 250. It was thrilling to hear of several declarations from nonBaha’i youth attending these gatherings.

6. Bulletins: Monthly bulletin circulation has increased to 960 copies, with two copies to each large community, and one to each Baha’i family in isolated status, groups and small communities.

7. Extension Teaching: Requests for extension teaching assistance were made, with eight assemblies responding. Six of these were assigned to needy centers. In addition, seven individuals were asked to give this close assistance to specific goal groups. This is a new plan advanced by the American National Teaching Committee, and seems to be working very well. Forms were developed to make reporting of this activity easier for the teachers and committees, and to give us the type of information we needed to guide this work and provide supplemental assistance.

Some twelve conferences were called to hear reports of last year’s National Convention, and plans are now being laid for similar meetings after Ridvan. The Pasadena Assem[Page 20]20

bly planned a_ two-day teaching conference in conjunction with the report, which attracted 200 believers.

Because of NSA-called conferences in September-October ‘and in February, the State Conventions in December, and special visits of Hands of the Cause in this area, we have held no area conferences other than those for youth. A series is now scheduled for the last of March, with the agenda being geared to attempting to draw the friends back to the regenerative power of the Creative Word, in hopes that this will renew a spark of excitement and love for the Faith which may reflect in an exploding response throughout the entire area.

Although responsibility for small assemblies is not listed as a function of the area teaching committees, we have also serviced these institutions with teachers, as noted above, and other aids, as well as_ listing needs of the endangered assemblies through the area bulletins.

There has been a very close cooperation between this committee and the American National Teaching Committee, and we are grateful for their mature guidance. All instructions have been followed, and material distributed as recommended.

Results: The effectiveness of any teaching effort can be judged by the results, and this year’s progress will not be known until announced at the National Convention. Present statistics in these four southwestern states are: Assemblies 65; groups 156, of which 86 have an elected correspondent; isolated believers 69; making a total of 290 centers.

NORTHWESTERN STATES

(Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana)

Members: Kenneth Bovee, Chairman; Mrs. Helen Wilks, Secretary; Mrs. Marjorie Bovee, Mrs. Hazel Mori, Mrs. Virginia Martig, Mrs. Julie Frank, Mrs. Goldie Neffew, Douglas Harris, Victor Frank, Fon Luke, Charles Beachner.

Committee Meetings: The committee convened on June 3, elected officers and held its first meeting on this same day, and.were off to a good start by enrolling a youth of Oregon. Nineteen regular and four special meetings have been held this year wit: approximately one hundred fifty hours of reviewing six hundred thirteen letters received, planning four hundred letters to be written, interviewing applicants for enrollment, developing the bulletin,

planning teaching circuits, conferences and scheduling convention reports.

Consolidation: With mass proclamation uppermost in our minds the National Spiritual Assembly directed the National Teaching Committee to initiate a special program of teaching assistance to the newly formed and small Baha’i communities to aid them in making contacts, conducting firesides and starting study classes, the objective being a marked increase in enrollments.

The teaching work in the Northwest was highly accelerated early in the year by Mrs. Marjorie Bovee, Mrs. Hazel Mori and Mrs. Ethlyn Lindstrom.

Mrs. Bovee spent twelve days on return home from the National Convention, presenting the consolidation program in Fargo, N.D.; Billings, Great Falls and Butte, Mont. In July another ten days was given in Pasco and Franklin County, Wash., also Pendleton, Ore. Again in September, Mrs. Bovee visited Billings, speaking on World Peace Day, spending several days more conducting firesides.

Mrs. Mori was first assigned to present the consolidation program in the state of Utah during the month of October. Enroute home from these assignments she also was scheduled for ten days in Butte, Mont. and Pocatello, Ida. The teaching work was greatly strengthened in this area by Mrs. Mori’s informal assistance in Boise, Ida.; Pendleton, Ore. and Pasco, Wash. while engaged in the consolidation program.

Mrs. Ethlyn Lindstrom, following an extended teaching circuit in the eastern states, presented the consolidation program of five days to the newly-formed Local Spiritual Assembly of Corvallis, Ore.

Circuit Teaching: Because of the fine coverage from June through October given the Northwest by the consolidation program, area teaching committee circuits were fewer in numbers than in previous years. Western Washington benefited from a circuit by Natalie and Aaron Bowen of Salem, Ore., during the month of July.

Montana and Western Washington were recipients of three teaching circuits during December, January and February, Mrs. Velda Piff of Spokane, Wash., Iraj Taleb-Reza, Iranian student at Pocatello State Col ANNUAL REPORTS

lege, and Mrs. Barbara Bothwell of Pendleton, Ore. During the coldest temperature in twenty years, Mrs. Piff did a fifteen day circuit in Montana. As a result of this circuit there were at least fifteen inches of free publicity and thirteen contacts.

Two more circuits have been scheduled to take place in March. Mr. and Mrs. Prudencio Mori will spend two weeks in Montana offering assistance to the communities who need strengthening before Ridvan and visiting the isolated believers. Mrs. Ethlyn Lindstrom will do a circuit in Western Washington as a follow up to the one given in the early part of the year. Promise of three new local spiritual assemblies prompted the scheduling of this circuit:

In Western Washington a colony of small groups exist whose teaching efforts were stimulated following a presentation of the questionnaire, covering the functioning of a Baha’i

group. These presentations were made early in July by Area Teaching Committee representatives, Douglas Harris, Charles

Beachner, Kenneth and Marjorie Bovee, Victor and Julie Frank. Lewiston and Nez Perce county groups of Idaho as well as Longview and South Pierce county groups were visited by William and Helen Wilks. Virginia Martig of Shelton presented this material to her own group as well as South Pierce county and Olympia.

Teaching was accelerated in this area by visiting teachers, during the months of December and January with a total of twenty-nine days spent mostly in fireside teaching. In one community of two adults and two youth, the majority of the school board and school superintendent plus some teachers, a total of ten in the educational field attended a fireside, with the result that several are reading Baha’i literature.

Bulletins: The area bulletin, a vital organ in communication, serves to give a graphic picture of teaching activities and progress in general. Following a consolidation session or teaching circuit the bulletin takes on a new tone which stimulates the pulse of teaching in many districts. A four page bulletin has been issued each month with a circulation of four hundred twenty, under the able direction of Charles Beachner.

Convention reports: Prior to the [Page 21]ANNUAL REPORTS

National Convention, delegates were contacted for dates, for convention reports, to be given promptly at close of convention, to take full advantage of the spirit and enthusiasm generated at the Temple. Montana was fortunate in having a _ report made in each community, a total of four. Idaho, Oregon and eastern Washington, each were favored with two reports. Three scheduled reports and numerous informal reports were given in western Washington. Extension teaching: That new nuclei for local spiritual assemblies might be established; each of the four northwestern states has endeavored to open new centers or develop the small promising groups. Idaho: Pocatello, a new local spiritual assembly, has assisted Idaho Falls consistently with promise of enrollments in the near future. Ada County has taught in a number of small near by centers but has concentrated on McCall and Fairfield with the bounty of two enrollments.

Oregon: Salem, has worked faithfully in the Woodburn group for two years and this year they extended their efforts to Albany. Although these efforts cannot be evaluated in numbers at present, the way is being paved for real proclamation through publicity, placement of books in libraries and consistent and well planned meetings. Pendleton has made many valuable friends for the Faith on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The Faith has also been publicly proclaimed in Baker this past year.

The Montana friends, in cooperation with the American and Canadian Indian Service Committees have opened the city of Browning, with the first Peigan Indian to enroll in this country.

The state of Washington reports extension teaching by Seattle in the town of Edmonds. South King County adopted Des Moines, a center with one believer; also accepted the assignment to work in Olympia, a goal. Pasco, a new local spiritual assembly, extended their teaching efforts into Franklin county, a group of five, one being recently rolled through their efforts. Yakima, opened a new center in Selah, with publicity.

While many groups and small communities have not committed themselves to regular extension teaching, the spirit of serving and general

en- awareness of the needs on the home front has been confirmed by repeated reports telling of their united efforts.

Youth activities: Thirty-five youth spent the 1960 New Year’s week-end attending a youth conference sponsored by the area committee with South King County Local Spiritual Assembly as host. As a result of this conference many of the youth came away with a burning desire to really do something about their Faith. Mrs. Barbara Reich was asked to organize and train a youth panel which would be scheduled as any other circuit is. Seven youth, representing five communities offered their services. Gary Ware and Tim Robinson of North King County, Tommy and Nanette Craig of Kirkland, Julie Hamilton and Terry Tymas of Seattle and Pat Reich of Milwaukie, Ore., formed a panel, moderated by Mrs. Barbara Reich and made their debut in Pendleton during the Easter vacation. This presentation was taped and studied later so they could evaluate and improve their material. Their Christmas vacation of seven days was spent in a circuit to Pasco and Spokane, Wash. Two youth have since enrolled as a direct result of this panel. The panel was also presented to a group of thirty in Everett, Wash., World Religion Day. At least three more requests have been made for the services of this panel. Another youth panel in eastern Washington has been organized as a further evidence of the success of this youthful teaching venture. Michael McCandless of Walla Walla, Shirley McEvers, David and Jon Piff of Spokane, Roger Fleming of Spokane County Commissioner’s District No. 2, Clinton Boyd and Allan Malmoe of Fairfield Air Force Base, Spokane are being trained under the direction of Dr. Gordon Fleming and Miss Alverna Soper.

A Unitarian youth group requested two Baha’i youth speakers. Miss Lani Diessner of Yakima and Tom Craig of Kirkland spoke to a group of thirty-five youth about the Faith and answered many interesting questions.

New Centers: Twenty new centers were opened to the Faith. Six new enrollments were responsible for three of these centers; the others were due to transfers into the area.

Conferences: Butte, Mont., was host to a two day conference in June, prior to the scheduled summer

21

schools. Hospitality was extended to all by the Butte community. Meals were prepared, enabling fifty to attend, thirty adults and twenty children and youth. The program was keyed to attract families. There were three work shops, children’s classes, a demonstration class on teaching children, and a youth panel. Mrs. Nellie Mereness who had attended the Kampala Temple Dedication and had the bounty of pilgrimage shared her color slides of the dedication. A stimulating discussion on how to reach our Indian friends was sparked by Miss Lauretta Haynes, a school teacher in Busby, Mont., on the Cheyenne Reservation. Highlight of the conference was a public talk given by Mrs. Marjorie Bovee, “What Is God?”’

Kirkland, Wash., was host to the second teaching conference of the year. While the attendance was lower than anticipated, twenty-five percent were newly enrolled. Success of this conference was accredited to sharing the program with the young believers. The days session was climaxed with a public talk by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene King of Tacoma, Wash. Both are sightless, Mr. King a fine representative of the Tlingit Indian and Mrs. King, the Eskimo.

A third conference is being planned for South Pierce county, primarily to assist those groups in this area who are working for local spiritual assemblies this year. Inquirers and those preparing for enrollment are being urged to attend.

Enrollments: Enrollments in the area numbered nine adults and three youth.

Special services: Four publicity scrap books, one for each state in the area have been kept during the Crusade years. The committee has a program called, ‘“‘Remember the Children.”’ A file of all births, and names, addresses, ages and birthdays of children and youth has been developed from reports made to the committee. When a youngster has a birthday he is remembered with a Baha’i verse on attractive note paper. More than one hundred children are registered, all potential enrolled servants of Baha’u’llah.

Worthy of mention is a record of these and many other activities, accurately kept on file in one hundred fifteen pages of minutes prepared by our recording secretary, Mrs. Goldie Neffew. [Page 22]22

AMERICAN INDIAN

SERVICE

Members: George Bechtold, Chairman; Mrs. Nancy Phillips, Secretary; Beatrice Bechtold, Lawrence Gimlin,

Floyd Heaton, Marilyn Heaton, Francis Johnson, Theresa Schmidt, Alice Tyler.

As of March 1, 1962, twenty-six American Indian tribes have one or more members enrolled in the Faith. Five tribes were added during the past year: Hopi (Arizona), Zuni (New Mexico), Peigan (Montana), Yakima (Washington), and Piaute (Nevada). To date some teaching contact has been made with a total of fifty-nine Indian tribes.

Total enrollments of Indian believers during the past year has exceeded that of any previous year of the Crusade. However, we have not as yet witnessed enrollment to anything like the extent experienced among Indian peoples in Canada and in Central America.

During the past year special efforts have been exerted to encourage successes similar to those taking place to the north and to the south of us, with inspiration drawn from the emphasis placed on Indian teaching in the Message from the Hands of the Faith at the last National Convention and later from the Message from their Fifth Annual Conclave in November. Collaboration between Indian and non-Indian teachers, proven so successful in Canada, has been planned almost since the beginning of this Baha’i year. The first event of this kind took place last June at Browning, Montana, on the Peigan Indian reserve in northern Montana, with Chief Samson Knowlton of Canada and George Miller of Butte working together as a teaching team. In September another teaching trip was made by members of the Butte and Great Falls communities, joined by Chief Knowlton and Guy Yellow Wings of Canada. Enrollment of the first member of the Peigan tribe resulted from the initial trip.

In October a New Mexico Indian Teaching Conference was held in Santa Fe under the auspices of the American Indian Service Committee with the cooperation of the Santa Fe community. Thirty-one participants from nine localities shared consultation on how the Faith might be taken to the Pueblos of New Mexico and initiated plans for the travels of an Indian teaching team. From this con ference came the recommendation that request be made for assistance from one of the Hands of the Faith in the Pueblos the following spring.

The extension teaching efforts of members of the Sparks, Nevada, community plus the assistance of visiting Eskimo believer William Willoya brought the number of believers in the Reno-Sparks Indian colony to five. Members of the Colony Baha’i Group are of the Washoe and Piaute tribes.

Following his stay in Nevada, William Willoya visited the Hopi Indian reservation in Arizona to speak of the Faith to leaders of several traditional villages. Three of these Hopi leaders, accompanied by Irene Vanderhoof of Gallup took part in a World Peace Day program sponsored by the Baha’is of Jefferson County, Colorado.

Tim Rost of Belcourt, North Dakota and Gene LaQuier of Fargo spent ten days during August visiting Indian communities in northern Minnesota as a teaching team, making successful contact with tribal councils and opening one reservation to the Faith.

Arrangements were made with the Flagstaff, Arizona Assembly for invitations to be extended to Indian families to use the Baha’i camp grounds on the occasion of the annual Indian Pow Wow over the weekend of July 4. Believers from Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico were contacted for their participation.

As a representative of the American Indian Service Committee, Mrs. Dorothy Reed of the Baha’i Public Information Service attended the American Indian Charter Convention in Chicago June 13-20.

To assist in giving the Message to Indian friends having a_ limited knowledge of English, a new teaching aid was completed in September. “The Baha’i Story” is primarily the work of pioneers on the Navajo reservation. In simple language it covers a comprehensive range of subjects including an account of the central Figures of the Faith, its laws and spiritual teachings, Baha’i Administration, qualifications of a believer, and a section entitled ‘‘How to Enroll.’’ ‘‘The Baha’i Story’’ has been made available without charge to Baha’is wishing to use it in their Indian teaching work and $1.00 to other interested believers. To date, orders for 250 copies have been filled

ANNUAL REPORTS

by the American Indian Service Committee, and more anticipated.

Within recent months encouraging reports on Indian teaching have been received from many sources, including Ada County and Pocatello, Idaho; North King County and Issaquah, Washington; Pendleton, Oregon; Laramie, Wyoming; Gallup, New Mexico; Rogers, Arkansas; Sparks, Nevada; several Indian communities opened to the Faith by Albert Felker of Joplin, Missouri; and from reservations including the Northern Cheyenne, Cherokee, Omaha, Winnebago, and Seminole. Several Baha’i communities have reported the recent appointment of local Indian Service committees anticipating new teaching activities on a nearby reservation or among Indian residents in town.

Accelerated teaching, by means of Indian and _ non-Indian travelling teachers, is planned for the Hopi and Navajo reservations, the New Mexico Pueblos, and in Montana before Ridvan of this year.

BAHA’{ INTERRACIAL SERVICE

Members; Alton Thomas, Chairman; George Galinkin, Secretary; Richard McCurdy, Thelma Gorham, Georgia Miller, Jean Norris, Ludmila Van Sombeek, Sarah Martin Pereira, Carolyn Galinkin.

The five meetings of the committee were held in Nashville, Tenn., at regular six-week intervals.

The committee undertook a project of seeking out certain selected Negro leaders in several large cities for the purpose of making contact with them directly by appointment to acquaint them with the Faith. In some instances Baha’is residing in the given city were asked to make the assigned visits; in other instances special trips in the environs will make it possible for these interviews to be held with advantage and without expense.

The committee has in process of preparation a booklet to be entitled “Fifty Years of Race Amity Among the Baha’is of the United States.’ Dr. Allan Ward is writing and preparing this pamphlet at the committee’s request so that we may have it available for NSA review and approval before August 1963, when in Chicago the Centennial Observance of the Emancipation Proclamation will afford the Baha’is an opportunity to display materials at a booth as[Page 23]ANNUAL REPORTS

signed to the Baha’is. The pamphlet will emphasize the fifty years of continuous interracial activity and fellowship in Baha’i activities throughout the USA.

The major project of the year centered around the preparation and implementation of an NSA-sponsored “Short Course in Human Relations.”’ Most of these conferences were held the week end of Febrary 24-25, and wherever possible an_ interracial team of leaders was sent in to conduct the consultation and help orient the constructive thinking. An innovation in the program featured the presentation of a non-Baha’i Negro guest speaker, invited by the local spiritual assembly of each of the nineteen cities hosting the conference. The prominent Negro speaker gave a brief review of the local problems, injustices and challenges faced by the Negro population in that city. The progress of the civic groups in the direction of improving race relations was then discussed by the Baha’i participants in the conference. In most instances the friends profited greatly by this give-and-take period of free discussion.

It is hoped that perhaps other communities will want to share in this same kind of human relations workshop with a view to finding ways and means of quickening the interest of the Negro so that the Guardian’s plea that we increase the number of Negroes in our communities will be finally heeded and that the believers will make every effort to win even this difficult and unachieved goal of the Crusade.

BAHA’i COLLEGE BUREAU

Members: Dr. Dwight Allen, Chairman; Mrs. Carol Noah, Secretary; Mrs. Dawn Altice, Keith Dahl, Miss Elaine Hannon, Mrs. Marsha Kuffel, Gary Morrison, Mrs. Jayne Lowe-Brown, Mrs. Dorothy Munson, William Munson, Donald L. (Pete) Phillips, Mrs. Amy Raubitschek, Miss Mary Sawyer, Mrs. Lois Stockton, Mrs. Elinor Wolff, Dr. Robert Wolff, Mrs. Dorothy Wolfrom. Gary Morrison is now pioneering in Costa Rica. Mrs. Dawn Altice and Mr. and Mrs. William Munson resigned from the commitee when they moved from the area.

Organization: The committee functions through a system of four regional secretaries who handle and channel correspondence and _information from college clubs, students, and representatives in their regions. Each region has had a change of

secretaries this year so the job of organizing has been tremendous.

The College Bureau seeks to keep up-to-date with and to stimulate activities on college campuses through the regional secretaries. The Bureau is dependent on representatives, students, college clubs, area teaching committees and the local spiritual assemblies for reports on these activities.

This year the College Bureau has used BaHA’t News in place of a committee newsletter to keep in touch with the students and representatives. A large amount of correspondence is carried on by the committee; up to February 15, over 400 letters were sent out and over 300 were incoming, in addition to mass mailing which included over 800 items. Over 50 hours have been spent in committee meetings.

College Clubs: The College Bureau has record of about 25 clubs throughout the United States. Several more are in the process of forming. There are about 200 Baha’i students in colleges.

When university or college requirements are met, a Baha’i club may be established on any campus where there are three or more Baha’is, including faculty members. The College Bureau assists in formation of these clubs by supplying students with a model constitution form. The club’s constitution is then returned to the Bureau for review, and sent on to the National Spiritual Assembly for final approval.

The National Spiritual Assembly has this year approved the idea of inter-institutional Baha’i clubs in cities or regions where there is more than one college with Baha’i students enrolled, but where there are not sufficient Baha’i students in any one college to form a club on a single campus. These clubs would function under the jurisdiction of an LSA or ATC in the same manner as Baha’i clubs on individual colleges. While no inter-institutional clubs have been formed as yet, the BCB is investigating seven or eight possible places where we hope such a club can be formed.

Representatives: Approximately 125 representatives approved by the National Spiritual Assembly act to assist in teaching, introducing the Faith to college campuses where there are no Baha’i students, forming and continuing the activities of

23

college clubs. They are supplied with folders of information about the Faith for presentation to professors of comparative religion or courses on the Middle East, several information sheets about the purposes and functions of the Bureau, and may be called on by the college clubs as speakers and advisors.

Representatives and students are often asked to speak to comparative religion classes. Along with class presentations, these Baha’is have handed out pamphlets to class members.

Special Services to College Students: This year the College Bureau has furnished rubber stamps to college clubs to mark their literature; the pamphlet, ‘‘Baha’i: World Faith for Modern Man’’ by Arthur Dahl; and special folders of a_ selected group of Baha’i pamphlets to be presented to college professors. Approximately 1000 of these pamphlets have been distributed, and 60 folders have been presented to professors. Approximately 100 new _ contacts have been made with colleges and/or college professors. A number of complementary copies of All Things Made New and other books have been sent to representatives and students to be presented to college libraries and interested professors. A Baha’i calendar was sent to each Baha’i student at the beginning of the school year.

Activities Carried on by College Clubs: Many of the college clubs across the country have been very active in sponsoring weekly and monthly public meetings, assemblies, worship services, series on comparative religions, book review, displays, fellowship gatherings, and inter-faith activities. On one campus, the club played a prominent part in an ‘‘Activities Night.’’ Its booth, one of forty, elicited compliments from many of the 500 students and faculty members who saw it. As a result of this event, the club has sponsored weekly discussion meetings, has joined the Student Senate, and associated themselves with the InterReligious Council.

Another university club won recognition for the Faith in the form of a full-page notice in the bulletin of the Interfaith Council, distributed to 10,000 students last fall. This club is making efforts through a Baha’i Club Speaker’s Bureau to obtain one invitation per month to address au[Page 24]24

diences such as young people’s religious groups, and participation in a YMCA series of noon-hour forums on Contemporary Ideologies.

A west coast club had a Baha’i speaker participate in a Parliament of World Religions panel on campus. Hundreds of pamphlets were distributed and, as a result, there were requests from fraternities and sororities for eight speakers. The largest group was 125 and the smallest about 30; an estimated 500 new people heard the message.

Religious Emphasis Week: Baha’is have been featured speakers for at least three Religious Emphasis Week programs on campuses. At a southern university a Baha’i spoke to eight classes-as well as many individual firesides, and was asked to return as speaker the next year. Before leaving, he donated eight Baha’i books to the school library.

An estimated 1000 persons heard the Baha’i message at another university, at which two Baha’i speakers were assigned to speak to eight classes each in two days, in addition to speaking at a student and faculty assembly. The Faith was mentioned in over ten radio programs during the week.

College Week-End Retreats: This spring the College Bureau proposes to organize a number of week-end institutes or retreats to give special emphasis to college training. It is hoped to have a retreat somewhere in the country each week-end. It is the hope of this committee to orient the meetings to deepening and even confirmation rather than to just acquainting friends with the basic teachings. It is our belief that such a concentrated dose of teaching and living may well impart in visitors and Baha’is alike a sense of mission, so essential in the last years of the Crusade. While many of the weekends are being planned in homes, several will be in resort-type locations or Baha’i schools, the cost being borne by the participants. The general theme for the retreat is ‘‘Religion for Modern Man’? with The Advent of Divine Justice being used as primary reference.

As of February 15, there were six retreats definitely.planned and sched uled with at least eight more in the planning stage.

SERVICE FOR THE BLIND

Members: Mrs. Amedee Gibson, Chairman; Mrs. Mary Francis Baral, Irvin Bobo, Sylvian C. DeOro, Dr. John Jensen, Mrs. Melba King.

The Baha’i Service for the Blind Committee is happy to report a great increase in the production and distribution of Baha’i literature for the blind.

In the first month of the Year 1961-1962, a small folder was published to assist us in the proclamation of the Faith. Several hundred copies were printed and are proving increasingly valuable in our contact work, in keeping in touch with assemblies and groups and in providing the friends with more adequate information as to the uses of literature for the blind.

This proclamation folder shows the picture of a small display, gives a quotation from the Writings of Baha-’u’llah and our address in print and in Braille. :

Among the several factors which have made our work more difficult this year were the greatly increased cost of labor and materials and the difficulty in having work done by printing houses which are swamped by the ever-growing demand for text books to be used by blind children, youths and adults attending schools, colleges and universities.

Production: (1) Reprints — The Kitab-i-Iqan. At the beginning of the year our supply of Braille copies of the Kitab-i-fqan was well nigh exhausted and the publishing of another Braille edition presented certain difficulties. The first Braille edition of the fqan published by request of Shoghi Effendi in 1935, at the American Brotherhood for the Blind, was from the text of the printed edition of 1931 which did not include an introduction. For the third Braille edition we had to conform to the printed edition of 1950 which included an introduction. It was therefore necessary to have additional Braille plates embossed at another printing house for the blind and to use both the 1935 and the 1961 plates, a most unusual process in the production of Braille books. The 1961 Braille edition of the Kitab-i-iqan had to be limited to only fifteen copies, each copy consisting of two volumes.

The Renewal of Civilization. Fourth printing, twenty-five copies. This book which was first published in Braille in 1948, and reprinted in 1954

ANNUAL REPORTS

and in 1957, continues to be very much in demand and we had no copies left in stock.

Communion with God. This edition consists of thirty-five copies and will be available by March 15.

(2) Hand-copied Braille. During the first ten months of this Baha’i year the following titles were transcribed in English Braille: The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, Baha’i Prayers (2 copies), The Reality of Man, Baha’i World Faith, The Martyr-Prophet of a World Faith, Introduction to the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Great Themes of Life, The Chosen Highway.

The Chosen Highway was bound in six volumes, placed in our lending library and already in circulation.

All other manuscripts have been proofread, collated and are now ready for the bindery. It is interesting to know that The Chosen Highway, bound in six volumes weighs no less than twenty-five pounds. Baha’i World Faith will have to be bound in ten large volumes.

The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and Portals to Freedom transcribed in 1960 were bound early in the year and placed in our Lending Library.

(3) Duplication. We joyfully announce the first duplication of a Baha’i book to be released shortly in Tucson. Bahda’i Prayers was the book selected for duplication and the first copies will be the gift of Mrs. Mary Francis Baral to the committee. Duplication is produced by a new method using hand-copied Braille pages as masters from which any quantity of copies can be faithfully reproduced on sheets of durable paperlike plastic. In the future it should be possible for blind Baha’is to receive important messages and news in Braille shortly after they are available to the sighted in print.

Lending Library. Due to the teaching activities of the friends it is expected that within a very short time the demand for our library service will be very much increased. In addition to correspondence which must be carried out in Braille, mail service also requires many difficult and time consuming procedures not needed in ordinary library service. The gift of additional mailing containers for the circulation of our library books has been announced by Eugene and Melba King. Nineteen volumes have been added in the first [Page 25]ANNUAL REPORTS

ten months of this Baha’i Year to our already large collection of books.

Displays. Our first display of the year was prepared in honor of Hand of the Cause, Paul Haney at the meeting at the Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Distribution. Copies of the Kitdbi-[qgdn and several Braille pamphlets were sent to the Hands of the Faith in Haifa and to the National Spiritual Assembly of India. Gift copies of the Kitab-i-iqan were also sent to the National Archives Committee, to the National Library for the Blind in London, England and to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in Toronto, Canada. Three Talking Book Records were gratefully received by the South African Library for the Blind in Grahamstown. Newly declared believers and committee contacts were not forgotten.

Another reprint of Bahd’u’llah and the New Era is urgently needed, it is out of stock and several requests could not be filled.

The Service for the Blind Committee is deeply appreciative and grateful for the splendid co-operation of the believers in the United States and Canada, more requests for information and orders were received than in any previous year, they are finding new and beautiful ways of reaching and teaching the blind and their efforts are bearing fruit.

SOUVENIR OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHA

Members: Donald Vahid Kinney, Chairman; Mrs. Blanche Kaufman, Secretary; Mrs. Joan Kinney, Mrs. Estelle Rouse, Raymond Rouse, Sr., Mrs. Amy Wright, Paul Wright.

The 49th Annual Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Baha was held Saturday, June 24, 1961 at the Teaneck Baha’i Center, West Englewood, New Jersey, in commemoration of the first Unity Feast held there in June, 1912 when ‘Abdu’l-Baha Himself served as host to about 300 persons. Each year the committee in charge strives earnestly to recapture the spiritual joy of that first meeting.

The beloved Guardian said that in the future the commemoration is likely to extend over more than a single day, and this is easy to understand in the light of the global significance already attached to ‘Abdu’lBaha’s American visit.

The 1961 program was ushered in

by chairman Nathan Rutstein. Since children and youth were always drawn to ‘Abdu’l-Baha, two young voices recited selections from the Hidden Words. After this opening, the talk given by the Master in 1912 was read by Mrs. Etta Woodlen. The speaker, Mr. William DeForge, Auxiliary Board Member, stirred the audience with recollections of lives that were reborn in service to God as the Master, traversing North America, touched the hearts of those who became the early Baha’i heroes of the hemisphere. Toward the close of the afternoon old friends and special pioneers were introduced in order that they might share their rich experiences.

As usual, a special prayer session led by Mrs. Rouhieh McComb was held in the lower pine grove where the Master had stood just 49 years ago. In addition, there was an archives exhibit including personal belongings of the Master as well as tablets and letters from His pen and a display of pictures taken at the original gathering in 1912. An evening program was arranged by the Audio-Visual Committee.

In projecting plans for the coming year the committee has been extremely conscious of the added significance of the 50th Souvenir Anniversary and expects to work in close cooperation with the committee appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly to coordinate national radio and television programs, press coverage and commemorative meetings. Through our joint efforts it is hoped that the 50th anniversary will result in the following:

1. Making the mission of ‘Abdu’lBaha to America more meaningful and significant to every American believer both now and in the future;

2. A mass proclamation to the American public of the underlying purpose of the Master’s visit to this country.

An exhibit will be maintained in Foundation Hall during the National Convention meeting of 1962 in order to display pictures of the original Souvenir meeting held in 1912 with ‘Abdu’l-Baha present. In addition, the committee will distribute a statement explaining the background of this annual event, including a direct reference by ‘Abdu’l-Baha which designates this annual memorial meeting as the Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

25

UNITED NATIONS

Members: Mrs. O. H._ Blackwell, Chairman; Miss Isabelle Silk, Secretary; Mrs. Charlotte Donaldson, Mrs. Mary Burnet, Lionel Gonzales, Col. Eugene Keller, Mrs. Juliette Meade, Mrs. Hortense Sawyer, Frank Sawyer, Mrs. Florence Steinhauer, Charles Wragg.

The important achievement of the 1961-1962 United Nations Committee was the production of a record for radio, ‘‘Prelude to a New Age.”’ Because a United Nations official appreciated the outstanding activities of the Baha’is in celebrating United Nations Day and their interest in the Organization, as evidenced in reports submitted by our U.N. Observer, he suggested that we produce a radio program and offered her the facilities and cooperation of the United Nations Radio Division. This was a rare and unusual opportunity to those of us working on U.N. activities, and the committee decided to accept the challenge. With the aid of a Baha’i script-writer, who fortuitously arrived in New York at the right time, we set to work and created not only one 15-minute program for “United Nations Day’’ but, in order to utilize both sides of the record, a second 15-minute program for Human Rights Day was produced as well. The reports on the use of this record in the BaHA’i News have been shared with all the believers, and we feel the excellent results throughout the United States prove that it has made a fine contribution to the teaching work and publicity of the United Nations and the Baha’i Faith. (It is sad to have to report that the U.N. official who made this project possible has recently passed away.)

During the past years, individual members of our committee have received a total of about forty visitors at U.N. Headquarters — Baha’is and their contacts. A number of them have enjoyed the tour so much that they have returned again and again with other contacts, using their trip to the United Nations as a teaching medium.

The members of the committee have accepted numerous speaking engagements in the metropolitan area.

There have been continued requests for the UN-Baha’i Kit, produced two years ago, of which we [Page 26]26

still have a limited supply available.

The nature of our work requires that we begin planning next years’ program well in advance, and the committee has already started in that direction.

THE BAHA’{ WORLD EDITORIAL (1959-1963)

Members: James F. Nelson, Chairman; Mrs. Dorothy W. Nelson, Secretary; Mrs. Arleen Wiley, Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Mrs. Arna Perron, Norman Gauerke, Dr. John Stroessler.

The Baha’i World Editorial Committee has now received, acknowledged and filed hundreds of articles and photographs for Volume XIV of The Baha’i World. The fine reporting of the Baha’i World Representatives is going to contribute greatly to the excellence of this volume.

The most significant change in the work of the committee this year was due to the addition of a clerk, Mrs. Venetia McKenzie, who works approximately eight hours a week for our committee. She has completely organized our files and brought our clippings, filing and pasting of articles and photographs from all of the Baha’i journals and newsletters up-to-date. One of the first projects was to check which copies of newsletters and journals had not been received by our committee and then to write the various Baha’i World Representatives around the world requesting the missing copies to be sent to our committee. Although prompt replies were received from many all have not, as yet, replied.

The committee has also sent letters to various persons around the world, whose experience and knowledge of the Faith are well known, with the request to write articles on specific topics for Volume XIV, and the response was excellent. In addition, some very fine articles, music compositions and verse have been received without solicitation. Special attention is being given to material about the Hands of the Faith. One member of our committee is working on a special section on youth activities and another member is working on the ‘‘In Memoriam”’ section.

All materials intended for possible publication in this volume should be sent in promptly since the volume closes April 21, 1963.

BAHA’{ PUBLISHING TRUST

Mrs. Eunice Braun, Managing Director

Many new publications as well as new editions of standard titles (some of the latter in revised format or content) have been produced this year. Outstanding in the year’s production are the new paper and cloth editions of The Promised Day Is Come, with preface by Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, with an attractive jacket and paperbound cover design by William Musler; a children’s book issued early in the summer, The Kingdom of God by Janet Lindstrom with charming illustrations by Anna Stevenson; Invitation to Learning, a teaching manual prepared by the American National Teaching Committee and produced and distributed by the Trust; and many new editions of standard titles such as The Dawn-Breakers, and Prayers and Meditations with its attractive new jacket printed on metallic gold paper, designed by Conrad Heleniak. Other works, new as well as reprints are currently in process. The Publishing Trust is grateful to the artists and designers mentioned above who have continued to make many fine contributions to our publications.

Rather than dwell further on the materials produced which are apparent and visible to all who keep current with Baha’i literature, we would like to share other aspects of the publishing work—some of’ the needs and problems which concern us now and for the future—for the consideration of the delegates to the forthcoming convention and the Baha’i community as a whole.

The formal establishment of the Publishing Trust in 1955 as a World Crusade goal designated by Shoghi Effendi, was just one step further in its development as a permanent institution of the Faith with the primary purpose of making available the Sacred Writings and basic texts of the Baha’i Faith, as well as a variety of materials related to various aspects of the Cause. A great deal of hard groundwork in publishing activity was laid by many people prior to the World Crusade years, who either worked in full-time capacity, or who gave much time and talent voluntarily to the development of our literature.

The success of the Publishing Trust

ANNUAL REPORTS

cannot be measured only in terms of quantity or even quality of the literature it makes available, although this is obviously its function and the service it performs. Back of this, however, lies the need to be fully responsible for its current performance from an economic standpoint, and to be able to create needed funds for the future expansion of its facilities. Although the Trust has been called upon during these years of the Crusade to greatly expand its services, it has not expanded its physical facilities or its personnel, both of which are becoming highly inadequate to the task at hand. These needs must be considered shortly, however. Shoghi Effendi indicated the Publishing Trust was to conduct its activities in accordance with regular business principles and procedures. Relative to the successful operation of this institution, the following questions, with some comments are offered:

1. Are we over-extending the

amount of literature we have, beyond the abilities of the community to absorb adequately? Are we aware of the fact that by adding more and more new items, we must inevitably face increases in the prices of each individual item, or else a dangerous over-extension of inventory on the part of the Trust? Comment: A principal factor related to cost is quanity. If 5,000 copies are produced, they will be far costlier per copy than 50,000. Part of the reason why we have been able to retain pre-war prices on most items, is due to a very low overhead which cannot be continued in its present state indefinitely. The other aspect of low cost is, as mentioned above, quanity production. In recent months and years there is a growing demand for new materials which in turn displaces other items of a similar nature,

The need for change and improvement, for meeting new requirements in teaching, for updating material we have and for improving the appearance as much as possible without great expenditure is recognized. But we need a sense of balance, a moderate but select list of materials, not just more materials. This opinion was corroborated some years past by two special survey committees in their recommendations on our pamphlet literature. An example of this can be seen in regard to the pamphlet, Baha’i Teachings for a World [Page 27]ANNUAL REPORTS

Faith, still selling at $3.50 per hundred as it did prior to World War II. Our demand, however, is now falling off for this item. Still, there are many who consider it our best introductory pamphlet and appreciate its low price. But we have to be realistic and practical also and the Trust is left with the following choices: to print in lower quantity and increase the price; to print in the larger quantity necessary to maintain price but over-extend our investment in stock for an unduly long period of time; to eliminate the pamphlet entirely.

We need to consider the purpose of teaching literature—namely, to attract others. The great mass of humanity has not yet been exposed to any of our literature, and the Message contained in it is a new one for them, even though we as individual Baha’is may be familiar, or even a little bored with an item no longer new to us.

2. Are we as individual Baha’is, as assemblies or committees familiar with the literature we already have?

Comment: No. This is a weak point in the Baha’i community as a whole. Questions and suggestions made at national conventions, state conventions, teaching conferences, summer schools and in letters that come in, indicate that many are not aware of the materials available in spite of the Literature Catalog, BanA’i News listings, special promotional brochures sent to every Baha’i, and a special course designed to help us know our literature and which has been taught at most summer schools.

38. Does the local assembly (or group) give enough thought and effort to the best possible way of making the literature known to all members of the community and to establishing an adequate distribution service to enable everyone to carry on deepening and teaching work? Comment: Many communities are doing excellent work, through the service of a devoted librarian (or book sales representative). Perhaps few realize the diligent effort that goes on “behind the scenes’? when an efficient service of this kind exists in the community. On the other hand, many communities suffer from a lack of stimulation in this regard, or because the assembly has failed to appoint an individual (or a committee) capable of handling the display

and announcement of new items, as well as the businesslike dispatching of orders and care of the inventory of literature that must be maintained.

A number of small orders come to the Trust from individuals in these communities where no adequate service exists, as well as from people who have attended firesides and wish to have a book or two on the Faith. These orders are time-consuming and costly to process as against the coordinated orders coming on behalf of the whole community and its contacts.

4. Are local assemblies, committies (including area bulletins) and individual Baha’is aware of the manner in which Baha’i literature is approved and distributed, in accordance with Shoghi Effendi’s explicit

directions in this respect? (See Baha’i Administration) Comment: all literature handled

through any Baha’i channel (local community, etc.) is made available through the Publishing Trust (after approval by the National Assembly). Occasionally some other Baha’i national committee may handle a specific publication, but the principle is the same. This does not preclude individuals from buying any book they may wish from a bookstore, but they cannot foist any book (their own or any other) unto the Baha’i community or any committee for distribution through its services. Shoghi Effendi, himself, submitted his God Passes By, his translations of The Kitdb-i-[qan and The Dawn-Breakers and others to the National Assembly of the U.S. for a review by its Reviewing Committee, welcoming their suggestions.

In concluding, the Publishing Trust wishes to thank all of the friends who have given the Trust the opportunity this past year of being a “servant of the servants of God.”’ Also, particularly appreciated, were the fine efforts made at the state conventions this year, not only to actually distribute literature to the friends who attended, but to encourage them to create or support such a service in their home communities.

BAHA’i NEWS

EDITORIAL Members: Mr. P. R. Meinhard and Mrs. Sue Meinhard, Managing Editors;

Mrs. Eunice Braun, International News Editor; Miss D. Thelma Jackson, Nation 27

al News Editor; Miss Charlotte M. Linfoot, NSA Representative.

Twelve issues of BanA’{i News have been published during the year, consisting of 196 pages, with many more photographs than ever before. A continuing effort is being made to achieve the hope of the beloved Guardian that Baw’Ai News will one day be the foremost Baha’i journal of the world, and to observe the high standards he set regarding the kind of materials and photographs that should appear in this publication which now goes to practically every corner of the world.

The editors feel there has been considerable progress in this latter respect this year, due largely to the improvement in the type of articles, reports and pictures received from national and local spiritual assemblies, although there is still much to be desired in the quality and timeliness of both articles and photographs received from assemblies, committees and individuals in the United States. A number of excellent reports on local observance of special Baha’i events have not been used because they came too late to be included in the over-all report on that event compiled for publication in a particular issue, and therefore could not be regarded as ‘‘news.”’

Most issues have included one or more special features. Of special importance, as always, were the messages from the Hands of the Cause and the news letters from the International Baha’i Council.

The June issue carried the Message from the Hands of the Cause to all the Annual conventions of the Baha’i World, while the May issue carried the special message to the first annual conventions of the twenty-one Latin American countries forming their own National Spiritual Assemblies for the first time.

The Message to the Baha’i World from the Fifth Annual Conclave of the Hands of the Faith in Bahji was carried as an insert in the December issue, and portions of this message have been reprinted in subsequent issues. In addition there were a number of cablegrams, among them being that of April 29 (published in the June issue) announcing the election of the International Baha’i Council; the first meeting of this Council with the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land in June (published in the August issue); the dedication of the [Page 28]28

Mother Temple of the Antipodes, and the sad news of the passing of two beloved Hands of the Cause, Mrs. Corinne True on April 3 and Mrs. Amelia E. Collins on January 1.

Three news letters from the International Baha’i Council reporting historic developments in the Faith both at the World Center and throughout the Baha’i world were published respectively in ‘the September, December and February issues.

Many feature articles were devoted to such subjects as the Dedication of the Sydney Temple by ’Amatu’lBaha Ruhiyyih Khanum, progress in the construction of the Frankfurt Temple, visits by the Hands of the Cause to various countries, the rapid expansion of the Faith in many areas of the globe, reports on Baha’i observance of special events such as World Religion Day and United Nations Day, Baha’i youth activities, the Mother Temple of the West, Baha’i schools, new Baha’i books and new editions of others, and teaching conferences in the United States and other parts of the world.

The mailings to Baha’is resident in the United States were accompanied by a U.S. SuPPLEMENT (a total of 59 pages) and four special inserts. One insert announced the annual budget adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly for the year 1961-1962, and three were devoted to information regarding the Baha’i World Congress in London in 1963.

The SUPPLEMENT has become a very important channel of communication between the National Spiritual Assembly and the individual believers on subjects of special concern to all American Baha’is.

While the editors are not responsible for the distribution of Band’t News, they feel compelled to call attention to the fact that failure to notify the National Spiritual Assembly promptly of change in address not only deprives the individual believers of prompt receipt of BaHA’f NeEws but adds to the ever mounting cost of the production of this publication, particularly in view of the recent legislative action which requires the NSA to pay the post office eight cents for each undelivered copy of the News.

THE CHILD’S WAY

Editors: Mrs. Jean Hutchinson, Mrs. Janet Rodgers Kaye (unable to serve

since September, 1961), Assistant Editors; Mrs. Sylvia Dennis, Mrs. Rosemary Eller.

Functions: To solicit, collect and publish materials suitable in the education of children, based upon the Baha’i Teachings, including the principles involved in the training of character and Baha’i standards of living.

The editors chose the attributes of the kingdoms to be the theme for Year 118. Each issue develops the theme of one of the attributes as it is manifested in the kingdoms of Revelation and creation. Divine Unity is still the focus of thought and the standard of selection for the contents of the magazine.

Excellent materials in the way of study guides, reports, evaluations, stories, poems, photographs and illustrations have come to us from all over the world. Consequently we have been able to serve more adequately as a communication link than heretofore. The phrase ‘‘with the help of all Baha’is’’ has become increasingly meaningful.

NATIONAL BAHA’i ARCHIVES AND HISTORY

Members: Carl MHannen, Mrs. Myrtle Wendler, Secretary; Mineola Hannen.

Chairman; Mrs.

The Committee maintains the National Baha’i Archives through the preservation of materials suitable for this purpose. Effort is continually made to keep accurate organization of the sacred relics and other items as they come, from time to time, striving always to verify their authenticity according to the instructions and explanations of the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi.

The service of the Archives Committee is continuous and through the close association with the precious relics the members are ever aware of a feeling of devotion and nearness to the heart of our beloved Faith.

NATIONAL REFERENCE LIBRARY

Members: Mrs. Gene Crist, Chairman; Mrs. Marian C. Lippitt, Secretary; Edward G. Lippitt, Treasurer; Mrs. Katharine Cole, Miss Yvonne Duffy, Mrs. Oni Finks, Mrs. June Harris, Mrs. Nina Matthisen, Mrs. Janice Mollohan, Miss Pearl Pohl, Mrs. Lura Rouse, Miss Alma Sothman.

During the past year members of

ANNUAL REPORTS

this committee have worked harder than ever before and their accomplishments were:

Subject Indexes — Baha’u’llah’s Writings: completed, now on sale: Seven Valleys and Four Valleys (9 pages)

Hidden Words (10 pages)

Baha’i World Faith and Gleanings combined (75 pages, plastic bound)

Subject Indexes in preparations

Bahd@’w’llah’s Writings — Kitdb-iIqan, being typed; Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, nearly prepared and checked, ready for typing; Prayers and Meditations, prepared awaiting checking.

‘Abdu’l-Bahd’s Writings — Will & Testament, completed, being checked; all others, summaries nearly completed.

Shoghi Effendi’s Writings — summaries nearly completed.

Preparation of these detailed indexes requires a tremendous amount of time, and since it was asked that precedence be given to this work, no other reference material has been worked on,

References or other answers were supplied in reply to twenty inquir ‘ies. A new series of Gleanings for

the Press was prepared by the Public Information Service of the Baha’is of the U.S., consisting of 80 quotations of specific length.

Sale of mimeographed reference material was as follows:

66 Hidden Words Indexes

61 Seven Valleys Indexes

72 Sets of Gene Crist’s articles 14 Compilations on Teaching

7 Mrs. Juliet Cole’s Historical Outline

Receipts from these sales balanced committee expenses, except for the cost of producing the last large Subject Index. The Historical Outline and the Subject Indexes are all that are now on hand for sale.

Miss Pohl has continued to serve as custodian of the books and other literature being accumulated for the future National Library. These have been moved from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Milwaukee.

Subject Indexes were on sale at the Convention of 1961, and will be again at the coming Convention. [Page 29]ANNUAL REPORTS

NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE

Members: Mrs. Edna Johnson, Chairman; Mrs. Margaret Chance, Secretary; Miss Ruth Dasher, Mrs. Winifred Fleming.

The special purpose of the National Library Service Committee is ‘‘to encourage the placement and use of Baha’i literature in public (and other) libraries,’’ and to give counsel, if requested, about the suitable selection and presentation of books to libraries. The committee’s keeping of accurate and up-to-date records is facilitated when the friends report book placements as soon as they are made, and sending such information to the secretary of the committee.

During the year 1961-62, Baha’i communities and groups in fourteen states reported the placing of a total of 130 books in a total of fifty-one libraries. Placements fell short of last year’s total by sixty-two, when twenty-two states made _ contributions. Ninety books were placed in a total of thirty-six public libraries, twenty-one in nine college and university libraries, ten in two high school libraries, two in a day-school library, five in two libraries at military bases, and two in a church school library. =

California headed the list of current placements, with twenty-six; Florida reported nineteen, Ohio seventeen, Missouri fifteen, Massachusetts ten, Illinois nine, Hawaii eight, and Virginia seven. Other states reporting placements were Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Oregon.

While some communities indicated that the circulation of adult Baha’i books was very slow, those placing children’s books were impressed with the enthusiasm expressed by librarlans who said that the books were so popular they could not be kept on the shelves. There is little doubt that Baha’i children’s books should be in every children’s library. College professors are asking for Baha’i books in the college and university libraries, and this might well be our next field of concentration. A similar need has been felt in some of the high schools.

Circulation has been increased in some communities when the presentation of a newly-published book was accompanied by a review in the newspaper. While newspapers are interested primarily in reviews of new

books, others are accepted when well-written and interesting. In Naples, Florida, the newspaper published an article and a picture of the Temple when three books were presented to the public library by the Fort Myers group. On several occasions a display of literature for Baha’i days of special emphasis has been used to stimulate interest and circulation of our books.

The bulletin which the committee prepared in 1959 to answer the questions most often asked by the friends is still available upon request, has been sent to most of this year’s correspondents, and will be of help. to any group wishing to place literature in libraries.

PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICE

Members: Alfred B. Reed, Chairman; Mrs. Dorothea M. Reed, Secretary; Mrs. Thelma Gorham, Mrs. Beth McKenty and Nathan Rutstein.

The Committee serviced 25 wire services and newspapers and 660 press representatives in the United States, including Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and 17 other countries, as well as those communities not on its regular mailing list, requesting specific material for proclamation. Approximately 75,000 pieces of publicity aids were distributed and 1,000 letters written to assist the friends in their individual proclamation activities and other related subjects.

The committee met twice with the American National Teaching Committee to work out plans for assembling, producing and _ distributing materials for the Pilot Proclamation Program they initiated last Fall. This included the taping of the ‘Mr. Justice’ series, ‘‘Words For The World,’’ ‘“‘Prelude To A New Age’’; revision of the ‘‘Armchair Tour of the Baha’i House of Worship’’; preparation of ‘‘Telephone Solicitation’’ (to build attendance at public meetings) and ‘‘How To Compile A Mailing List’’ for sending out invitations.

The Committee also met several times with members of a Special Projects Committee appointed by the NSA for recommending ways and means of observing the 50th Anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’is visit to the United States.

Members of the committee played

29

host to Mr. George Hardin of SEPIA magazine during the National Convention last year and assisted him in gathering material for the article which appeared in the August issue of SEPIA.

Press releases, suggested copy for ads, radio news releases and editorials and spot announcements were written for the following special events: Naw-Ruz, Baha’i World Youth Day, Declaration of the Bab, National Convention, Race Amity Day, Martyrdom of the Bab, World Peace Day, United Nations Day, Baha’u’llah’s Birthday, State Convention, Human Rights Day and World Religion Day.

As of March Ist, press clippings received represented a total circulation (potential readers) of 287 million which equals the accumulated circulation of the READER’S DIGEST for 23 months! These clippings also represented 14,000 column inches of publicity, which if paid for at the country’s average rate, would have cost approximately $21,000. This does not include the 5,000 column inches of advertising paid for by the friends.

The committee presented the National Assembly with a comparative analysis of publicity coverage for the last three years. This report shows an increase in circulation of 27 per cent for special events and of 100 per cent in other events. The latter reflects the extraordinary initiative taken by the friends in carrying out a sustained publicity program at the grass-roots level, which is basic to our national growth. Those special events which showed real gains in circulation over two years ago were World Peace Day from 5 to 12 million; United Nations Day from 6 to 12 million; Human Rights Day from 3 to 9 million and World Religion Day from 9 to 13 million.

The greatest advance in the area of proclamation this year was in radio. The increasing public service time given to Baha’is in this media is most encouraging. In this connection mention should be made of the excellent program recorded by the United States United Nations Committee for United Nations Day and Human Rights Day. Because of the prestige personalities used in the program we had wide _ publicity which resulted in tripling our newspaper circulation from four million of last year to twelve million this [Page 30]30

year. Mention should also be made of the Baha’i Table Talks produced by the Beverly Hills, California Assembly and the program “Prayers for Peace’’ initiated by the Quincy, Illinois Baha’i Group.

New materials offered this year were: “How To Get Baha’i Prayers On Radio’’; ‘‘How To Get Interviews on Radio and TV”; ‘‘How To Get Publicity In The Negro Press’’; ‘‘If You Want Air Time’”’ booklet; Photo layout of the five Baha’i Temples with copy for advertisement or editorial; individual photographs of the five Baha’i Temples, and newspaper mats of the United Nations emblem and ‘‘Dawn of A New Day’’ drawing.

The Committee wishes to express its appreciation to the following: Those press representatives who sent in their clippings; the National Spiritual Assembly; the U.S. United Nations Committee; the Inter-racial service Committee; American Indian Service Committee; National Reference Library Committee; and to Dr. Jack McKenty, Miss Isabelle Silk, Mr. Gordon Laite, Frank Steward and Waldo Boyd.

NATIONAL RADIO SERVICE

Members: Mr. Shinji Yamamoto, Chairman; Mrs. Charlotte Keffrey, Secretary; Miss Helen Svendsen.

Sales: 20 catalogues, 7 ‘‘Suggestions for Radio Activity,’’ 3 rented tapes, 71 tapes, and 331 scripts.

New Material for the Year: Four scripts; ‘“‘World Crisis — World Rebirth,” ‘“‘The First Hundred Years,”’ “World Religion Day Interview,”’ and ‘‘Human Rights Day Interview.’’

Special Projects: To secure new scripts for the Baha’i special events days of five-minute and _ fourteenminute lengths, also one minute commercials on the Faith. We invite the friends to send us copies of any successful scripts they may have used, for review for general use.

Work in Process: Last year’s report mentioned Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Meinhard revising 30 scripts that were successfully used in California. Due to moving to the Wilmette area to assist on the BaHA’i News staff they found that they did not have sufficient time to complete this job. Therefore we are looking for a substitute to take on this project. If there is a Baha’i who can take this project please advise this commit tee or N.S.A. A number of scripts that were sent in this year by the friends, are in process of review.

AUDIO-VISUAL EDUCATION

Members: Burton Dezendorf, Chairman; Archie G. Tichenor, Secretary; William deForge, Jr., John Savage, Paul Wright.

Six meetings of the committee have been held during the year. Four of the five members have participated actively in the work of the committee. The fifth member, due to prolonged illness was unable to attend any of the meetings, but on occasion was in consultation with the secretary on various committee matters.

In addition to the formal meetings, numerous consultations were held between the chairman and secretary.

Instructions from the National Spiritual Assembly limited the 19611962 activities of the Committee to the sale of Audio-Visual materials already on hand. Sales activity continued strong. A substantial number of slides, tapes, and records were distributed. The entire stock of the Progressive Revelation Charts was disposed of, and the producer was paid in full.

The committee was directed to prepare an inventory of such items as are for sale. This was done, and notice appeared in BawA’i News offering these materials.

There is on hand for immediate distribution, 120 copies of the Record BLP 56, “‘Meaning of the Ridvan Feast,’ the talk by Hand of the Faith William B. Sears. This record has been most helpful in teaching and is sold for $2.00 each, three copies for $5.55.

There is also a large stock of colored slides still available, covering Haifa, Bahji, Acca, etc.; and of the Temple, Fountains, etc.

The committee was directed to prepare a complete inventory of

such equipment and other assets.

which are the property of the National Spiritual Assembly. This was done.

The committee ended its fiscal year January 31, 1962. At this time there are no accounts payable. It is significant that the committee found it unnecessary to draw upon the budgetary fund established for

ANNUAL REPORTS

the year, and that at the year end is in a completely solvent state. As has been the custom a financial statement will be submitted for the fiscal and committee years.

REVIEWING

Members: Mrs. Alice S. ‘Cox, Chairman; Dr. Garreta Busey, Miss Ruth E. Dasher, Mrs. Eleanor Hutchens, Miss Zoe Meyer.

The work of this committee has been unusual this year in that it consisted of reviewing of study units that did not reach the committee until February of 1962. Previous to that time the National Spiritual Assembly had not directed the committee to consider any manuscripts.

To date, four complete Resource Units which were prepared by the Advisory Committee on Education appointed by the N.S.A. have been checked for accuracy of Baha’i materials therein quoted. Other units will be reviewed for accuracy as they arrive in the next week or two.

These Resource Units, prepared for experimental use at Geyserville Baha’i Summer School last year and now to be used more extensively by introduction at Green Acre as well, are all edited by the Advisory Committee on Education and then sent to the Reviewing Committee. The ones that have been reviewed so far are as follows:

“Character Is Destiny,’’ based on material submitted by Jean Garcia (suggestions) and W. Keith Thorpe (compiler).

“The Signs of God’’ (for Nursery and Kindergarten). Research work by Conni de Victoria and editing by Jonni de Victoria.

‘“‘Baha’i Obligatory Laws,’’ based on material submitted by Clarice Weil, Jery Johnson, Beatrice Morgan and Adrienne Reeves.

“Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God” (for Junior Youth), by Sylvia Parmelee and Annamarie Kunz Honnold. :

The usual proper procedure for submission of manuscripts for reviewing calls for the author to first mail his manuscript to the National Spiritual Assembly with a covering letter for whatever explanation he wishes to give. The N.S.A. decides whether at the time of submission there is a possibility that the manuscript would serve a purpose in the [Page 31]< }

ANNUAL REPORTS

Ten-Year Crusade and whether it should go to the Reviewing Committee for checking and suggestions. Manuscripts from special committees, such as the ones now being reviewed, go through a different procedure upon direction of the N.S.A.

In the typing of manuscripts this committee considers it important that the basic rules of double spacing, proper paging and author identification be observed. It also requires, under direction of the N.S.A., that the source of every quotation be given, either in parentheses or in footnotes, name of author and of book and the page number to be included. Not carbon copies but clear, original copies should be submitted not only out of courtesy to the Reviewing Committee readers, but also to avoid errors due to smudging.

BAHA’i SALES

Members: Robert C. Bartlett, Chairman; M. D. Roach, Vice-chairman; Miss Cheryl Gay McCurdy, Secretary; Robert

Coleman, Mrs. Agnes Mitchell, Mrs. Carolyn Tyler. This report covers the period

March 1, 1961 to March 1, 1962; the last fiscal year of this committee. Main function of this committee was management of the book counter in the foundation of the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, which includes filling of mail orders for Baha’i friends all around the world.

Gross sales during this twelve month period was $13,065.40 which represents a slight, 2.7%, decrease in sales volume compared to previous year. Since $4,067.01 (31.2% of total sales) was sold during the past National Convention, this short period of accellerated activity has a large bearing on this committee’s overall financial picture.

Items sold and still available include postcards, photographs, picture portfolios, rings, ringstones, Greatest Names, Temple models, and slides of the Baha’i Temple. Baha’i literature was sold only at the counter as literature mail orders are handled by the Baha’i Publishing Trust.

For benefit of all, especially those who are unable to visit the book counter in the Temple foundation, a materials list or catalog is available on request that shows all items sold only by this committee along with prices and terms. Friends ordering anything from this committee are

requested to make certain they are only items included on the materials list issued by this committee. Anticipation of needs well in advance to avoid rush orders is much appreciated.

This committee also wishes to thank those friends who have assisted at the counter during the busy convention-time and during the summer months when the counter is open daily for six hours. Their services are truly appreciated and much needed.

CONVENTION ARRANGEMENTS

Members: J. Harvey Redson, Chairman; Mrs. Wilhelmina Becker, Secre tary; Mrs. Thais Baker, Mrs. Gene Bernstein, Joseph Cole, Mrs. Dotha Cooper, L. Wyatt Cooper, Mrs. Minnie Hadley, Mrs. Nida Kern, Mrs. Rosa Lewis, Mrs. Gertrude Marks, Mrs. May Scheffler, Mrs. Sarah Walrath.

Attendance at the Annual Convention has been increasing each year, until now we register well over 1000 members. The committee has expanded its preparations to take care of this and now everything seems to run quite smoothly.

The number of children to be taken care of has increased considerably and a well organized program was provided for all age groups and was supervised by a person well qualified for this work.

Inquiries for accommodations were taken care of, and we are pleased to be able to report that with complete information on hotels, motels, and rates made available in the BawA’f NEws, most Baha’is are now making their own arrangements. This has proven to be most satisfactory.

Exhibit space. was provided for nineteen committees at the 1961 convention.

Mail was received and delivered to addressees.

We are serving more meals each year. The specified hours of serving in the diningroom is now working well with more time allowed for setting up service. We thank all for their cooperation. Also we wish to express our appreciation to those who volunteer to work behind the counters during the serving hours, and hope that friends will again offer their help this year of 1962.

First aid was given when needed.

We hope that the committee will be able to operate in such a manner

31

that it will deserve and continue to receive the support of all. We will at all times be glad to receive suggestions and will endeavor to use those that are feasible.

DAVISON BAHA’i SUMMER SCHOOL

Program Committee Members: Fred Sudhop, Chairman; Mary Jane Langrall, Corresponding Secretary; Betty Weston, Recording Secretary; Marion Finley, Treasurer; Shirley Baldwin, Wallace, Baldwin, Phyllis Hall, Harrison Langrall, Helen McClusky, Jack Shephard, Jean Shephard.

The Davison Baha’i School was in summer session for just one month in 1961—August 5th to September 4th. The opening week-end program was under the direction of the East Central States Area Teaching Committee. Subsequent week-ends were geared to emphasizing the World Crusade by the presentation of progress reports prepared by the various national teaching committees.

The week of August 7-12 was open to Junior Youth only. Teachers and courses were: Thom Thompson — “Laws To Live By’’; Ludmila Van Sombeek— ‘‘The Divine’ Feast’’; Betty Springston — ‘‘Age of Heroes.”’ The counsellors were Harold and Marge Johnson, who were aalso responsible for crafts and recreation as well as planning the evening activities which included games, films, charades, singing, treasure hunt, talent show and field trips.

The following three weeks were all ‘‘Family Sessions’? with no separation of classes for youth and adults. The courses covered four major categories: Inspirational, deepening, Teaching of Children and Introductory.

The week of August 14-19 had as

courses and teachers: ‘‘Teaching Children”? by Clarice Weil; ‘‘Introductory’”’ by Henry Weil; ‘‘Prayer

and Meditation’? by Naomi McCord; “Kitab’i Iqan,’’ by Ludmila Van Sombeek. One of the highlights of this session was the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Maxwell, American pioneers from Korea. They shared experiences and films and were an inspiration to all.

The week of August 21-29: ‘‘Scientific Realism and the Baha’i Faith,”’ taught by George Winder; ‘‘Religion and Civilization’’ by J. D. Martin of Canada. Mr. Martin’s nar[Page 32]32

rational ability and knowledge of history made this a very interesting class. ‘‘How To Teach Children,”’ by Barbara McCurdy; ‘“‘Introductory,’? with Hazel Langrall; ‘How To Do It,”’ by Gail Curwin.

The last week, August 28-September 2: ‘‘You and the Creative Word’’ —Riaz Khadem; ‘‘Progress of the Soul’? — Ruth Moffett; ‘“‘Science and Religion’? — Otto Zmeskal; ‘‘Introductory’’ —Ben Kaufman. This session was especially blessed with the presence of Hand of the Cause, Mr. Khadem and his family. Mr. Khadem spent many extra periods with the friends, speaking on many aspects of the Creative Word. Mrs. Khadem also addressed the believers at one of the evening programs.

In addition to the above courses each week, programs were provided for evenings, varying widely in character. These included: talks by visiting pioneers; tape recorded talks by Hand of the Cause Wm. Sears; singing; showing various slides; panel discussions; etc. Morning and evening devotions were a part of every session.

Classes for children ran simultaneously with the adult classes, teachers being: Sharonne Fogle, Alberta Bird, Marion Jackson, Maxine Thompson.

Public Meetings were held each Sunday at 3:00 p.m., and on Wednes day nights. Attendance was very good, in some cases nearing 100.

September 2-4 was the traditional Homecoming Week-end. Attendance was at an all-time peak with nearly 180 persons. This greatly overtaxed the facilities and presented some difficulties. The sessions offered by the African Teaching Committee were well devised and well received. An especially outstanding farewell program was given by a panel of speakers: Thom Thompson, Riaz Khadem, Gail Curwin, with closing remarks by Mr. Khadem. Many remarked that they had never been so moved as at this inspiring presentation.

The average weekly attendance was much higher than in recent

_years. Book Sales amounted to over

$500.00.

The 1961 Davison Baha’i School Winter Session was held from December 26 through January 1, 1962. Nearly 100 persons attended what was felt by many to be one of the finest winter sessions ever held. Each course and the program in general was directed to the victorious fulfillment of the Ten Year Crusade, and it was not uncommon to hear the friends dedicating themselves anew to the teaching effort.

Courses and teachers were: ‘‘God’s Unfolding Plan,’’ with J. D. Martin; “Tnspiration,’’ Thom Thompson; ‘‘Ef ANNUAL REPORTS

fective Teaching,’’ Gail Curwin and Wallace Baldwin; ‘“‘Prescription for Baha’i Living,’’ four days with Mary Jane and Harrison Langrall and two days with Wilma and Irvin Thomas, visiting pioneers from South America.

Hand of the Cause, Mr. Khadem was present for the early part of the week. His spirit and love was radiated to every Baha’i and it did not leave when he did.

A wide variety of evening programs were presented. Devotions were held mornings and evenings throughout the week.

Both of the 1961 School Sessions had as administrators: Emanuel Reimer, Manager; Gail and Gerald Curwin, Program Directors. They were equally responsible as’ a unit for putting into effect the policies established by the National Spiritual Assembly for the proper functioning of the Baha’i Schools. These policies are designed to establish our schools as examples of the highest standards of instruction, teaching, fellowship and conduct. At the same time the administrators tried to provide an atmosphere of love and devotion conducive to making the occasion a memorable and rewarding experience for each one at Davison. With the help of the dedicated and well qualified teachers and the enthusiastic response of all those who attended the sessions as_ students, this was achieved to a high degree.

BOSCH SAHA‘! SCHOOL 509 Corastock Ln. Santa Cruz, CA. 95060 �