The American Bahá’í/Volume 7/Issue 5/Text

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The American Bahá’í May, 1976

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[Page 1]

Excitement generated as teaching projects move forward throughout country

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State-by-state conference reports—Pages 5-9

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Hundreds of teaching projects are under way throughout the United States in the wake of a new spirit of enthusiastic service generated at the District Teaching Conferences on March 27.

The conferences, sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly, resulted in thousands of commitments for more dedicated personal teaching, according to reports from the 89 sites.

Results were immediate. At least seven declarations were reported at the conferences: three in South Carolina, and one each in Florida, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. “People just went out teaching and found them,” a report from York, South Carolina, said.

Goals were explained, and volunteers at almost all of the conferences arose to pursue the objectives. All of the participants at the conferences in Dover, Delaware, and Knoxville, Tennessee, signed up to work on teaching projects.

Many of the believers went into action on March 28 with such activities as proclamations, public meetings, and personal teaching.

A cable from The Universal House of Justice to the National Assembly was read at most of the conferences. The message said:

“FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING HOLY THRESHOLD BESEECHING CONCOURSE ON HIGH STIMULATE STRENGTHEN PARTICIPANTS COUNTRYWIDE TEACHING CONFERENCES ENABLE THEM EMBARK STRENUOUS CAMPAIGN ATTRACT MULTITUDES AS YET UNAWARE TEACHINGS BAHAULLAH. ASSURE YOU AND AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY OUR LOVING PRAYERS.”

The friends were moved by the message.

A letter from the National Assembly, also read at the conferences, pointed out the urgency of the teaching work and implored the believers “to seize the shimmering chance for heroic attainment which the Five Year Plan holds before us, and which every individual must now forthrightly address. For it is ultimately upon the individual’s resolute action that must rest the fate of the entire Plan.” (See April Bahá’í National Review for complete text of the letter.)

Recorded discussions with the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir were also presented at the conferences. Dr. Muhájir talked about individual teaching and how it could lead to entry by troops in the United States.

“Great consultation” and “very good response” were reported in workshop sessions at which specific teaching ideas were discussed.

Many of the friends volunteered to move into areas to form Local Spiritual Assemblies and into areas to save jeopardized Assemblies. And there were special contributions to the National Bahá’í Fund.

In addition to the conferences in the U.S., the National Assembly sponsored similar conferences in Bermuda and the Bahamas, two of the areas in which the American Bahá’í community has been assigned to meet goals of the Five Year Plan.

Margy Smith makes a point at conference in Ames, Iowa.

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On the go for Bahá’u’lláh

The number of international traveling teaching trips from the United States has more than doubled in just one year.

Figures compiled by the International Goals Committee show that 322 such trips were taken since April 1975 compared with 139 trips the previous year. Of the 322 trips, 258 were to countries assigned to the U.S. by The Universal House of Justice in a special international traveling teaching program.

Specific numerical goals were not assigned by the World Center. However, the International Goals Committee has requested that 270 trips of at least one-month duration be undertaken to 70 countries this year.

Believers from abroad have also been assigned to travel teach in the United States. Among the communities with such assignments are Alaska, Canada, the Hawaiian Islands, Hong Kong, Ireland,

Continued on Page 13, Col. 1

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Post-Convention reports

A series of meetings will be held across the country to explain the features of the nationwide teaching objectives to be announced at the National Convention.

The District Teaching Committees will arrange the sessions and invite the Convention delegates to report to the friends on the teaching goals. In addition, teaching activities will be held in conjunction with the meetings.

The friends have also been encouraged by the National Spiritual Assembly to take the initiative, through their local institutions, to invite their delegates to make post-Convention reports at the local level.

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Eight members of Pomona Assembly volunteer to pioneer abroad

Eight members of the Spiritual Assembly of Pomona, California, plan to leave for international pioneering posts this summer.

Taw and Priscilla Womack will go to Chile. Tom and Caroline Gosling to Bangladesh, Andy and Gladys Johnson to Brazil, and Nat Anderson and Gloria Buis to Africa.

Mrs. Buis explained that it was the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir who prompted them to leave, although pioneering was “something we’ve all discussed, have all been interested in. But Dr. Muhájir made us decide faster.”

The Womacks and Goslings heard Dr. Muhájir speak in Los Angeles and returned home so excited that the four other prospective pioneers flew to San Francisco to hear him.

When the eight Bahá’ís leave, the Pomona community will still have more than 15 adult believers. The Guardian said that the friends should not pioneer if their departure places an Assembly in jeopardy. Rather, they should build the community in teaching activities and then pioneer.

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From left to right: Andy Johnson, Miji Ryan, Gloria Buis, Taw and Priscilla Womack, Nat Anderson, Cindy Hubbard, Randy Buis, Tom and Caroline Gosling, and Gladys Johnson. The Johnsons, Womacks, Goslings, Mr. Anderson, and Mrs. Buis leave for pioneering posts soon.

[Page 2]

Editorial

Individual persistence

The bonds of unity and fellowship among the friends have been strengthened; their involvement in the teaching work and their interest in its progress have been increased.

Many activities are under way across the United States following the 89 District Teaching Conferences, activities such as proclamations and public meetings. It is clear that more and more people have heard, and are hearing, about Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í Faith.

The Universal House of Justice has called upon the American Bahá’í community to embark on a strenuous teaching campaign to attract the multitudes who are still uninformed of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

Proclamations and public meetings are vital preludes to successful teaching projects. Meanwhile, each individual believer must be vigorously active, full of zeal and enthusiasm, as words and actions attract the hearts of the masses to the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh.

The Universal House of Justice wrote in October 1967: “It is the purity of heart, detachment, uprightness, devotion, and love of the teacher that attracts the Divine confirmations and enables him, however ignorant he be in this world’s learning, to win the hearts of his fellowmen to the Cause of God.”

We must have more consistent firesides. We must be kind, patient, and persistent.

The beloved Guardian said the teacher should “not be content until he has infused into his spiritual child so deep a longing as to impel him to arise independently, in his turn, and devote his energies to the quickening of other souls.”

No true believer can remain silent while around him men cry out in anguish for truth, love, and unity to appear in this world.

The Universal House of Justice wrote in December 1970 that universal participation “will endow the Bahá’í community with such strength that it can overcome the forces of spiritual disintegration which are engulfing the non-Bahá’í world, and can become an ocean of oneness that will cover the face of the planet.”

The design for victory has been mapped. We must step forward with courage and confidence.

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Letters to the editor

The American Bahá’í welcomes letters from readers on any Bahá’í subject. Write to Editor, The American Bahá’í, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you would like your letter returned. The editors reserve the right to edit letters.

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In the Name of Bahá’u’lláh

Dear Editor,

While recently on Pilgrimage, I was able to understand for the first time why Bahá’u’lláh said that teaching is the Greatest Gift and just how much of a burden it is to be deprived of it.

The friends serving at the World Center are not able to teach the Faith. Nevertheless, they hold “firesides” for Bahá’ís only each week, drawing straws to see who will be Bahá’ís and who will assume the roles of seekers. This is so they will not forget how to teach.

The Universal House of Justice is so excited about the Each One Teach One Conferences, looking to them to initiate the entry by troops in America. The International Teaching Center is so envious of our position, so anxiously awaiting the good news of our fruits in the field.

In my opinion, we at times complicate teaching unnecessarily, spending excessive amounts of precious time determining who is ready to be taught and who is not (everyone should be taught), which teaching methods are most effective, which literature is best, which principles should be presented first. This is important to a degree, but we must never allow it to obscure our objective.

Not an hour passed in Haifa that the Name of Bahá’u’lláh was not mentioned—mentioned with love, with tenderness, with fervor. How frequently is His Name mentioned in our consultation and in our actual teaching?

The Hand of the Cause of God ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan emphasized to the American Bahá’ís that presenting the principles of the Faith is merely the means to attract people, to offer the souls the Message. What is the Message? Not one language, one race, one world. The Message is that Bahá’u’lláh has come! The Promised One has come! All else is secondary.

Mary Alice Hansen

Stoughton, Wisconsin

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The Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir urges prayer and action.

Pioneer in your own hometown, Dr. Muhájir urges believers

The Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir opened the door and carefully placed his suitcase on the bed. He walked over to the window of his 11th floor hotel room and immediately turned his gaze to the northwest. The Bahá’í House of Worship, four miles away, dominated the skyline.

“It’s beautiful, beautiful,” the Hand of the Cause said in a soft voice.

“Oh, you American Bahá’ís are lucky,” he exclaimed. “The Faith is safe here, secure. And this is the best time to teach.”

Dr. Muhájir was taking a few moments to relax before meeting his next appointment, one of many he has kept since arriving in the United States in December. For more than three months he traveled in almost every state, talking about teaching, consolidation, pioneering, and traveling teaching.

He was impressed by the enthusiasm of the Bahá’ís throughout the country.

“What we need now is action,” Dr. Muhájir said. “Pray and act. Don’t keep quiet. Tell someone about Bahá’u’lláh. Even if he does not become a Bahá’í, he will tell someone about the Faith. Perhaps the other person will accept. Be positive.”

The Hand of the Cause shared his teaching ideas with hundreds of Bahá’ís during his visit. Appointed a Hand of the Cause by Shoghi Effendi in 1957, Dr. Muhájir has traveled extensively for the Faith in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Africa, and Central and South America. He has seen the fruits of mass teaching and is confident the American believers will accomplish similar victories.

“The United States is ready for entry by troops. And the Bahá’ís are ready,” Dr. Muhájir said. “Search for all the opportunities. Extend yourself and reach the people. Make out of yourself a new pioneer: be a pioneer in your own hometown.” He recalled how the Faith has grown throughout the world by the sacrifice of individuals.

The Hand of the Cause urged Local Spiritual Assemblies to cooperate in more collective teaching enterprises. “We must find the receptive areas and send traveling teachers,” he said.

Dr. Muhájir said that hundreds of thousands will hear about the Faith and many thousands will accept. “I am sure something great has to happen.”

The Hand of the Cause said Bahá’ís should “always look to the future, but give it time. The problems of humanity have deepened over thousands of years. The healing will take many generations, but we can alleviate the suffering of the world.”

Dr. Muhájir, who received his M.D. at Ṭihrán Medical School and has practiced medicine in Iran and Indonesia, was asked about the state of the health of the American Bahá’í community.

“It’s wonderful; couldn’t be better,” he said.

Dr. Muhájir also said that he is convinced this is a turning point in the history of the Faith in the United States and that American Bahá’ís should be conscious of their destiny to advance the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

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Dates to remember

May 20-23 House of Worship Visit Program, Wilmette, Illinois. Sponsored by the Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Committee.

May 23 Anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.

June 5 Feast of Núr.

June 10-13 Pioneer Training Institute (by invitation only). Sponsored by the Bahá’í International Goals Committee.

[Page 3]

A creative way to give to the Fund

The Office of the Treasurer receives many heartwarming letters telling of sacrifices and creative ways of giving to the Fund. The following excerpts are from one recent letter:

“We had long been dismayed at the rising cost of utilities since our budget is a tight one. However, our efforts to economize failed because it was difficult to break old habits. Motivation to cut down our use of power seemed to be lacking. We couldn’t remember to turn off lights, turn down heat, or refrain from unnecessary and lengthy long-distance telephone calls.

“Finally, we discovered a way to send that wasted money, formerly spent for unneeded power, to Bahá’u’lláh. Here’s how we did it: we calculated the cost of our combined utilities for last year then divided by 12 to come up with an average monthly expense. Now we try hard to turn off lights, turn down heat, and make only necessary long-distance phone calls, keeping them short. At the end of the month, when the utility bills come in, we subtract what we owe that month from what we paid each month last year. Whatever is left goes to the Fund. The enclosed check for $57.50 is the savings on utility bills for just a two-month period.

“No problem exists with motivation now. We take great joy at the flick of a light switch and don’t mind feeling a little chilly once in a while. Not only have we saved on fuel, but we have accomplished one of our goals.”

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State of South Carolina honors Bahá’í, musician Dizzy Gillespie

The continent of America is in the eyes of the one true God the land wherein the splendors of His light shall be revealed, where the mysteries of His Faith shall be unveiled, where the righteous will abide and the free assemble.”—‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

These words, together with the entire editorial “Two Hundred Years of Imperishable Hope,” which appeared in the Bicentennial issue of World Order magazine, were read by Dizzy Gillespie to a special joint session of the South Carolina Legislature, March 9, convened to honor Mr. Gillespie’s contribution “to the world of music and the state of South Carolina.”

In the presence of Governor James B. Edwards, Mr. Gillespie received a plaque from the South Carolina Arts Commission, and responded by identifying himself as a member of the Bahá’í Faith, “full of hope for America as it honors its Bicentennial.”

During a press conference in the Governor’s office, Governor Edwards appeared briefly with Mr. Gillespie for television news cameras, saying that in spite of a heavy work schedule he “couldn’t resist” joining him for a moment. This followed a performance by Mr. Gillespie’s quintet in the legislative chamber and ceremonies which welcomed him back as a native son who had brought honor to South Carolina.

Mayor Charles Jackson of Cheraw, S.C. (Mr. Gillespie’s birthplace) attended the day’s events, along with a number of former teachers and friends from that area. A reception for 300 was given by Governor and Mrs. Edwards at the Guest House, facing the Governor’s Mansion, and was followed by a private dinner for Mr. Gillespie, members of his quintet, the South Carolina Arts Commission, and friends from Cheraw.

The ceremonies in Columbia highlighted a six-day visit to the state by Mr. Gillespie and his quintet as part of a jazz residency program instituted by the South Carolina Arts Commission in recent years. The two-day visit to Columbia included a concert at the University of South Carolina, as well as workshops at Benedict College.

In each area, Mr. Gillespie moved into the middle of his young audience, playing his trumpet from various locations. On one occasion, he chose young people to come up on the stage and dance in the closing number, also selecting some of the teaching staff and the principal of the school. Wherever he went, he left a host of friends, including a member of the Governor’s staff who commented at the end of the visit, “We fully enjoyed having him down here. It was really a treat!”

Dizzy Gillespie, left, honored by Governor James Edwards.

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Joliet forms Assembly

Bahá’ís of Joliet, Illinois, formed ‎thier their‎ Spiritual Assembly February 14 during a visit by the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem. That Assembly is a very special fruit of the statewide teaching conference which was held in Joliet November 1–2. At that time, there were three Bahá’ís in Joliet.

After the conference, a couple inspired by the conference moved to Joliet.

The group of five then had a special seminar January 26–31 with Ruth ‎Moffat Moffett‎. She led all the sessions and gave a public talk at Joliet College. Her talk, based on a large chart which she made called “The Cause of The Rise and Fall of Civilizations,” caused one of three professors in the audience to say, “This is very enlightening. It should be presented to the youth in every college.”

Mrs. Moffett, whose untiring work in helping to establish the Administrative Order in the U.S. was highly praised by the Guardian, also gave firesides on each day of the seminar in the new Joliet Bahá’í Center, the former home of a newly-declared Bahá’í, Chris Pike.

Mrs. Moffett stressed the urgency of teaching, the necessity for expansion, and the future destiny of America.

In the next few months, the Joliet friends added about six more to their number. Two of these were a waitress and her husband; one of the Bahá’ís has patronized the restaurant where the waitress works for two years and has taught there regularly.

Others declared at firesides which were announced weekly in newspaper ads inviting readers to informal discussions about the Faith.

Now the goal of the Joliet Assembly is to increase the number of adults to 15 so that they can incorporate. It also has two goal areas and recently a team of seven Bahá’ís visited those areas.

“We seem to really work well together,” said Assembly chairman Jack Barbre. “Everyone pitches in on every endeavor and it just seems to work for us.”

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Chattanooga Assembly forms

Tennessee Bahá’ís made their first contribution to the reinvigorated Southern teaching work with a direct-teaching project in Chattanooga February 14. The project was sponsored by the newly-formed Local Spiritual Assembly of Chattanooga.

Teaching teams went from house to house in one neighborhood, inviting residents to a meeting in a Bahá’í home there. Two seekers attended the meeting. Weekly children’s classes in that home are being increasingly attended by neighborhood children, ages 2–12. These classes are, according to the secretary of the Assembly, Sarah Norton, “perhaps our most successful activity so far.”

In this time of renewed teaching in the South, it is interesting to note that a teaching conference for the first intensive Southern teaching plan was held September 13–14, 1969, in Chattanooga, which had no resident Bahá’ís at the time. The gathering prepared 125 Bahá’ís from Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, ‎Louisisana Louisiana‎, and Arkansas to teach toward the goal of mass conversion.

Now, six years later, a springboard for Tennessee’s participation in the new Southern plan is the Local Spiritual Assembly of Chattanooga.

Many members of the Chattanooga community moved there especially to ensure formation of an Assembly. But two are young adults who heard of the Faith at a Seals and Crofts concert, attended the post-concert fireside, contacted the Bahá’ís, and haven’t missed a Bahá’í meeting since. Several others are also newly-declared.

The Chattanooga Bahá’ís are continuing neighborhood direct-teaching programs. During February they sponsored radio spots on three stations.

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Positions open

Positions are open this summer at Green Acre Bahá’í School and at Conifer Hill Bahá’í School.

Jobs available at Green Acre include building supervisor to oversee construction work, cooks, housekeeper, dining room supervisor, bookkeeper, registrar, and participants in the annual work/study project. Applicants should write to E. Miller, Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine 03903.

At Conifer Hill, a work foreman is needed for the work/study program. Applicants should have experience in plumbing, mechanics, carpentry, and the use, maintenance, and ‎rapair repair‎ of chain saws. Write to Conifer Hill Bahá’í Schools Committee, Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, Secretary, 437 Pine, Boulder, Colorado 80302. Mrs. Fisher’s telephone is 303/443-6422.

Members of the first Spiritual Assembly of Chattanooga, Tenn. From left to right: seated—Paul Haynes, Julian MacQueen, Becky Mayberry; standing—Maryann Elczuk, Joe Ford, Kathy Giles, Cissie Norton, Kathy Coover, and Russ Coover.

[Page 4]

Many teaching activities planned in conjunction with International Conferences

A series of regional teaching conferences and Bahá’í Schools will be held in conjunction with the first three International Teaching Conferences scheduled by The Universal House of Justice.

The first conference will be held July 5–8 in Helsinki, Finland, with the Hand of the Cause of God Ugo Giachery representing The Universal House of Justice. The second of the Arctic conferences will follow July 23–25 in Anchorage, Alaska, with the Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone representing The Universal House of Justice. Both conferences will feature discussions on teaching the native peoples of the Arctic—the Lapps, Eskimos, Indians, Aleuts, and Gypsies.

Paris, blessed by the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His travels to the West, will host the third conference August 3–6. The participation of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum as representative of The Universal House of Justice will recall her distinguished mother’s association with that city at the turn of the century. Large delegations from America, Europe, North Africa, and Iran are expected to attend. The Paris International Bahá’í Conference Committee has requested that the friends dress conservatively to avoid attracting negative criticism. The Paris conference will be the first large gathering of Bahá’ís in France.

The aim of the conferences is to stimulate interest in the teaching work to fulfill the goals of the Five Year Plan. Five other International Teaching Conferences are also scheduled: October 15–17 in Nairobi, Kenya; November 27–30 in Hong Kong; ‎Jaunuary January‎ 19–22 in Auckland, New Zealand; January 28–30 in Bahia, Brazil; and February 4–6 in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Below is a list of activities planned in conjunction with the first three conferences:

July 9–15—teaching activities throughout Finland.

July 10—National Teaching Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark.

July 10–17—Summer School, Inverness, United Kingdom.

July 16–18—National Teaching Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden.

July 22–24—National Teaching Conference, Bodo, Norway.

July 25–31—Scandinavian Summer School, Uldum, Jylland, Denmark.

Following Alaska conference—Native Council, Alaska.

Prior to Paris conference—Summer School and camping session, Italy.

August 8—National Teaching Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark.

August 8—National Teaching Conference followed by two-week teaching campaign, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.

August 8–9—National Teaching Conference, Lenzburg, Switzerland.

August 12–16—Summer School and National Teaching Conference, Belgium.

August 21–29—Summer School and National Teaching Conference, Ireland.

August 24–29—Summer School, Ansembourg Castle, Luxembourg.

Beginning August 27—Summer School, Iceland.

Following Paris conference—National Teaching Conferences, Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.

Following Paris conference—National Teaching Conference, Spain.

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Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, site of the July 5–8 conference.

Paris conference to be held in Palais des Congres, right foreground.

General view of Anchorage, Alaska, site of July 23–25 conference.

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Helsinki, Finland

July 3—leave U.S. for overnight flight to Helsinki.

July 4–6—six nights at hotel of your choice, airport transfers to and from hotel. Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour.

July 10–13—leave for Inverness in the morning. Four nights at hotel of your choice, transfers from and to airport, three meals per day. Summer School arranged by the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom.

July 14–16—leave for London in the morning. Three nights at hotel of your choice, Continental breakfast daily, half-day sightseeing tour, including a trip to the Guardian’s grave.

July 17—leave London for U.S.

COST PER PERSON

From New York, including air fare: single $1,116 (4 star), $971 (3 star), $877 (2 star); twin $1,001 (4 star), $893 (3 star), $819 (2 star); triple $981 (4 star), $873 (3 star), $799 (2 star). Supplement per person for following gateways: Chicago $119, Houston $189, Los Angeles $141.

Anchorage, Alaska

July 21—leave U.S. for flight to Anchorage, transfer to hotel.

July 22—half-day sightseeing tour.

July 23–26—conference.

July 27—leave for U.S. or proceed on optional tour.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION

July 27–30—trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, including transfer to and from hotel, three nights at the Ritz Hotel, half-day city tour, baggage handling of two suitcases per person, all taxes and gratuities.

COST PER PERSON

Anchorage (land portion only), $254 (4 star), $197 (3 star). No single rooms available.

Vancouver (land portion only), $75 (sharing twin), $100 (single room).

Paris, France

August 1—leave U.S. for overnight flight to Paris.

August 2–7—six nights at hotel of your choice, airport transfers. Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour, Bateau Mouche cruise.

August 8–11—leave for Zurich. Four nights at hotel of your choice, Continental breakfast daily.

August 12–14—leave for London. Three nights at hotel of your choice, Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour, including side trip to the Guardian’s grave.

August 15—leave for U.S.

COST PER PERSON

From New York including air fare: single $1,081 (4 star), $985 (3 star), $910 (2 star); twin $915 (4 star), $845 (3 star), $799 (2 star); triple $895 (4 star), $825 (3 star), $719 (2 star). Supplement per person for following gateways (subject to 10 passengers traveling together): Chicago $119, Houston $189, Los Angeles $172.

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Group travel to conferences is encouraged

The National Spiritual Assembly has encouraged the American believers planning to attend the International Teaching Conferences to work through Bankers Trust Travel Planning Service in order to ensure large participation in teaching activities and to take advantage of group rate accommodations.

The National Assembly asked the International Goals Committee to make travel arrangements and work out a comprehensive package of activities associated with the conferences. After careful review, the International Goals Committee selected Bankers Trust Travel Planning Service of New York with the approval of the National Assembly. Bankers Trust is a large international travel bureau with extensive resources in foreign countries.

The International Goals Committee arranged itineraries designed to help meet the goals of the international traveling teaching program announced by The Universal House of Justice. The success of these activities is predicated on large numbers of American believers booking through Bankers Trust.

To make reservations, complete the form at left and mail with your deposit to Bankers Trust Travel Planning Service, 280 Park Avenue, Floor 10 West, New York, N.Y. 10017.

[Page 5]

Teaching in the Central states

Sharing in Nebraska

The future in North Dakota

Joy in South Dakota

Music brings out loving fellowship in Oak Park, Illinois.

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Illinois

Friends at the three Illinois conferences reported ongoing, active teaching in goal areas.

One of the Northern Illinois Districts, Cook County, has already opened 13 of its 15 goal localities and has another goal of forming five new Spiritual Assemblies.

The conferences were held in Oak Park, DeKalb, and Springfield. Friends in Springfield said they “felt loved and cherished” by Dr. Muhájir and by the National Spiritual Assembly. Fourteen communities were represented at the conference.

In DeKalb, Bahá’ís gave spirited reports of their teaching efforts and requested assistance.

Nine teaching teams at Oak Park gave detailed reports of projects throughout Cook County, most of which are going forward every weekend. And imaginative displays were presented by eight Assemblies outlining their teaching activities.

The conferences ended on a wave of good spirit and fellowship. The friends in Oak Park clasped hands in a large unity circle, led by a vanguard of dancing, clapping youth, who made up about half the attendance.

Many teaching projects were resumed the following day. One such project was a musical proclamation in Mt. Prospect arranged by the Spiritual Assembly of Wilmette and the Mt. Prospect group. One goal of the Wilmette community is to assist Mt. Prospect in forming an Assembly. More than 100 persons, many of them non-Bahá’ís, attended the program which featured Warren Kim and his Jazz Quartet with guitarist Milt Norman, singer-pianist Bob Bellows, and a talk by Joan Bulkin, secretary of the Bahá’í National Teaching Committee.

Indiana

An each one teach one experience developed following the conference at Ball State University in Muncie. A meeting in Fulton on March 28 drew 15 seekers and 16 Bahá’ís.

Other events followed the conference in LaGrange and Dearborn Counties. In Scott County, the District Teaching Committee is presenting information to officials, and Indianapolis is sponsoring a teaching project in Knox County.

Iowa

The chairman of the conference in Ames, Iowa, announced that she was moving to Ames to bring the number of adults there to nine.

Teaching projects for Ames, Mason City, Sioux City, and ‎Garrision Garrison‎ were announced. The conference atmosphere was positive and comfortable, inviting frank and loving consultation in which all the friends had a chance to speak.

Kansas

Using a “Johnny Carson Show” format at the conference in Manhattan, an interviewer asked a 77-year-old traveling teacher about the how-to’s and rewards of traveling teaching. Commercials requesting pioneers or teachers for various places appeared on large cardboards. An isolated believer was interviewed, relating how wonderful it feels to be visited by a traveling Bahá’í. Music supplemented the talking.

The friends then volunteered for activities in Abilene, McPherson, Dodge City, Garden, Leavenworth, and Pittsburg.

Michigan

Bahá’ís filled the auditorium at Saginaw Valley College for Michigan’s teaching conference in Kochville Township.

Several volunteered to move into areas with jeopardized Assemblies: Taylor, Pontiac, and Ypsilanti. Others volunteered to move to Meridian to help form a new Assembly.

Auxiliary Board member Peter Khan participated and addressed the group.

About 69 of the 190 participants volunteered for post-conference teaching projects. Activities are scheduled in all 14 of mainland Michigan’s unopened counties.

Enthusiasm was high during the workshops, and discussions ran overtime.

Minnesota

About half of the Bahá’ís at the conference for Northern Minnesota, in Bemidji, had never attended a conference before. They were aware that every Bahá’í in the country had received a personal invitation to attend a teaching conference and that 89 conferences were meeting simultaneously. As they went from one activity to the next, and the spirit grew, they would stop and remark, “California is winding up this workshop now.” They knew that thousands of Bahá’ís were with them.

In St. Paul, the Southern Minnesota friends were also enthused. Each left with a declaration card in purse or wallet, and the opportunity to participate in one of three proclamations on March 28 in Anoka, Litchfield, and Olmsted ‎Coumy County‎.

They consulted joyously during workshops. One youth explained one of his teaching tips: “When I am at a party I find the biggest glass in the house and fill it with milk. This usually starts a half-hour conversation about the Faith.”

The friends in Bemidji were particularly warmed by the loving, detailed planning of their five-person conference committee. Everything was lovingly arranged, from having rosebuds on the registration table and adding electronic beeps on slide programs so that they would function properly.

Teaching in goal areas had been started before the conference, and tables were crowded during workshop breaks with friends signing up for teaching.

Missouri

The 50 friends gathered in Jefferson City felt growing enthusiasm during their conference, and an awareness of the responsibilities of each Bahá’í during the last half of the Five Year Plan. One couple was inspired to consider moving to a jeopardized Assembly area.

The each one teach one song and tape were especially appreciated.

Nebraska

Several Bahá’ís stayed overnight in Grand Junction, Nebraska, to assist with the day of teaching that followed the conference there.

Others volunteered for teaching projects in eight unopened counties. The District Teaching Committee was recording names of volunteers throughout the conference.

All the friends felt they could have had more time for discussion, as everyone was so alert to the urgency of the hour, and had so much to share.

North Dakota

A school-teacher ‎form from‎ the Fort Yates Indian Reservation declared at the conference in Minot, North Dakota.

The conference opened with a prayer by Oly Pretend Eagle, who then spontaneously explained how much Bahá’í prayers mean to her. With one prayer, she said, you could teach the Indian, because it is all that is needed. Teaching is planned on every reservation in North Dakota: week-long efforts will concentrate on reaching families.

The conference’s host community, Minot, recently attained Assembly status and announced its teaching activities, which include a program. From Bismarck, where five new Bahá’ís are of Norwegian descent, a new friend gave a talk on how to reach Norwegians. All the friends rejoiced that the Bahá’í population in North Dakota has grown this year. Thirty new friends have enrolled. Bahá’ís volunteered for all the teaching projects, which include opening four new counties. Friends were asked to attend square dances in one of the counties as a way of getting to know the people. The other three projects are in Indian areas.

Much ‎discission discussion‎ was sparked by the

[Page 6] final words of the each one teach one slide show: “One soul of great capacity can set a continent ablaze.” The Bahá’ís of North Dakota felt that if one could kindle a continent, surely one could light a county or town.

Ohio

Friends in Northern Ohio met at Kent State University and prepared to open two counties and assist the Spiritual Assembly of Kent with a series of firesides. They felt “tremendous impetus” from the message of the National Spiritual Assembly which, they said, gave them “a global and national view.”

The Southern Ohio friends, in Wilberforce, followed their gathering with teaching in Xenia for three weekends and in Washington Court House for one weekend.

South Dakota

The Bahá’ís of South Dakota, gathered at the center of the state in Pierre, felt that the spirit of their conference would carry them “beyond the goals of the Plan.”

“The letter told us the truth,” said one believer of the message from the National Spiritual Assembly.

They resolved to bring Pierre to Assembly status, as it is the last state capitol without an Assembly, and is an unfilled goal from the Ten Year Crusade. A public meeting was held in Pierre after the conference.

Other projects are in Wamblee, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, in Fort Thompson, and at Little Eagle.

Wisconsin

A two-month old baby led the way to the first declaration in a goal area of the Wis-Mich District. An enrollment that took place in a matter of minutes before happy observers sparked confidence progress was being made on the teaching front.

Rod Smith, a non-Bahá’í residing in previously unopened Rusk County, was outside the door of the conference, eavesdropping, when the baby, Sara Keturah, began to cry and the Bahá’í who was holding her carried her out of the auditorium. Mr. Smith was full of questions, confiding his disillusionment with older religions and his eagerness to learn about Bahá’í. Soon he had declared and was comfortably seated with other participants at the conference. By the end of the conference, other students at Mt. Scenario College, the gathering site, had seated themselves in the conference hall, having met the Bahá’ís during meals and workshop breaks. Many addresses and phone numbers were exchanged. ‎Curiousity Curiosity‎ about the Faith had begun among the students when they saw the Bahá’ís in the halls wearing their yellow conference badges.

Ladysmith, a town in Rusk County, was announced as the scene of special projects. One ‎thouand thousand‎ invitations, which had been professionally printed by Laurie Block, were distributed to Bahá’ís to use during teaching in Ladysmith. Excited youth planned a project during the conference for teaching in Menominee, Michigan.

The friends understood the National Spiritual Assembly’s message. As one stated, “It is a serious situation and the solution is each one teach one.”

Friends from 30 communities met in Oconomowoc in Southern Wisconsin to prepare for the opening of four goal areas. Assemblies shared their goals, and the District Teaching Committee presented a large display on goal areas. They especially enjoyed the workshop format, feeling it was more interesting than lectures.

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Teaching in the Southern states

Strumming in North DeKalb County, Ga.

Gerard Baruch’s magic act awes children in Simpsonville, Md.

Teaching goals are explained in Berea, Ky.

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Alabama

Minutes before the conference began, the friends in Tuskegee received the message from The Universal House of Justice. “Just lovely!” one exclaimed. They enthusiastically proceeded with the conference sessions, and at a proclamation in Tuskegee the following day, 30 seekers were present.

Most of the friends gathered in Mountain Brook were already in the midst of intense teaching, which has resulted in several dozen new declarations. Yet the letter from the National Spiritual Assembly “overwhelmed” them with a sense of “urgency.” They shared ideas for teaching, such as morning firesides for housewives and renting a booth at an upcoming Greek Festival of the Arts.

Arkansas

The friends in Little Rock, at the University of Arkansas, responded to phoned and written invitations to their conference, arriving prepared to work with the theme of the conference, which, they felt, “was great.”

Two teams went from the conference to teach in Searcy and Fayetteville on March 28. Many participants were already committed to teaching projects, but some new volunteers arose, and others made additional commitments.

Delaware

Every Bahá’í at the conference held in Dover, Delaware, for the DelMarVa District volunteered for the three teaching projects announced by the District Teaching Committee. Half of the participants were youth.

Their enthusiastic response was stimulated in part by the audio-visual materials sent from the National Center.

The DelMarVa District consists of Delaware and parts of Maryland and Virginia.

Florida

The conference in Boca Raton began with the declaration of a friend who, when told it was for Bahá’ís only, said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

After the conference, a picnic near Lake Okeechobee included the debut of a traveling singing group. The music caused two nearby groups to stop what they were doing and come hear about the Faith.

Teaching in South Florida will be focused on the large Spanish-speaking population and on the area’s four Indian Reservations. One of the tribes still practices an Indian religion.

Bahá’ís in Tallahassee followed their conference with a program in Quincy, which included a slide show and talk about Bahá’í family life. Two seekers drove from Tallahassee for the meeting, having read about it in a newspaper. Panama City and Lake City are two other receptive areas chosen by the District Teaching Committee for progressing “from strength to strength.”

At Lakeland, Bahá’ís of Central Florida were encouraged by their District Teaching Committee to aim for 50 families of new Bahá’ís during April. Goals were assigned, such as certain numbers of firesides, potluck dinners, picnics, and worship services. Goal areas are Satellite Beach and Tarpon Springs. The latter has a large Greek population. Bahá’ís will be participating in an art festival there and have arranged a tour of a Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The “Dayspring” singing group is being featured in public meetings in both areas.

Georgia

A spirit of healthy competition illumined the conference in North DeKalb County, where the friends compared their 24 new enrollments since Dr. Muhájir’s visit with 36 in South Carolina and 21 in North Alabama.

A high point of the conference was a skit in which a character named “Doubt,” who stopped the action at the beginning of the skit, got a whipped cream pie tossed in his face at the end. Before the conference began, 55 people had already signed up for and were actively helping with teaching projects.

Bahá’ís of South Georgia, who gathered in Macon, watched the each one teach one slide show three or four times in a row because they liked it so much. They volunteered for projects sponsored by the Valdosta Spiritual Assembly and heard good news from the Savannah Assembly about activities such as an international dinner recently sponsored by that Assembly and attended by 90 non-Bahá’í guests.

Kentucky

Kentucky friends became so excited about teaching that they decided not to wait for goals to be announced. They will visit areas which they feel are receptive and report the results.

Each group and Assembly in Kentucky will choose a goal area. Kentucky is a state with few Bahá’ís and five Spiritual Assemblies.

Berea, where the conference was held, has had six declarations since June as a result of persistent personal teaching and some public meetings. Berea is on the edge of Appalachia and is the site of a college founded to educate Appalachian youth. The college was founded before the Civil War and pioneered in interracial education, having on its seal a motto about the brotherhood of humanity.

The friends in Kentucky are working toward five new Assemblies by the end of the Five Year Plan. Berea and Frankfort are the first to be formed since 1972.

A member of the Southern Teaching Committee attended the conference to share the new Southern teaching plans with the friends. The plans were enthusiastically received as the Bahá’ís opened their hearts to the reality of mass teaching and troop enrollment.

[Page 7]

Louisiana

After the LaPlace conference, teams set out to visit every isolated believer in Southern LOUISIANA, RE/FORM FOUR Local Spiritual Assemblies, visit 12 unopened parishes, and to open at least one parish. They prepared to sponsor radio, TV, and newspaper proclamations honoring Riḍván throughout Southern Louisiana.

They enjoyed a soaring spirit at their conference, with many volunteers for all the goals announced by the District Teaching Committee.

Northern Louisiana Bahá’ís met at Ruston.

Maryland

Over half of the participants at the Maryland/Washington, D.C., conference signed up to assist six teaching projects. They enjoyed a refreshing musical interlude with a Bahá’í group called Do’a, which was traveling from New Hampshire to South Carolina on a teaching trip.

Assistant Auxiliary Board member Mary K. Radpour challenged the friends to examine their reasons for not teaching certain people.

Bahá’í children also had a full day, highlighted by a chemical magic act by Gerard Baruch.

The Bahá’ís met for this conference in Simpsonville, and most of them left with extra conference packets to take to friends who had not attended.

Mississippi

Animated discussion characterized consultation in Jackson, where the audiovisual materials aroused much enthusiasm and the workshop questions stimulated expression.

Friends from Vicksburg reported ‎incresed increased‎ interest because of teaching that emphasizes Bible prophecy. Vicksburg is working toward Assembly status and informed the friends that homefront pioneers may find Civil Service jobs there. The radio station in Vicksburg is starting a series of Bahá’í programs which will be tied into local activities, such as three firesides with guest speakers and a large meeting.

North Carolina

In Greensboro, the friends gave $50 to the National Bahá’í Fund. They were overjoyed with their guest speaker, Auxiliary Board member William Tucker, and felt the audiovisual materials made the conference “extra special.”

Personal goal-setting was encouraged at their sister conference in Greenville, where the friends rose individually to state their goals.

Oklahoma

In Norman, nine localities were auctioned off for Bahá’ís to adopt for three weekends during April. Thirty people volunteered for the tasks and were given eight specific assignments to act on during their teaching weekends.

Bahá’ís gathered in Henrietta prepared to teach toward the founding of two new Spiritual Assemblies, one in Okmulgee and one in Muskogee.

South Carolina

Teaching activities following the conference in York, South Carolina, resulted in three declarations, bringing to nine the number of believers in York. “People just went out teaching and found them,” said one Bahá’í.

South Carolina’s eight conferences were preceded by 11 declarations in Orangeburg, the scene of a three-week teaching project which involved nightly public meetings and radio and newspaper coverage. The meetings were held for one week each at Orangeburg State College, in a pavilion near a river, and in a technical school. The topic that attracted the most seekers was prophecy fulfilled. Except for one young adult, all of the new Bahá’ís of Orangeburg are youth.

The conferences at Louis Gregory Institute, Hartsville, Greenwood, Charleston, Townville, Dillon, Sumter, and York were spirited and enthusiastic. It was “heartrending,” said one Bahá’í from Charleston. “Everyone lingered on and didn’t want to go home.” Charleston has a goal of re-forming its Assembly this year.

Music in Hartsville, S.C.

Stan Balcom shows friends in LaPorte, Tex., where to teach.

Enthusiasm in Hemingway, S.C.

Julian MacQueen in Knoxville, Tenn.

Friends in the Bahamas.

Tennessee

In Knoxville, the friends “gained a renewed understanding of their birthright of teaching” and every participant was involved in teaching on March 28. The conference began on a high note with the declaration of Marilyn Wilder.

Teaching activities after the conference included visiting children in hospitals and the aged in nursing homes; manning a booth at Knoxville College; visiting Knoxville’s major shopping mall; and door-to-door distribution of invitations to a home fireside. The invitations were well-received in the middle-class suburb where the fireside hosts live; most neighbors readily accepted Bahá’í literature, and four seekers attended the meeting and enjoyed fellowship and a dinner.

Other activities in Eastern Tennessee were planned for McMinnville, Morristown, Chattanooga, and Oak Ridge.

In Jackson, Western Tennessee, Bahá’ís felt that “everything was so fantastic,” especially the “each one teach one” cartoon slides which “really drove the point home.” They followed the conference with teaching in Summerville and Ashland City, warmed by the “opportunity to get together and share ideas.”

Texas

Conference participants in La Porte instituted a fund box and filled it with $86.41 to be sent to the National Fund to assist in expenses for conference materials. The Houston Assembly provided a library for the conference which sold many books and pamphlets, and the registration desk was staffed by youth of La Porte. Some of these youth also added to the conference music with live performances on recorders and guitars.

In Hereford, the Bahá’ís particularly liked the sing-along tapes, as they had no musicians present.

Bahá’ís of West Texas publicized their meeting in Stanton with a newspaper article that told of the conference and the Faith.

Sites for other Texas meetings were Austin, Arlington, and Corpus Christi. Friends at all the meetings volunteered to teach in the many goal areas.

Virginia

Virginia Bahá’ís met in Fredericksburg and Richmond for uplifting sessions that sent one group home from Richmond so excited they set out to find 15 new adult Bahá’ís in a month. Portsmouth Bahá’ís planned four Saturdays of teaching during April to support their goal.

Another group at Richmond wanted to go immediately to the unopened county of Bristol, which is extremely isolated from Bahá’í communities in Virginia. When they found out that Bristol was nine hours from their home, they made plans to take a teaching trip there, stopping to visit isolated believers and groups along the way.

Bahá’ís at Fredericksburg made audiovisual presentations of schools, housing, transportation, and employment in their goal areas. They rejoiced in the announcement that their Five Year Plan goal of seven new Assemblies is over halfway met with the formation of four new Assemblies at Riḍván.

West Virginia

When assistant Auxiliary Board member Ed Grych requested traveling teachers at the Huntington conference, West Virginia Bahá’ís found that enough of them were on the move daily to form a very full and active teaching program. Their work is focused on Morgantown, Huntington, and Princeton, all jeopardized Assemblies.

Children enjoyed an all-day program which included a slide show called “Work is Worship,” by Larry Partan.

West Virginia will host a series of concerts in May, using the talents of three traveling teaching couples.

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Bermuda

Believers at the conference in Bermuda consulted on bringing St. Georges Island to Assembly status by October. Some of their activities will include presentations of literature to the mayor and the historical society, and public meetings. They eagerly anticipated the services of two traveling teachers from the states, Elizabeth Thompson and Howard Menking. They will make special efforts in St. David, a community on St. Georges which is more isolated than others.

Personal teaching goals were also shared at the conference. All felt that the audiovisual materials were “extremely useful.”

Bahamas

Fifteen friends from the Bahamas conference undertook a teaching trip March 28, and four seekers attended a public meeting March 30. Every person at the conference offered to assist the ongoing weekly teaching projects arranged for the entire year.

Consultation on how to reach and teach neighbors brought up the fact that in the Bahamas, the history of the Faith often attracts more interest than the principles.

[Page 8]

Teaching in the Northeastern States

Connecticut

Bahá’ís at the Connecticut conference in Meriden felt that the message from the National Spiritual Assembly “reached home.”

Youth made important contributions to the consultation of those friends, which dealt not only with the goals, but with methods of achieving the goals through individual growth. For instance, discussion on reaching and teaching neighbors brought up the fear of befriending neighbors which afflicts Bahá’ís as well as non-Bahá’ís in cities. Friends shared ideas on how to overcome such fear.

They responded most enthusiastically to the devotional tape.

Maine

The majority of the friends at the conference in Gorham, Maine, were youth. Highlighting their day was a talk by Auxiliary Board member Katherine McLaughlin, who spoke of the urgent need for the Bahá’ís to win the goals.

The day after the conference, several carloads of youth drove to goal communities to say the Remover of Difficulties prayer 500 times.

Massachusetts

Friends in Worcester particularly appreciated the tape recording of Dr. Muhájir. They freely participated in the workshops, sharing their ideas, philosophies, teaching techniques, and ideas for success. They generally found that they agreed on all points.

The conference was attended by Bahá’ís from 61 communities, including one visitor from Bombay, India.

New Hampshire

A newly-declared Bahá’í opened his home for the teaching conference in Meredith on Lake Winnipesaukee. The warm, sunny day mirrored the spirit of the friends, who felt a wave of joyous rededication to teaching the Cause.

Many of the 55 friends cozily gathered in the home had not attended a conference for some time and were responding to personal letters sent by Auxiliary Board member Katherine McLaughlin. Many youth were present.

All felt excited about teaching plans for two campuses, one at Plymouth and one at Hanover, at Dartmouth University. Another project was announced featuring four seminars on the Bible.

After the conference, a fireside was held in Exeter with good attendance by both seekers and Bahá’ís.

New Jersey

At the Evergreen Cabin in Teaneck, New Jersey, one couple arose to move to Cherry Hill and save that Spiritual Assembly. Many isolated believers attended New Jersey’s conference, and the tapes and slides were taken, after the gathering, to two communities.

Three projects followed the conference, among them two days of teaching in Cherry Hill and Camden.

New York

Children at the conference in Geneva, New York, produced a newspaper, “The Bahá’í Times,” which reported conference events and an interview with a visiting Bahá’í from Germany, and described the teaching plans of Endicott children’s classes. They also presented a puppet show. Their activities were directed by Alan and Barbara Plymale.

Adults at that conference volunteered to visit all the goal areas, to follow Dr. Muhájir’s advice to “go and go and go.” They felt their conference “was one of the most successful ever held in Western New York.”

In White Plains, the friends from eastern New York were treated to a slide show of their goal areas, prepared by Bob McComb, the secretary of the District Teaching Committee. Mr. McComb took a week off from work and visited each goal community and its sponsoring Assembly.

The Islip community on Long Island volunteered to deputize an entire family to move to Hoosick Falls, an unopened locality, for the duration of the Five Year Plan. Teaching task forces reported well-planned programs.

Presentation is made at Geneva, N.Y.

Children participate at Blairsville, Pa.

Believers gathered at White Plains, N.Y.

Pennsylvania

An isolated believer planned and hosted a proclamation event on March 28 after the conference in West Chester. Kathy Sands hand-delivered, before the conference, over 600 invitations to her neighbors in a row-home complex and residents of three apartment buildings across the street.

Six children came to the meeting. Mrs. Sands gave them a short lesson on the Faith before showing the film, “It’s Just the Beginning,” and they then came to a buffet supper in her home. This was the first in a series of events which she has planned in Chester Township.

Other proclamations followed the West Chester conference in Middletown Township, West Chester, Tunkhannock, Upper Darby, and West Goshen.

Friends from Western Pennsylvania gathered in Blairsville for a spirited meeting during which the District Teaching Committee announced and recruited teachers for projects in 30 places. That committee stated that it is preparing its teachers to “carry out specific assignments in preparation for the orderly processing of troop enrollments.” Activities began on March 28 with placement of books in libraries, and posters and pamphlets in businesses, in all the goal areas.

Rhode Island

“I really feel inspired to work much harder for the Faith,” wrote one youth to the District Teaching Committee after the conference in Cranston.

Many volunteered for three weekends of teaching in Cranston, which included a Bahá’í booth in a flea market.

The Spiritual Assembly of Providence had designated March “individual teaching month,” emphasizing the importance of home firesides.

Vermont

In Rutland, Bahá’ís used their lunch break to distribute flyers for a public meeting following the conference. They were warmed by the gathering, excited and enthusiastic, and all their workshops ran overtime. They especially enjoyed the tapes of Dr. Muhájir and the devotional tape.

Groups of teachers made plans for the goal areas of Brandon, Castleton, and St. Johnsbury, and shared ideas such as the development of a portable Bahá’í display.

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Teaching in the Western states

Arizona

At Tucson, the friends felt their meeting was “great” and they signed up for teaching in all their goal areas.

From the gathering in Williams, a member of the District Teaching Committee flew to Yuma, where a new Assembly will soon form, and gave a fireside.

California

Friends at the seven conferences in California entered into special mass teaching plans which have been developed with the assistance of Dr. Muhájir.

Some of these center on places visited by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1912. For example, at the Chico conference, the friends prepared for a special commemoration of the Master’s visit to Sacramento, and for teaching along His train route. They will also be teaching along Highway 99 and Highway 49, and Chico J.D. dedicated every day of April to teaching events. About half of the participants volunteered for teaching work.

The 113 Bahá’ís at the Sunnyvale conference sent a birthday telegram to the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, pledging 113 new Bahá’ís this year. And they received announcements of new goals, among these the establishment of Spiritual Assemblies in Capitola and Hollister.

From the Solvang gathering, 10 Bahá’ís arose to travel and teach in Mexico before the International Conference in Mérida.

In Clovis, six traveling teaching teams were formed; in San Marcos, the friends volunteered for six projects; and in Pasadena, six projects began.

Colorado

The 118 friends gathered in Colorado Springs expressed their gratitude for the “‎exteme extreme‎ efforts on the part of all national committees and workers who made the each one teach one conference possible.” These friends readied themselves for more than 19 teaching projects planned in their district. The projects include slide shows, friendship parties, book presentations, singing in parks, and a play in the auditorium of a junior high school.

A smaller gathering in Palisade, Western Colorado, rejoiced to hear of teaching progress on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, work by the communities in their goal areas, and a big bonfireside in Grand Junction. They kept the tapes and slides after the conference and took them to a community with a jeopardized Spiritual Assembly.

Idaho

The majority of Bahá’ís at the Twin Falls conference were youth and young married couples under 30. An older Bahá’í remarked, “Seeing these Bahá’ís, it is evident that what Shoghi Effendi said is true; the youth will be the ones to proclaim this Cause.”

Friends eagerly signed their names on the District Teaching Committee chart called “Open a County.” Their day of consultation helped them feel like real foot soldiers in the Army of Light, ready to win victories for the Cause.

Montana

Bahá’ís left their gathering in Great Falls, Montana, with the intention of restoring the Spiritual Assembly of the Blackfoot Reservation, reforming the Assembly on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, and forming Assemblies in Havre and in Flathead County.

They felt greatly stimulated by the audio-visual materials, which inspired much discussion, and all appreciated the each one teach one booklet.

[Page 9]

California ‘slide factory’ serves Faith

A Bahá’í home in Montrose, California, was turned into a “slide factory for Bahá’u’lláh” to produce one of the presentations shown at the District Teaching Conferences.

The result was a savings of more than $2,300 in the National Bahá’í Fund.

Coordinated by John Coley of Montrose and Russell Roberts of Ojai, the project involved reproducing and hand-mounting 5,500 slides in just a few days.

“We worked in an improvised lab in the house to save money,” Mr. Roberts said. “The slides would have cost about $2,500 had we had a commercial house do them. But we recruited Bahá’ís to help and turned the house into a slide factory for Bahá’u’lláh.”

Mr. Coley and Mr. Roberts recruited about a dozen volunteers from the Bahá’í Sunday School held in the nearby home of James and Dorothy Nelson.

Mrs. Nelson, treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly, said such inspired and dedicated service was of great help to the American Bahá’í community, the National Fund, and the National Center staff.

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At right, American Indian Ada Bush and Iranian student Hamed Erhraghian participate in a youth workshop at the conference in Logan, Utah. Other workshop sessions were at Reno, Nevada (below left), and Solvang, California (below right).

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Navajo-Hopi

A Navajo woman set out to walk 30 miles to the Tuba City conference for the Navajo-Hopi District. She was picked up on the way by Bahá’ís, but her spirit of willingness characterized the conference, which had a prayerful atmosphere complemented by the fragrance of roses brought by Auxiliary Board member Nancy Phillips. Mrs. Phillips’ assistant Board member, Ben Kahn, was the conference’s official translator. Workshops were in two groups, English-speaking and Navajo-speaking, and all talks were translated.

One especially moving talk was by a Hopi believer, Elizabeth Dahe, who, when asked to speak, knelt down at the center of the circle of friends and stated her hope for confirmation of the Faith among the Hopi people.

The tape recording by Dr. Muhájir recalled to the friends his recent visit to Window Rock.

The majority of those present were Navajos with some long-time pioneers. They represented 16 communities on the reservation. They shared the glad information that two new Assemblies will be formed, a re-formed one at Red Lake and a new one at Fort Defiance. The conference ended with prayer and meditation.

Nevada

Bahá’ís gathered in Las Vegas received special gifts from their conference coordinator, sheets entitled “My Personal Goals.” They shared their goals, and some volunteered for traveling teaching.

From the Reno conference, 17 believers traveled to teach in Yerington, visiting shops and restaurants and talking to merchants.

New Mexico

Bahá’ís of Northern and Southern New Mexico happily discussed their teaching work at meetings in Los Alamos and Ruidoso Downs. The District Teaching Committee of Northern New Mexico produced a slide show to present the goals for their district.

Many volunteered for projects, especially among the youth, and “took it very seriously.”

Oregon

Homefront pioneers arose from the gathering in Gresham to save three of Oregon’s five jeopardized Assemblies. They were reacting to the spirit generated by the audiovisual materials, especially the tape of Dr. Muhájir and the devotional tape, which, one said, was the “best ever heard.”

Utah

Utah friends were excited and enthusiastic at their conference in Logan, and they used the spirit the next day at a public meeting in Logan which attracted 10 seekers.

About one third of the Bahá’ís at the conference were youth, and all especially loved the each one teach one slide program.

Washington

Bahá’ís came to the Bellevue conference with the news of three declarations at recent firesides given by Indian believers in Seattle. They also reported progress in teaching Armenians.

From Dr. Muhájir’s visit in January until March 27, traveling teachers made 30 trips, at least 3,500 persons were invited to meetings, 20 families came to events, 11 newspapers printed articles in goal areas, and 25 Local Spiritual Assemblies began using locally-produced tape recordings in goal area radio stations. On the weekend of the conference, 11 radio stations in Washington had shows on the Faith.

During the Western Washington conference, the friends heard encouraging words to make further progress toward reaching the goals.

Friends from Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho met in Pasco, Washington.

Wyoming

Friends at the Casper conference sent a loving telegram to The Universal House of Justice. Many of them traveled long distances to Casper; one drove 250 miles across an icy mountain pass.

A member of the District Teaching Committee, Bob Durkee, who is a youth, made it his goal to personally show the conference slides and tapes to every youth in Wyoming.

Organization of a statewide road show began, with plans for a premiere in Jackson on May 15. The majority of participants volunteered for traveling teaching work.

[Page 10]

Bahá’í Summer Schools

An opportunity to study and foster the spirit of fellowship in a Bahá’í atmosphere

Thirty-nine Bahá’í school sessions are planned this summer. The sessions, held in different locations throughout the country, offer unique opportunities for intensive deepening and Bahá’í community living.

The summer sessions have been arranged by 19 different Bahá’í school committees and councils. These committees and councils work diligently throughout the year to construct a well-balanced program of classes for all age groups and social, recreational, and devotional activities in which all can participate. Children’s programs, a major objective of the Five Year Plan, receive special attention.

The beloved Guardian tells us our purpose is “to foster the spirit of fellowship in a distinctly Bahá’í atmosphere, to afford the necessary training for Bahá’í teachers, and to provide facilities for the study of the history and teachings of the Faith, and for a better understanding of its relation to other religions and to human ‎soiety society‎ in general.” In order to achieve these goals, we must look upon our stay at a Bahá’í School as more than a pleasant vacation period. A variety of study classes, seminars, workshops, lectures, and independent study programs will be available. Competent staff members will share their knowledge and resources and be available to assist us in our ever-expanding efforts to immerse ourselves in the ocean of His words.

Below are sketches of each school session. School registrars can be contacted for further information.

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Arizona

Dates: July 25–31

Location: Arizona Church Conference Center, Prescott, Arizona

Theme of Session: “A Special Measure of Love.”

Highlights: Auxiliary Board member Fred Schechter will participate.

Registrar: Ken Starling, 454 South Robson, Mesa, Arizona 85202

Rates: 21 and over: $66; 13–21: $56; 3–12: $46.50. If two or more members of a family attend the school, $5 will be deducted from the total cost.

Natural Environment: The Conference Center is located on 20 acres of wooded, rolling hills with beautiful outcroppings of rocks. Days are clear and warm, evenings are cool. A barbecue and large circular campfire pit foster outdoor camaraderie.

Accommodations: Building facilities include rustic quarters for as many as 110 persons and an additional housing facility for 12 people. A professional cooking staff operates the main kitchen and dining hall. A large assembly room and stage is provided in Cox Hall. School participants need to supply their own towels, toilet articles, bed rolls or sleeping bags, and pillows.

Recreation: Areas are provided for volleyball, basketball, softball, football, badminton, horseshoes, and table tennis. There are also swings, a tetherball post, and a tennis court.

Access to Facility: Exit from U.S. 89 or Arizona 69 at East Gurley. Continue to West Gurley, turning south onto either Park Avenue or Plaza Drive (both lead directly to the Conference Center).

Bosch

Dates: I. July 3–July 19; II. July 10–July 16; III. July 17–July 23 (special program for parents with children); IV. July 24–July 30 (special program on Local Spiritual Assemblies); V. July 31–August 6 (special adult program); VI. August 7–August 13; VII. August 14–August 20; VIII. August 21–August 27; IX. August 28–September 2 (special youth program)

Location of Sessions—John and Louise Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, California.

Theme of Sessions: I. “Dawn of a New Age”; II. “The Perfect Exemplar”; III. “Knowing and Loving God”; IV. “Local Spiritual Assembly Development Program”; V. “Signs of His Sovereignty”; VI. “Our Spiritual Heritage”; VII. “Destiny of America”; VIII. “Communion with God”; IX. “Hope for Tomorrow”.

Registrar: James Kelly, Bosch Bahá’í School, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, California 95060 :Highlights—Auxiliary Board members Nancy Phillips and Tony Lease will participate in sessions II and IX, respectively.

Rates: To be announced.

Natural Environment: Bosch School is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz. Miles of nature trails, amidst towering redwood and pine trees, are provided. Natural outlooks also provide sweeping vistas of neighboring mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Accommodations: Attractive redwood cabins, many with fireplaces and all with private baths, accommodate four to six persons. All facilities surround the handsome lodge and dining room, and outdoor swimming pool. Classroom facilities include three rooms on the first floor of the lodge, one room on the main floor, and the out-of-doors, which lends itself uniquely to this purpose.

Recreation: In addition to swimming and hiking, baseball and volleyball are provided.

Access to Facility: The school can be reached from Highway 17, which connects San Jose and Santa Cruz.

Southern California

Dates: July 10 (afternoon)–July 17 (afternoon)

Location of Session: Camp Maranatha, Idyllwild, California

Theme of Session: “Goals of the Five Year Plan.”

Highlights: The Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone will speak to both adult and children’s classes. Helen Bishop will teach an adult course on the “Kitab-i-Iqan.” William Maxwell will teach the first segment of a three-year, advanced, elective course on the history of the Faith.

Registrar: Fred North, 16649 Montego Way, Tustin, California 92680

Rates: 18 and over: $50; 13–17: $30; 6–12: $22; Under 5: $5

Natural Environment: The camp is located in a pine forest of the San Jacinto Mountains in Southern California. The altitude is 6,000 feet.

Accommodations: Housing is provided in small dormitories, with a cafeteria located on the campus. Excellent classroom facilities are available, with a large auditorium, outdoor covered area for crafts, and special nursery.

Recreation: A large swimming pool, area for field sports, volleyball courts, ping-pong tables, and grassy plaza for socializing are available.

Access to Facility: The main highway through Idyllwild, close to major freeways, leads to the camp.

Carolinas

Dates: July 4–10

Location: Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, North Carolina

Theme of Session: “‎Threshhold Threshold‎ of a New Age.”

Highlights: Parallel curriculum for all ages will include courses on: “Messages from The Universal House of Justice,” “‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” and “Presenting Bahá’u’lláh’s Message.” A course on “Basic Teachings of the Bahá’í Faith” will be provided for non-Bahá’ís and new believers. Auxiliary Board member William Tucker will participate in the school program.

Registrar: Gunther Freehill, 505 West Sycamore Street, Apt. 5, Greensboro, North Carolina 27401

Rates: 15 and up: $64.50 (bed); $31.50 (gym floor); 12–14: $60 (with bed), $27 (gym floor); 7–11: $42 (with bed); $27 (gym floor); 6: $24 (with bed); $27 (gym floor) or can pay for meal ticket only if sharing bed with family member; 0–5: $6.

Natural Environment: The College campus is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with extensive trails and a pond nearby.

Accommodations: Dormitory rooms with carpeting are provided, as well as gyms where school participants can sleep at much reduced rates. An “all-you-can-eat” cafeteria is available to all. Classroom facilities are located in a newly-constructed building near dorms and cafeteria.

Recreation: Participants have access to a gym, tennis courts, natural lake, and mountain hiking trails.

Access to Facility: The Asheville Airport is nine miles away. Bus depots are located in Asheville and Swannanoa. Highways 40, 70, and Parkway 24 also provide access to the college.

Colorado East

Dates: July 3–9

Location of Session:—Black Forest Baptist Assembly, 780 East Baptist Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Theme of Session:—“The Greatest Gift.”

Highlights: Adult classes will include a course from the National Treasurer’s Office, “The Dynamic Force of Example,” and “The Silent Teacher.” Children’s classes will be divided into four age groups with special activities in art, drama, music, and nature. Enrichment courses in acrylic painting, book-binding, macrame, and drama will be available to all. Special evening programs including a variety show, films, and art show are also planned. Auxiliary Board member Eunice Braun will participate in the school program.

Registrar: Donald Brayton, Box 1033, Woodland Park, Colorado 80863, Phone 303-687-3351. Pre-registration is necessary. Cut-off date is June 1.

Rates: 18 and over: $42; 13–17: $37; 8–12: $27; 2–7: $18; 0–2: $1.

Natural Environment: The Assembly is located in a hilly, wooded area with a panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains. Altitude is 7,200 feet.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are largely in cabins housing 14 to 20 persons dormitory style. Each building has indoor plumbing and shower facilities. Meals are served family style in a large, pleasant building, which is well-ventilated and well-lit. Other facilities include a crafts barn, a special room with a stage and piano, and picnic tables under trees that can be used for outdoor classes.

Recreation: Areas are provided for basketball, tetherball, volleyball, as well as archery. Trails for hiking and horseback riding also abound. An area for bonfires fosters evening sing-alongs.

Access to Facility: The Assembly is located 20 miles north of Colorado Springs and 2 miles east of I-25.

Colorado West

Dates: August 1–7

Location: Big Spruce Camp, Cedaredge, Colorado

Theme of Session:—“Channeling the Dynamic Force of Example.”

Highlights: Many different classes are planned for adults, youth, and children. A fully developed arts and crafts program is also planned. Auxiliary Board member Darrel Borland will participate in the program.

Registrar:—Randy Campbell, 1140 Grand Avenue, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501

Rates: 13 and over: $45; 6–12: $22; 1–5: $11. A maximum family rate has been established at $180.

Natural Environment: The Camp is situated at an elevation of 7,200 feet on the southern slope of the Grand Mesa. The site is relatively level and partially wooded with juniper and pine trees.

Accommodations: The natural surroundings provide several possible outdoor class sites, including a large open area, a meeting place under the “big spruce tree,” a secluded meditation point overlooking the entire Uncompahgre Valley, and an open-sided pavilion. In addition, there are four or five indoor craft rooms and a well-equipped nursery. Sleeping accommodations include private rooms for families and dormitory-style sleeping arrangements for others. A large dining room accommodates over 200 people. School participants will be able to choose between a vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet.

Recreation: The camp provides many hiking trails through the woods and along the creeks. A ball field, two fantastic trout fishing streams, and nature study areas are also provided.

Access: Take Highway 50 to Delta. Proceed from Delta to Cedaredge on Highway 65. There is a sign 3 miles north of Cedaredge pointing to the school.

Conifer Hill

Dates of Sessions: June 19–25—Work/Study Camp

June 26–July 2—Work/Study Camp, August 16–August 22—Family Camp

Location: Lyons, Colorado

Theme of Session:—Work/Study Programs: “The Individual and the Five Year Plan.” Family Camp: “The Importance of the Individual and the Five Year Plan.”

Highlights: Work/Study programs. Three or four hours a day will be spent in manual labor doing projects that will improve the land or facilities. Those who attend the camp will discover that the physical association with nature, plus productive work in combination with a spiritual program, allows for healthy development of self-awareness. Two classes each day will feature student participation through games, skits, discussion groups, music, and role-playing. Family Camp: The theme will be explored in classes for all age levels. Dick Rundall, Carol Handy, Donna Crutchfield, and George Larimer will teach adult classes. Children’s classes will be divided into four age groups, with each class having both a teacher and assistant. Craft materials for both adults and children will come from the natural environment of Conifer Hill.

Registrar:—Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, 437 Pine, Boulder, Colorado 80302, Phone 303-443-6422. Please sent $15 with your registration.

Rates: Work/Study Camp: $35 each week; $6 each day. Family Camp: 12 and over: $35; 6–11: $25; 2–11: $12; Under 2: free. Reduced rates are available for participants preparing and eating their own food.

Natural Environment: Conifer Hill is a primitive camping area located 8,000 feet above sea level. It has 200 acres of pines, firs, spruces, aspens, wildflowers, and rock formations. A meadow, two small lakes, mountains, and canyons are on the property, which borders the Roosevelt National Forest.

Accommodations: Dorm buildings with floors, roofs, and sides made from slab and canvas are provided. They do not have indoor plumbing, electricity, or heat. However, there is hot and cold running water in the kitchen and shower house. Family campers are encouraged to bring their own tents and sleeping bags. Adult classes are

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held in a huge tent with children’s classes being held in smaller tents and in a small cabin.

Recreation: Hiking, games, nature and camp crafts are held in the beautiful outdoors under Colorado’s blue, blue sky. Many of the classes are nature-oriented.

Access: At Lyons proceed southwest on Route 7 for 12 miles. Turn right at the sign for Conifer Hill. Proceed for 4 miles on a rough road to the campsite.

Davison

Dates:—August 1–7; August 8–14.

Location:—NEA Conference Center, Battle Creek, Michigan.

Themes of Sessions:—“Uniting in a Distinctive Bahá’í Society.”

Highlights:—Auxiliary Board member Albert James will participate.

Registrar:—Bruce Reynolds, 21656 Church, Oak Park, Michigan 48237.

Rates: Adults: $65; 5–14: $45; 2–4: $30.

Natural Environment: The center is located in a beautiful, wooded setting on a lake in southeastern Michigan.

Accommodations: Spacious cottages are provided with wing units for sleeping. Sleeping facilities consist of four comfortable and clean two-story cottages located near the lake. Luxury accommodations are available at an extra charge upon request. Classrooms are housed in another cottage, while the cafeteria is located in a nearby modern, beautiful building.

Recreation: Water-front activities are available in the lake. An athletic field provides participants with volleyball, badminton, and tennis courts, horseshoe area, and nature trails are also available for use.

Access: Take Exit no. 98 (M 66) from I-94 north for 3½ miles to St. Mary’s Lake Road. Turn left and proceed ¼ mile to the Conference Center. (If taking I-69, exit at I-94 junction and proceed west for 30 miles to exit no. 98).

South Florida

Dates:—June 23 (afternoon)–June 27 (afternoon).

Location of Session:—Florida Air Academy, Melbourne, Florida.

Theme of Session:—“Look Up America.”

Highlights: Interesting classes will be held for children, who are our prime concern. Miniworkshops in crafts will be offered for all the family.

Registrar:—Margaret Randall, 2219 SE 13th Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062, Phone: 305-782-2699.

Rates: 21 and over: $48; 15–20: $40; 7–14: $32; 6–13: $24; 3–5: $8.

Natural Environment: the Academy is located a few miles east of the Atlantic Ocean and about 35 miles south of Cape Canaveral. The campus is nestled amid Florida trees and shrubs, with a cozy atmosphere.

Accommodations: An air-conditioned, attractive dining room is capable of serving 250 people cafeteria style. Capable cooks prepare the three meals. Sleeping rooms hold 4 people and are not air-conditioned. School participants may bring their own fans. The dormitory is attached to the main building, where meeting rooms are available. Classroom facilities also are excellent and are close to the main building.

Recreation: A large swimming pool, ping-pong tables, tennis courts, volleyball and baseball areas, and a nice gymnasium are available for school participants to use.

Access: Take I-95 to exit no. 192 and proceed east for 6 miles. Or take U.S. no. 1 to no. 192 and proceed west for two miles. The school is located on highway no. 192.

Georgia-Alabama

Dates: July 3 (noon)–July 9 (afternoon).

Location of session: Georgia Baptist Assembly, Route 3, Box 9, Toccoa, Georgia.

Theme: “The Bahá’í Community.”

Highlights: Mandatory classes are planned for adults on “Evolution of Bahá’í Community Life” and “Consultation: The Fulfillment of Individual Conscience in this Age.” Elective courses also are planned on: “The Feast: The Foundation of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh,” “Dynamics of Deepening,” “The Bahá’í Community in a Community-less Society,” “Involving Children in the Bahá’í Community,” “The Function of the Local Spiritual Assemblies: What is It and How It Affects You,” and “I’m New in the Bahá’í Community.” A comprehensive children’s and youth program also is planned.

Registrar: Mrs. Sue Simpson, 3200 Deerfield N.W., Huntsville, Alabama 35810.

Rates:—to be announced.

Natural Environment: The Assembly is located in a mountainous, rustic setting near a lovely lake.

Accommodations: Camping sites and dormitories are available for sleeping. A dining room serves meals in cafeteria-style. Excellent classroom facilities are available for each age level.

Recreation: Fishing, boating, swimming are available in the lake. Trails are provided for exploration and fields are available for group games. The lodge also has a ping-pong room and indoor game room.

Access: Toccoa is situated in northeastern Georgia, 3 miles north of the Marlin exit of I-85 north. It also is located at the junction of State Routes 17, 23, and 123.

Green Acre

Dates: I. June 27–July 3; II. July 4–July 10; III. July 11–July 17; IV. July 18–July 24; V. July 25–July 31; VI. Aug 1–Aug 7; VII. Aug 8–14; VIII. Aug 15–21.

Location of Sessions: Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine.

Theme of Sessions: V. “LSA Development Program,” others to be determined.

Highlights: Auxiliary Board member Katherine McLaughlin will participate in session VII.

Registrar: Registrar, Green Acre Bahá’í School, 185 Main Street, Eliot, Maine 03903, phone 207-439-0256.

Rates: To be announced.

Natural Environment: Green Acre School is 3 miles northwest of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and 6 miles from the sea. The property comprises over 300 acres of beautiful fields and woodland. The main campus of 19 acres is bordered on the West by the Piscataqua River, called by the Indians the River of Light, and on the East by pine forests. The beauty and peacefulness of the surroundings help make for a spiritually uplifting ‎atmoshere atmosphere‎. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá blessed several buildings on the campus with His presence during His 1912 visit to America.

Accommodations: School participants are housed in 14 buildings, ranging from small cottages to the Sarah Farmer Inn. The sleeping accommodations range from dormitories to private rooms. All meals are served in the dining room of the Sarah Farmer Inn. Students requiring special diets can be accommodated. A campground with cabins, tent sites, and cooking and sanitary facilities is also available for students. Classes are held in the Bahá’í Hall, the Green Acre Library, Sarah Farmer Inn, and Fellowship House. The Green Acre Library also has a unique collection of Bahá’í and Bahá’í-related reference books available for study and research.

Recreation: Equipment and facilities are available for softball, volleyball, football, horseshoes, croquet, and badminton. Hiking and exploring are other pleasurable pastimes. A recreation director plans special activities for fun and fellowship.

Access: Eliot is located 15 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. It can be reached by car from Interstate 95 and Route 103. To reach Green Acre, take the first exit off the Piscataqua River Bridge and follow Route 103. Public transportation is available to nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by bus and by limousine from Logan International ‎Aiport Airport‎ in Boston. Taxi service is available in Portsmouth for rides to the Green Acre campus.

Minnesota

Dates: July 25–30.

Location: St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota.

Theme of Session: “Arise with Renewed Strength and Vigor.”

Highlights: Auxiliary Board member Eunice Braun will participate.

Registrar: Gary Colgrove, 215 15th Ave NW, New Brighton, MN 55112.

Rates: 13 and over:—$75–$80; 3–12—$20–25 (sharing room with parents); $40–45 (not lodging with parents); under 3:—$5.

Natural Environment: The school is located in a beautiful, secluded, wooded setting with a lake on the grounds.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are in dormitory rooms. Some single rooms are available. Children may sleep in parents’ room in sleeping bags with no additional charge. Meals are served cafeteria-style in a lovely dining hall.

Recreation: Hiking, swimming, tennis, volleyball, softball, table tennis, racket ball, and various other recreational facilities are available.

Access: The school is located 7 miles northwest of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Montana

Dates: Aug 15–21.

Location of Session: Lions Camp, 10 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana.

Theme of Session: “Developing the Distinctive Character of Bahá’í Life in the Bahá’í Community.”

Registrar: Mr. Leslie Pardis, Route 3, Billings, Montana 59101.

Rates: 15 and over: $40; 8–14: $30; 2–7: $20; 0–2: $10.

Highlights: Outstanding youth program.

Natural Environment: The camp is situated in the beautiful Bear Tooth Mountains, at an elevation of 6,200 feet.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are in cabins with four double bunks per cabin. Food is served cafeteria-style in a large dining hall. Separate classrooms are provided for each age level.

Recreation: Good recreational facilities for badminton, horseshoes, volleyball, basketball, and softball, hiking, nature walks, and folk dancing are provided.

Access: The camp is located on the Yellowstone Park oiled highway about 10 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana.

Nebraska

Dates: June 29–July 5.

Location of Session: Camp Harriet Harding, Louisville, Nebraska.

Theme of Session: “Doors to Expansion.”

Highlights: Curriculum will include methods and media resources for use by groups and individuals in teaching the Faith; personal development in living the life and deepening in the history of the Faith; and emphasis on expanding the quality of our service through Institutions. Child and youth classes, as well as nursery care, also will be provided.

Registrar: Dave Clarke, 11912 Amerado Blvd, Apt 315, Papillion, Neb 68046.

Rates: 13 and over: $65; 2–12: $32.50. Space for trailers, vans, and tents are available at reduced cost. If camping, meals can be eaten in the dining lodge at a cost of $2.50 per meal per adult, if requested ahead of time.

Natural Environment: The camp is located near the Platte River in a beautiful, rolling area.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are provided in cabins. Meals are served in a separate dining room. Parents with nursery-age children should provide cribs, playpens, or whatever is needed for sleeping. Adult and children’s classes are held in separate buildings with a special nursery for young children.

Recreation: Hiking, swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, are available at the camp. Evening programs of fun and fellowship also are planned.

Access: If coming from the east, take I-80 from Omaha to Louisville exit, which is highway 50, and proceed south past Louisville to State Spur 13E at South Bend sign. Turn right and proceed until a sign on the right-hand side of the road pointing to Camp Harriet Harding is spotted. If coming from the west, proceed to Lincoln and turn east on Highway 34 to Louisville turnoff. Turn left and proceed on highway 50 to State Spur 13 E at South Bend sign. Turn left and proceed west to the Camp Harriet Harding sign. Then turn right into the camping area.

New York

Dates: Aug 9–16; Aug 16–23.

Location of Sessions: Oakwood School, Poughkeepsie, NY.

Theme of Sessions: “A Glimpse of Tomorrow.”

Highlights: Adult classes will be presented on: “The Release of Human Potential,” “The Bahá’í Family,” “The Bahá’í Covenant,” “Gleanings,” “Bahá’í Laws, Ordinances, and Obligations,” “The Destiny of America,” “Elimination of Prejudice,” and “Advent of Divine Justice.” A complete children’s program also is planned. Dr. William Maxwell will present a course at one of the sessions.

Registrar: Solomon Hilton, 325 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10705, phone 914/476-6302.

Rates: Adults: $80; 18–21: $76; 9–17: $62.50; 3–8: $40.

Natural Environment: The school is situated near the Hudson River, in the beautiful Hudson Valley. Rolling hills and magnificent old trees abound.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are provided dormitory-style with two persons per room. An attractive, well-lighted dining hall serves food cafeteria-style. Classrooms are located in a separate air-conditioned building.

Recreation: Tennis courts, a gym, a nearby swimming pool, and a field for games such as frisbee throwing and baseball are available.

Access: If coming from the north, proceed south on US Route 9. Exit at Spackenkill Road East, which leads to Oakwood School. East/West access to the school is I-84. Exit at US Route 9 and proceed as described above.

Oklahoma-Texas

Dates: Aug 2–7.

Location of Session: Bridgeport Conference Center, Bridgeport, Texas.

Theme of Session: “Channeling Our Faith into Action.”

Highlights: Videotapes of the Hands of the Cause of God A.Q. Faizí and Rahmatu’lláh Muhájir will be shown.

Registrar: Mrs. Firouz Mollaian, 7209 NW 31st St., Bethany, OK 73008.

Rates: 10 and over: $56; 1–9: $34.

Natural Environment: The camp is located on a wooded lakeside setting.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are provided in air-conditioned cabins, with dormitory-style beds. Meals are served cafeteria-style in an air-conditioned dining hall, with hot meals prepared three times daily. School participants should bring their own bedding, towels, and toiletries.

Recreation: Swimming is available in a pool, and movies, volleyball, ping-pong, baseball, and arts and crafts are provided in other special areas. Hiking is also available on extensive natural trails.

Access: The center is located northwest of Dallas/Fort Worth and is west of Denton.

Oregon

Dates: I. June 27–July 2, Suttle Lake; II. Aug 5–8, Apserkaha Camp.

Locations of Sessions: I. Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp, Sisters, Oregon 97759; II. Apserkaha Camp, Howard Prairie Lake, East of Ashland, Oregon.

Themes of Sessions: I. “Spiritual Descendants of the Dawn-breakers—Attaining Our Birthright”; II. “Mecca to Akká.”

Highlights: Auxiliary Board member Opal Conner will participate in the Suttle Lake Session.

Registrar: Sylvia Surratt, 8587 Wagner Creek Road, Talent, OR 97540.

Rates: session 1: 10 and over: $30.25; 2 to 9: $15.50; session 2: To be announced. (School participants to do their own cooking at this session, thus keeping prices very low.)

Natural Environment: I. The camp is located on a beautiful lake, high in the pine forest of the Cascade Range. II. The camp is located on a large lake in rugged country, making the natural setting quite lovely.

Accommodations: I. Cabins sleep eight and have heat and electricity. Showers in restrooms are detached from cabins. There are classrooms

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for all age groups. II. This is a very rustic campsite with open-air cabins, running water, pit toilets, and a covered kitchen area. Those who have tents or camp trailers are welcome to bring them. The site is dry in the summer and all classes are held outdoors. Meals are prepared by the school participants, so that ‎everone everyone‎ gets a turn in the kitchen.

Recreation: I. Swimming is provided in a lake and there is a large recreation hall for dancing, a room for ballgames, and a special place for devotions. II. Hiking is available along trails and swimming is provided in the lake.

Access: I. The camp is located near Bend, Oregon off Highway no. 126. II. The camp is located east of Ashland, Oregon on Dead Indian Road.

Washington East

Dates: Aug 8–14.

Location of session: Camp Dudley near White Pass, Washington.

Theme of ‎sesion session‎: “Being Me, Being Bahá’í.”

Highlights: Kavous Monadjemi will teach a class on “History of the Faith” and a creative family time will enable each family unit to participate in drama, arts, and crafts. An excellent children’s program with emphasis on family unity and family education also is planned.

Registrar: Ms. Joyce Eklund, 808 S. Ahtanum Avenue, Wapato, Washington 98951. Non-refundable registration charge: $2 per person, not to exceed $10 per family.

Rates: 19 and over: $50; 15–18: $45; 9–14: $30; 4–8: $15; 1–3: $7.50. A $120 maximum cost per family has been established.

Natural Environment: The camp is located on the shores of Clear Lake about 50 miles from Yakima, Washington. It offers the natural beauty of the Cascade Mountain Range.

Accommodations: Sleeping accommodations are dormitory style in which participants are grouped by age. Classes are held in dorms and in the main lodge.

Recreation: Swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking are available.

Access: Take Highway 22 North from Yakima for approximately 50 miles. A sign points the way to the camp.

Washington West

Dates: June 26–July 2.

Location of Session: Seabeck Christian Camp, Seabeck, Washington.

Theme of Session: “Preparing for Our Spiritual Mission.”

Highlights: Four adult classes will be offered on two levels of difficulty: history, the Covenant and Administration, Basic Teachings, and Laws and Ordinances. Teachers of the basic level, intended for new Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís, will include Jack Tingstad, Lind Pielick, and Cynthia Walcott. Courses on the advanced level will investigate the Early History of the Faith, the Institution of the Hands of the Cause, Proclamation and Public Speaking, and Preparation for Marriage and the Family Unit. A complete children’s program also is planned.

Registrar: Mrs. Tami Knight; Route 1, Box 360, Port Orchard, WA 98366, phone 206/871-2872.

Rates: 19 and over: $62.50; 12–18: $49.50; 5–11: $38; 1–4: $29.

Natural Environment: The center is situated on a gentle grass slope with tall firs, cedars, and maples as a backdrop. From the buildings, school participants can see Hood Canal, its boats and tree-line beaches, and the rugged Olympics silhouetted in the background.

Accommodations: A large meeting house has seating capacity for 250. Seven other meeting rooms and three outside seating areas provide classroom space. All sleeping rooms have regular beds with bedding provided. Each building has some heat and each has two restrooms with showers. Meals are served family-style in a spacious living room of the Inn.

Recreation: Facilities are excellent and provide many activities for all ages. Children become enthusiastic boaters and swimmers in the safe, protected lagoon. There are courts for games such as tennis, volleyball, ping-pong, and horseshoes. Wooded trails provide natural lookouts to Hood Canal and the Olympics.

Access: There are three major routes to Seabeck. A. Ferry from Seattle to Bremerton. Turn right and then left on 6th Avenue which becomes Kitsap Way. Stay to the left on Kitsap Way. An overhead sign five miles from the ferry dock indicates that Seabeck is to the left. B. From Tacoma, take the 38th Street Freeway exit, which leads onto Highway 16 to Gorst. At Gorst it joins the Belfair Highway to Bremerton. Two miles beyond Gorst, make a left turn at the signal light to bypass Bremerton, which will lead into a left turn onto Kitsap Way. Then proceed as explained under A above. C. From the North: turn right at the stop light in Silverdale. A sign points the way to Seabeck.

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How youth can serve the Faith this summer

Many opportunities will be open to youth this summer to serve the Faith by teaching and learning.

In a May 1975 letter to all National Spiritual Assemblies, The Universal House of Justice encouraged youth to use their summer vacation “to the promotion of the teaching work in all its aspects, not only within their own national communities but farther afield. Some youth may have financial resources of their own, others may be able and willing to work and save the funds necessary for such projects, still others may have the financial backing of their parents, relatives or friends.”

Youth will have a major role to play as the teaching work in the United States gains momentum. In addition to teaching at the local level, homefront traveling teaching opportunities are available through District Teaching Committees or the Bahá’í National Teaching Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Interested youth should apply soon so that proper arrangements can be made.

International traveling teaching opportunities are open in almost every country of the world with the emphasis on 70 countries and territories assigned to the U.S. by The Universal House of Justice. In addition, special teaching projects are open to Bahá’ís 18 or older. The projects will be held in Canada (French-speaking), Guyana (English-speaking), and Ecuador (Spanish-speaking). A training program will be held in early July and all participants will be expected to attend to receive orientation about the culture and teaching methods used in the host countries. The projects will last five to six weeks.

Youth interested in international traveling teaching or in participating in the special projects should consult with their Local Spiritual Assembly and then write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

In addition to teaching, learning experiences will be available. Information on the Bahá’í Summer Schools is published on Page 10. The next Youth Summer Work-Study Project at the Bahá’í National Center will be held June 13–23. Youth interested in participating in the project should write to the Bahá’í National Youth Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

In the May 1975 letter, The Universal House of Justice wrote: “The endurance of youth under arduous conditions, their vitality and vigor, and their ability to adapt themselves to local situations, to meet new challenges, and to impart their warmth and enthusiasm to those they visit, combined with the standard of conduct upheld by Bahá’í youth, make them potent instruments for the execution of the contemplated projects. Indeed, through these distinctive qualities they can become the spearhead of any enterprise and the driving force of any undertaking in which they participate, whether local or national. Our expectant eyes are fixed on Bahá’í youth!”

Youth projecteers teaching in Brazil last summer.

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Ivory Coast to host youth conference

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Ivory Coast, Mali and Upper Volta will sponsor an International Youth Conference July 9–11 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The conference will be similar to one held last summer in Accra, Ghana, and attended by youth from West Africa, Europe, Iran, and the United States. The impact of that conference and the enthusiasm and energy created are still being felt throughout Ghana and the surrounding communities.

The Universal House of ‎Juustice Justice‎ has encouraged the “whole-hearted support” of the United States believers for the Ivory Coast conference. Many of the surrounding communities will have teaching projects planned before and after the conference. The purpose of the conference is to launch “a great West African teaching project... in an effort to accomplish all the teaching goals... by October, midpoint of the Five Year Plan.”

Youth interested in attending the July conference should consult with their Local Spiritual Assembly and then write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

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Gregory needs teachers, aides

Teachers are needed for youth and children’s classes at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute this summer. Applicants for teaching work should be professional teachers or experienced Bahá’í teachers. Interested Bahá’ís can gain experience by assisting the teachers.

Bahá’ís who can serve as specialists in art, music, nature studies, crafts, storytelling, dance, and physical education are also needed.

Special children’s weeks will be June 21–26, June 28–July 3, July 5–10, and August 9–14. Special youth weeks will be July 19–26 and August 16–21.

Bahá’ís who are not available during these weeks, but who would like to help with the on-going children’s program that will parallel the adult program, may also apply.

If you are interested, write to Betty Morris, 1121 West Briar Drive, Apt. 40, Richmond, Virginia 23233.

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Youth project set June 13–25

Youth have a special chance to serve the Faith during work-study projects at the Bahá’í National Center. During this summer’s work-study session, June 13–25, events will include assisting in the new video studio in the House of Worship, working in the gardens of the House of Worship, typing, preparing posters and other audio-visual materials, and filing. Such work is not only a learning experience for the youth, it also assists the Center staff.

Each work-study project offers a unique deepening program, with daily classes on such topics as the Administrative Order, a history and tour of the Temple, the Fund, homefront teaching, and pioneering. Featured speakers are the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem and Continental Counsellor Edna True. Special prayer sessions in the House of Worship highlight each day of the project.

The Bahá’í Youth Committee invites you to apply for an invitation to the summer work-study program. It is best if applicants are available for the full June 13–25 period, but some may come for one week. Participants arrange their own transportation to Wilmette and need about $5.00 a day for food. They receive hospitality from families who work at the center.

Youth who wish to render this great service to their Center should write immediately to the Bahá’í National Youth Committee, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

[Page 13]

American Bahá’í community celebrates Ayyám-i-Há

Heather Whitmore, left, and David Belzer were two of the children who enjoyed an Ayyám-i-Há party February 28 sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Deerfield, Illinois. The party included games and gifts. The highlight was a play for the children presented by the adults of the community.

The Bahá’ís throughout the country took part in similar activities. In addition to parties, there were visits to nursing homes and hospitals, and teaching.

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Readers sought to record for the blind

The Bahá’í Service for the Blind, working with the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, is seeking volunteers interested in making recordings for the blind. Some Bahá’í literature has already been recorded for the blind, but the eventual goal is to make every title available on tape.

A reader for the blind serves simply as a transmitter who transforms the printed word into sound. Good readers read as rapidly as accuracy permits, avoid dramatic interpretation, and do not slow down or add long pauses for emphasis.

Volunteer readers are asked to record the following passages on an audition tape: Bahá’í World Faith, p. 189, top section; Bahá’í Prayers, p. II; Selected Writings of Shoghi Effendi, p. I, paragraph 1; and God Loves Laughter, p. 9.

The audition tape may be recorded on either cassette or reel (3 ¾ i.p.s.) tape. Volunteers should send the tapes by June 15 to the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Tapes should be clearly marked with name and return address and the words “audition recording for the blind.”

The Publishing Trust will acknowledge the receipt of each audition tape. For reference purposes, each audition tape will be retained by the Publishing Trust unless the reader specifically requests otherwise.

All tapes will be auditioned by blind or physically handicapped individuals who rely on recordings for their learning or recreational reading.

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Continued from Page 1

Japan, and Mexico.

The Universal House of Justice said that this flow of traveling Bahá’ís is designed to reinforce the global teaching work.

Specific countries and territories assigned to the United States are:

AFRICA

Cameroon Republic, Dahomey, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Nigeria, Rhodesia, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, and Zaire.

ASIA

Hong Kong, India, Japan, Khmer Republic, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.

AUSTRALASIA

Fiji Islands, North West Pacific Ocean, Samoa, South West Pacific Ocean, and Tonga Islands.

AMERICAS

Alaska, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Antilles, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward and Virgin Islands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Windward Islands.

EUROPE

Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

Bahá’ís interested in filling one of the traveling teaching goals should consult with their Local Spiritual Assembly and then write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

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Marie Bohmann passes at 86

A vase of spring flowers on the piano in the Chicago Bahá’í Center, placed there for the memorial service for Miss Marie Bertha Bohmann on March 30, appropriately called attention to one of the many services rendered that community by this devoted Bahá’í during the 71 years of her Bahá’í membership. Miss Bohmann, an art teacher in the Chicago school system for 35 years, was 86 at the time of her passing, March 28. She was one of those fortunate Bahá’ís blessed with meeting the Master during His visit in 1912.

A cable from The Universal House of Justice said: “GRIEVED PASSING MARIE BOHMANN. EARLY ‎BELEIVER BELIEVER‎ LIFETIME DEVOTED SERVANT CAUSE CHICAGO. ASSURE PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.”

In a telegram to the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago, the National Spiritual Assembly said in part: “She will be warmly remembered for her years of loving assistance at the House of Worship.”

In the 1960’s, in her retirement, Miss Bohmann learned that a new piano could be purchased for the Center if sufficient trading stamps from a certain company were collected. Her sustained effort in this direction and frequent reminders of the friends in the Chicago area led to the successful accomplishment of this task, and she had the pleasure of being present for the dedication of the piano at a special program in the Center.

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Pioneer Edward Bode passes

“SADDENED PASSING DEDICATED BELIEVER EDWARD BODE. HIS FIRM DETERMINATION REMAIN POST MADEIRA EXEMPLIFIED SPIRIT DEVOTION CAUSE HE SERVED FOR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AS PIONEER AMERICAS EUROPE. OFFERING PRAYERS HOLY THRESHOLD PROGRESS HIS SOUL.”—THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

Edward L. Bode, whose service overseas extended from the second Seven Year Plan to this year, when he passed away shortly after suffering a stroke, was 71 years old and actively serving as a pioneer in Funchal, Madeira, at the time of his death. Together with his wife, Mary, who died in 1969, he had helped establish the Faith in Brazil and Holland before moving to Madeira in March, 1969.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Bode was employed in business administration and manufacturing before leaving the United States as a pioneer. The forms filled out by the Bodes at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade attest to their dedication and wholehearted support of the Plan, for the column listing goal areas has their “X” placed after Central America, South America, Hawaiian Islands, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

These are some of the words written by Mr. Bode in a recent report describing his pioneering experiences:

“What can any of us do but dig in, pray hard and work night and day doing all the hundreds of small continuous things that, eventually, bring in believers and establish the firm foundations of Assemblies ... Work for the Faith. Work for Bahá’u’lláh. And what is more glorious than that? And the more you work, the more you dedicate yourself for every moment of every day, the more the strength and power pour through you and the more sure you become that, truly, the angels of the Supreme Concourse are there helping you. So you never lose hope—and you never lose an opportunity....

“The years of pioneering have, through everything, brought much joy. For what could be more deeply gratifying, what could be more highly rewarding than to spend one’s years, one’s life in the service of Bahá’u’lláh? For that is what one does as a pioneer—and it is an exciting thing indeed. The pioneer is the privileged voice to raise the call of the Greatest Name. It is the lips of the pioneer who may offer this great Message in some strange and far-off land and it is the bounty received by the pioneer to bring to waiting souls the tremendous Truth that this is the Day of God.”

Mr. Bode was buried in the same cemetery at Funchal, Madeira, where another distinguished pioneer, Elizabeth Hopper, was laid to rest.

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Free Bahá’í News copies to end

Because of increasing costs, the National Spiritual Assembly will be unable to continue providing complimentary copies of Bahá’í News to Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í groups.

For several years, the National Assembly has sent two complimentary copies of each issue of Bahá’í News to all Local Assemblies and groups as a service to the community because of the importance of the magazine as an international journal and because of the increasing value which back issues will have as reference material.

However, this service has become a severe burden on the National Fund because of rising costs of paper, printing, and mailing. Therefore, the National Assembly has decided to discontinue this service and to request that Local Assemblies and groups purchase their own subscriptions to Bahá’í News beginning with the August 1976 issue. The July 1976 issue will be the last complimentary issue to be sent out.

The National Assembly has strongly encouraged all Local Assemblies and groups to continue their subscriptions to Bahá’í News and, in addition, to initiate, if they have not already done so, subscriptions to the other two American Bahá’í periodicals, World Order and Child’s Way.

Local Assemblies and groups should contact the Bahá’í Subscriber Service, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.

[Page 14]

News briefs

Proclamation month in Akron, Ohio

David Hengle, Guylene Fields, and Beverly Lavery were among art contest winners.

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The Spiritual Assembly of Akron, Ohio, made February proclamation month and sponsored a library display and art contest for children in a branch of their city’s library near the Bahá’í Center. Martha MacLachlan, chairman of the Assembly, arranged the display, which was in the library window and featured a Bahá’í quotation, travel books, and four hand-made dolls representing children from Panama, Algeria, Vietnam, and Kenya.

The librarian was very pleased that a community group offered a display and, because Mrs. MacLachlan wanted to share the dolls with children, suggested a Brotherhood Month Contest. Visits to each elementary school near the library announced the contest, which required the children to draw children of other lands. One day, the librarian showed films depicting life in other countries.

The children enjoyed a party at the library at the end of the month, and each of the four winners received a doll.

Other activities during February included four firesides a week and a unity gathering. Individuals supported the effort by special projects, and meetings were advertised with posters, news releases, and ads.

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Puppets used in Missouri proclamations

Bahá’ís in Missouri are using an original puppet show to proclaim the Faith. The New World Puppet Show has been performed over 20 times in the past year to audiences of all ages in libraries, YMCA’s, churches, and fairs.

The colorful, whimsical puppet characters were created by the group of Brentwood. An artist, students, a housewife, a businessman, a teacher, a librarian, and a secretary wrote the script and songs, made the puppets, and performed the show.

Now the show is sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Webster Groves.

The show ‎emphasisizes emphasizes‎ the human longing for understanding and unity. In one skit, shape-people, none of whom can fit through each other’s door because they are shaped so differently, search for a place where they all fit. In another, travelers from various nations strive to overcome language barriers.

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Custer State Park project in July

The Third Annual Hills Campside Proclamation, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Rapid City, South Dakota, in cooperation with the Bahá’ís of Custer County, will be held July 16-18 in Custer State Park.

The proclamation is aimed at reaching the residents of surrounding towns as well as visitors to the park.

Participants who plan to camp should bring food, cooking utensils, and camping gear such as tents, warm jackets, sleeping bags, and blankets.

Further information is available from the Black Hills Musical Committee, c/o David Brown, Custer State Hospital, Custer, South Dakota 57730.

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Teaching project opens Texas town

A teaching conference in Vernon, Texas, opened the town to the Faith February 21.

A seeker who had been studying Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era for six years declared. She was happy the Bahá’ís came to Vernon.

Bahá’ís paved the way during the week with a four-minute radio interview, a newspaper article, posters, and books placed in the Vernon Regional Junior College library and the public library.

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Northeast Texas project in June

A teaching project in Bowie County, Texas, in June will involve intensive mass-teaching and consolidation in the Northeast Texas area. The project will last about one week.

Applicants should contact the East Texas District Teaching Committee, Mrs. Linda Milne, Secretary, 1704 Ann Avenue, Sherman, Texas, 75090.

Expenses will be $3/day and teachers should bring sleeping bags and the Tablets of the Divine Plan.

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New Mexico program honors Bicentennial

Ernest Bruss Jr. introduces Mona Yazdi Grieser at Farmington.

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Public officials and outstanding citizens of Farmington, New Mexico, enjoyed a Bicentennial program hosted by the Bahá’ís March 12. The 150 guests received, with their invitations, copies of the Bicentennial issue of World Order.

The program, in the San Juan Country Club, opened with the Master’s prayer for America and music.

Featured speaker was Mona Yazdi ‎Greiser Grieser‎, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles. She viewed this country and its destiny as a world citizen, having been born in Iran, raised in Africa, and educated in England and the United States.

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Bahá’ís present ‘Tribute to America’

“Mrs. Hildred Rice and the OSU Bahá’í club got standing applause for putting the show together—and deserved it,” wrote the chairman of the Corvallis Bicentennial Task Force to the Corvallis Gazette-Times February 24. He was commending the Corvallis Bahá’ís’ “Tribute to America,” a program of readings, music, and dance which was performed at Oregon State University February 22.

The Hoolyeh Folk Dancers, a group of grade-school and teen-age youth sponsored by the Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department, performed. The group is directed by Hildred Rice, who is the Corvallis Bahá’ís’ public information representative.

Two Bahá’ís were interviewed on two radio stations before the show. The event was publicized as a gift to the people of Corvallis.

Bahá’ís of Albany and Benton County assisted the effort, so it was a product of inter-community cooperation.

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Wisconsin Bahá’ís purchase color ad

Bahá’ís of Wisconsin placed a color copy of “A Token of our Highest Hope,” the Bahá’í Bicentennial ad, in the Insight magazine section of the Wisconsin State Journal March 7. The section’s circulation is 300,000.

The ad was placed by the Greater Milwaukee Area Mass Media Committee with assistance from Spiritual Assemblies throughout Wisconsin.

The committee formed to help fulfill the Five Year Plan goal of increased use of media. It organized a booth at the 1975 Wisconsin State Fair which resulted in 25 inquiries, a local TV spot, a speaking invitation, and the distribution of over 4,000 pamphlets. Future projects include radio and TV programs.

The committee serves Milwaukee, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, Delafield, Oconomowoc, Oak Creek, Greenfield, Glendale, Whitefish Bay, West Allis, Mequon, Shorewood, New Berlin, Richfield, Menomonee Falls, and Brookfield.

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Green Acre to host economics seminar

A seminar on economics and the Faith will be held June 18-20 at Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine.

The seminar will be conducted by Gregory Dahl and John Huddleston.

Bahá’ís and friends of the Faith interested in economics are encouraged to attend.

200 Unitarians hear about Faith

Foothills Unitarian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado, recently sponsored a presentation by four members of the Spiritual Assembly of Larimer County.

About 200 members of the church heard readings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and a brief talk on the Faith. They saw slides from the filmstrip “Carmel, Mountain of God,” accompanied by the song “Queen of Carmel.”

Several Unitarians discussed the Faith with Bahá’ís during a coffee hour which followed the program, and attended a fireside later in the day.

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Message is given at Goodwill meet

Two Glendale Bahá’ís shared the Faith recently with an audience of 400 handicapped men and women. They spoke during one of the regular non-denominational chapel programs sponsored by Goodwill Industries in the Los Angeles area.

Ralph Schall opened the program with a prayer and Charlotte Schall explained Progressive Revelation and the New World Order, and discussed her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The Schalls’ participation in the program and the basic facts of the Faith were well-described in a press release distributed by Goodwill Industries.

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Display features oneness of religion

Bahá’ís of Glassboro, New Jersey, used five display cases at the Savitz Learning Resource Center during February for a display on the oneness of religion.

[Page 15]

Bahá’í books and materials

Now Available—‘Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies’ and new children’s book ‘The Gift’

Shown left to right: The Gift, a delightful new children’s book which is also available in Spanish and can be purchased with a recorded cassette narration and reusable plastic storage bag; Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, a manual used in the Local Spiritual Assembly Development Program; Bahá’í World Faith, now back in stock; a scene from Each One Teach One, a new filmstrip program; and The Glad Tidings of Bahá’u’lláh.

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New Bahá’í Literature

Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies
compiled by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

“The friends are called upon to give their whole-hearted support and cooperation to the Local Spiritual Assembly, ... This great prize, this gift of God within each community must be cherished, nurtured, loved, assisted, obeyed and prayed for.”—The Universal House of Justice

(Message dated Naw-Rúz, 1974 to the Bahá’ís of the World)

Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, a manual used in the Local Spiritual Assembly Development Program, is now available for sale to the entire Bahá’í community.

Compiled by the National Assembly, Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies brings together in a ready reference the principles, policies, and procedures by which the Local Assemblies should function. The manual includes extracts from the Bahá’í writings, principally from messages from Shoghi Effendi and letters of The Universal House of Justice. It also includes the By-Laws of a Local Spiritual Assembly.

The National Spiritual Assembly has eagerly invited all believers to acquire a copy of this document, learn from it the functions of the Local Assembly, and act in accordance with the guidelines it provides. The National Assembly has added that by studying and acting in accordance with the guidelines the believers can nurture Local Assemblies. Ivy green cover. Punched for use in three-ring binders. 8½ x 11 inches. 154 pp.

7-68-37.............$1.75; 10/$16.00

The Gift
El Regalo
by Cynthia K. Walcott

The Gift is a delightful new children’s book which uses animals to explain the Bahá’í teaching on the progressive revelation of religions. The story shows how jungle and mountain animals—divided by the books they follow—learn to live happily together when they follow a new Special Book.

The Gift is also available in a Spanish edition entitled El Regalo. Either book may be purchased individually or in a package including a recorded cassette narration. The recorded narration enhances the story by adding music and animal sounds. The recording is bilingual—with English on one side and Spanish on the other.

When cassette and book are purchased together, the two are packaged in a reusable clear plastic bag complete with handle and hook for convenient carrying and storing.

The Gift and El Regalo are illustrated with charming four-color illustrations by Lynn Hutchinson Reynolds. Library binding. 7 x 11½ inches. 39 pp. Ages 6-10. The books and cassette narration are ideal for both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í children, English and Spanish speaking.

7-52-51 The Gift	$4.75
7-93-68 El Regalo	$4.75
7-52-52 The Gift w/cassette narration	$6.95
7-93-67 El Regalo w/cassette narration	$6.95
6-31-23 The Gift/El Regalo cassette narration	$3.75

Bahá’í Meetings/
The Nineteen Day Feast:
Extracts from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi
compiled by: The Universal House of Justice

Now available—a compilation on Bahá’í meetings and the Nineteen Day Feast. The booklet, which contains several previously unpublished Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is arranged in two parts. “Bahá’í Meetings” contains extracts from the Bahá’í Writings concerning Bahá’í meetings of all kinds. “The Nineteen Day Feast” discusses all aspects of the Feast, including its lofty purpose, its effect on the hearts, and matters such as the date of Feast, the use of music, and so on.

Bahá’í Meetings/The Nineteen Day Feast will assist individual believers as well as Spiritual Assemblies and committees in their efforts to win the Five Year Plan goals related to teaching, deepening, and proclamation; to developing the distinctive character of Bahá’í life; and to the development and strengthening of Local Spiritual Assemblies. Tangerine cover. 5½ x 8½ inches. 33 pp.

7-15-56.............$.60; 10/$5.00

New Editions

All Things Made New:
A Comprehensive Outline of the Bahá’í Faith
by John Ferraby

All Things Made New, the popular introductory work on the Bahá’í Faith which has been out of print for a number of years, is once again available. Its author, John Ferraby, was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi and served for many years as Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the British Isles. The book’s seventeen chapters are arranged in three parts: “The Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh”; “The Central Figures of the Faith”; and “The Bahá’í Community.” This edition has been revised under the supervision of The Universal House of Justice. An excellent reference work on the Bahá’í Faith. 307 pp., index, references.

7-32-16 cloth.............$6.75
7-32-17 paper.............$4.50

The Glad Tidings of Bahá’u’lláh
Compiled by George Townshend

This attractive and useful compilation of Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá—first published in 1949—is once again available. The compilation focuses on the supreme purpose of Bahá’u’lláh’s mission: the unification of mankind and the establishment of a world civilization. It concludes with “The Journey of the Soul,” a chapter which characterizes the world’s problems as fundamentally spiritual and personal. Particularly useful for seekers and Bahá’ís who may prefer less comprehensive volumes. Introduction by George Townshend. 6½ x 4½ inches. 110 pp., bibliography, references.

7-15-52.............$1.70

Back in Stock

Bahá’í World Faith

Out of stock for several months, Bahá’í World Faith is once again available. The book is a comprehensive selection of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá dealing with the mission of the Prophets, the fulfillment of religious promises, the nature of the soul and spirit of man, practices and laws for the new age. 449 pp.

7-15-20.............$4.00

New Special Materials

Arise to Teach

Arise to Teach is a new two-cassette study and deepening session on intensified individual teaching. The recording features Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and Counselor Eleanor Marcela in informal discussions with several Bahá’ís.

6-31-40 two cassettes.............$6.00

Each One Teach One filmstrip program

Each One Teach One, the audio-visual program which has inspired thousands at teaching conferences across the nation, is now available. The filmstrip program features a series of colorful drawings showing how the Faith’s numbers will grow when every Bahá’í works to attract at least one new soul to the Faith every year. The accompanying recorded cassette features the popular song “Each One Teach One” by John Ford Coley and Bob Gundry. Developed by the National Teaching and National Education Committees. Designed by the National Information Office. 42 frames. 3 minutes.

6-03-24.............$5.50

[Page 16]

Unified community moves forward with goals of Five Year Plan

See Page 1