" NATIONAL for BAHA'i's ONLY 112 Linden Av., Wilmette
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PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLYOF THE BAHA'I'S OF THE UNITED STATES " NATIONAL FOR BAHA'I'S ONLY 112 Linden Av., Wilmette. 111. 60091 Second-class postage paid at Wilmette, Illinois No. 29 BAH~'~YEAR 127 MAY 1970 Conferences National Baha'~f f Youth International Education Year Conference, June 1 9-2 1 The Southern Regional Conference on "Education for Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-BahA Rbbiyyih the New Needs of Man," sponsored by the North Ameri- -KhPnum plans now to be present for the upcoming Nation- can BahA'i Ofice for Human Rights, is being held April a1 BahA'i Youth Conference on June 19-21 in Wilmette, 11-12 at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. Illinois. The conference will focus on pioneering, according during the College's centennial year. to Bob Phillips of the office of Youth and Student Activi- The conference will attract BahA'is and non-BahA'is ties. from an eight-state area and feature talks by Dr. Ben- There will be training sessions after the conference for jamin Payton. the College's president. Dr. Daniel Jordan those youth who are to participate in summer projects, of the University of Massachusetts, and Edward Carpen- with most of the projects being planned for the South. It is ter. headmaster of Harlem Preparatory School in New also hoped that many of the youth will be able to go York City. directly from the conference to pioneering goals in the The Western Regional Conference on "Education for South and overseas, filling goals of the Nine Year Plan. Becoming Your True Self" will be held in Eugene. Ore- Specific details about the conference, projects, and gon. June 6-7. Another conference for the mid-west is pioneering will be mailed to all youth prior to the confer- potentially scheduled for September. ence date. For the present, each youth planning to attend NABOHR will sponsor a symposium on International the conference should mail his registration fee of $5.00 to Education in New York City on October 17. That after- the Office of Youth and Student Activities, 112 Linden noon, an Awards Luncheon will be held at which the Louis Avenue, Wilmette, lllinois 60091. G. Gregory Awards for Service to Humanity will be presented to an outstanding individual and an outstanding organization which have made great contributions in the field of education. United Nations dignitaries and eminent Urgent Plea to leaders in the field of education are expected to attend the Geyserville Oldtimers symposium and luncheon. Important information is needed for the impending negotiations with the California State Highway Depart- ment. If you were one of those who witnessed the dedica- tion of the Cemetery there, please get in touch with the National BahA'i Properties Committee. 112 Linden Ave- Holy Days Recognition- nue. Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Nine Year Plan Victory Mayor Kevin White, Boston, Massachusetts, on March 5, pe- ceiving a copy of The Proclamation of Baha'u'LlBh. Represent- The recognition of BahA'i Hofy Days in the forty- ing the Spiritual Assembly of Boston: (Standing, left to right) John Kavelin, Sylvia Kaye, Babu Vadlamudi, Philip Morrison, eight contiguous states of the United States, a goal of the Edward Goldberg; (seated) Angela Quow and ma yo^ White. Nine Year Plan. has been attained with granting of ap- 1 proval for BahA'i children to be excused from classes on Ba- h5'i Holy Days In Lexington. Kentucky. Last year. Charleston, West Virginia, achieved the goal for that state. bringing us close to victory. Although New Hampshire and Florida had achieved their goals previously. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. and r Jacksonville. Florida, recently secured permission for the children in those communities to be excused. This brings the number of BahA'i localities where the Bahs'i Holy Days are recognized by the local authorities to two hun- dred and eighteen. 2 MAY 1970 weekly fireside listing in the 'Heard About Town' column; It Happened in Idaho weekly notices of all activities on the church page; sub- mitting releases and pictures from the National Baha'i A little over a year ago the Idaho Falls membership Public Information Office (when appropriate); a letter to count stood at eight believers. At the State Convention a the editor for Race Unity Day; and four contributions to recommendation was made that a slide show on Idaho be 'The Friday Pulpit,' a church page feature. These all compiled and shown in California by personal emissaries provided an opportunity to explain BahA'i principles. in the hope that pioneers might come to Idaho - and also "Free radio publicity on a local FM station has been that someone might move to Idaho Falls to help form the obtained through use of the taped series A World in assembly. This was done: and. as a result. pioneers did Harmony. This has been a regular Sunday morning move in. but not in time for Riglvan. feature for over two years, and was the impetus for "In early March we received word that a BahA'i another soul finding the Faith. Being accused as 'devil family was being transferred by his organization to Idaho worshippers' by a person calling into a local radio station Falls from another Idaho town. Our assembly goal was resulted in an invitation to discuss and answer questions achieved!" about the Faith on the most popular talk show in the With the election at RidvBn. a year of rewarding expan- area - for one whole hour! sion and continual consolidation began. They report: "New tests, new growth, and a deepening awareness of what the 'new world order' would be like, and a constant amazement at the power of consultation at work." Proclamation at State Fair The report continues: "Friendships formed while doing volunteer service work in the school libraries helped in "Proclamation on a larger scale took place when we giving us an integrated community. In a few short months decided to man a fair booth at the Eastern Idaho State the community had three Negro members, including a Fair. Invaluable experience was gained by all the Ba- pioneer from California. We felt this truly a special hl'is in explaining the Faith on a person-to-person basis. bounty - a Bahi'i Community with nearly twenty per- To follow up this regional proclamation, the film And His cent of a minority race, especially in a town with strong Name Shall Be One was shown in Pocatello, Blackfoot. racial prejudice. and Idaho Falls, with twenty-one non-Bahl'is attending "Friendships made in the course of volunteer P.T.A. in Idaho Falls, the largest number of seekers at one work helped smooth the way for attainment of another function here todate, and most of them youth. Nine Year Plan goal, that of obtaining recognition of "Several times the community has met together to say Bahl'i Holy Days in the local schools for the first time in the 'Remover of Difficulties' 500 times to provide us with a Idaho. source of inspiration for renewed teaching efforts and to "In the early days of our community, one couple held help in solving the many and continuing problems in a regular Friday night firesides and also conducted chil- spirit of detachment. dren's classes once a week. These important activities "Realizing the importance of the National Fund we still continue, now as a primary community responsibility voted to become a $1000 assembly. An interesting sidelight with adult study classes and children's classes scheduled regarding the fund concerns our newest member. who weekly. Study material from the Baha'i Publishing Trust decided on enrollment earlier than she had first intended serves as the guide for conducting these classes in a because she felt the 'spiritual' need to contribute 'mate- planned. orderly manner. rially.' Would that all Bahi'is had that wisdom. Training for Future "Training in conducting meetings, speaking, and being moderator and chairman has been a goal of community Hosts for Area Youth Meet weekly meetings. All members of the community take part in these activities realizing they someday may be "The community felt fortunate in hosting the first Area pioneers. Youth Committee conference. The youth were welcomed "Help with study activities was extended to the Bahl'i by the Mayor, and the occasion was used to present The group in Pocatello. This proved to be a mutually reward- Proclamation of ~ahd'u'lla'h to him. Idaho Falls members ing experience for both communities; they saw a spark were so inspired that we initiated another youth deepening grow into a flame. conference for January 2-4. It was attended by fifty Ba- "Our members have spoken to service clubs and church ha'is and non-Bahl'is from Montana, Utah, and Idaho. groups, and one member has arranged to give talks to the " 'Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor' has had its effect in comparative religion class of a nearby college each se- bringing together a community of eighteen members on a mester. firm foundation essential for growth and dispersal. Incor- "A Sunday morning public service, patterned after poration papers have been drawn up and approved by the those given in the Wilmette House of Worship, has afford- National Spiritual Assembly. We hope to have this goal ed another opportunity to inform the public and to achieved by Ridvan. broaden the experience of the Baha'is., "Future plans include the showing of the New Wind film "Proclamation in our community is an ongoing thing. in April, and the starting of their own firesides by the Our phone listing, obtained at reduced cost as a religious youth and pre-youth.