Iowa Baha’i Summer Schools, ~1987 – 1997

by Diane Findlay, submitted September 2023

During the last two decades of the twentieth century, Iowa’s Baha’is and friends from around and beyond Iowa gathered joyfully and eagerly each summer for extended weekend summer schools. There were often a hundred or more participants from around the state and beyond. One year we topped 200! We shared worship, study, warm fellowship, meals, play, and spiritual energy and growth. We looked forward to plenary and breakout sessions, children’s and youth classes, the annual variety shows, family dances, and browsing at the Baha’i Bookstore. I remember celebrating several declarations of faith during these sessions.

The Schools were planned by a nine-person Schools Committee with a consistent core of dedicated members and others serving for a few years, as they were able. Among those who served were Vicki & Bryce Abel, Becky Jensen, Bill Cave, James Braun, Mark McDowell, Marda Rodriguez, Blair Nichols, LB Hasan, Kathleen McClendon, and Priscilla Hofert. These Committees were appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly, through its Office of Permanent and Regional Schools. To my knowledge, the longest-serving members included Amy Lugsch, Terri Foster Ferrell (then Bennett), and Bob Findlay. I had the privilege to serve for several years and learned much about effective, high-level Baha’i consultation. The Committee met monthly, year-round, beginning plans for the next School just a month or two after the last ended. It was an enormous amount of work, undertaken with enthusiasm, creativity, and unity. The Schools were well-organized and ready, each year, to receive the participants, who breathed beautiful spirit into the “body” created by the Committee and its many delegated helpers. Memories of these Schools are among the richest in my treasury of great memories to this day.

At one point, during my time on this Committee, we were invited to Chicago, along with a Schools Committee from another state (I wish I remembered which one!) to consult with staff at the National Center, in order to share experiences and learn from each other.

As best we can determine, the 1987 and 1988 Schools took place at Scattergood Friends School in West Branch, where Terry and Susan Ofner were on staff. In 1989 and 1990 we met at Simpson College in Indianola and then moved to Briar Cliff College in Sioux City from 1991 through 1995. Robert Henderson was our keynote speaker in 1990 and Stephen Birkland in 1991. Bill Allmart also presented in 1991, and Auxiliary Board Member Javidukht Khadem in 1994. For two or three summers after that, we held the School at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Jack McCants served as keynote speaker one of the Grinnell years. Along the way, we offered some smaller, shorter schools, a couple of them in winter, at hotels in Newton and West Des Moines, at Camp Hantesa near Boone, Camp Wesley Woods in Indianola, and at the Raccoon River Nature Lodge, also in West Des Moines. By that time, the focus had shifted to developing the Institute process, with all the levels of new skills to learn and core activities to practice, and there were simply not the resources to continue the Schools. Change and progress are good but I still miss these wonderful Schools!

*Based on additional information submitted in August, 2024, we know that later, smaller Iowa Baha’i Summer Schools took place June 20 – 22, 2008, at Wesley Woods in Indianola, themed “The Dynamic Process of growth: The More We Do the More We Learn;” and July 9-12, 2010 at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, themed “Learning to Translate What Is Written into Reality.” Erica Toussaint gave the keynote speech at the 2010 School. She was serving at that time as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Here are some “Glimpses” from those Schools. Please send us yours!

• Bob Findlay shares this memory: As I remember, I was on the Schools Committee, planning the next year’s school, at Scattergood. At the time it was common practice to invite a keynote speaker from the National Assembly or the Auxiliary Boards. We had lined up two Auxiliary Board members to attend the School in that role. A short time before the school, one of them called and said they had been called to a special meeting with a Counselor and would have to back out. Well, we still had the other, so we’d have to do a little filling in, but no problem. A few days later the other Auxiliary Board Member called and said they had fallen and broken an arm and couldn’t come! Now it was time to panic! Through consultation, we realized that we had plenty of talent within the Iowa Baha’i community, so we started calling around and came up with speakers and breakout sessions that would solve our dilemma. After the school was done and the Committee met for our wrap-up session, we decided that we would rely more on the Baha’is in Iowa and we never again had that problem. Yes, we still sometimes invited and enjoyed speakers or special guests of regional or national prominence, but developing the talent within the state turned out to be a very good decision!
• During my time on the Committee, we made conscious efforts to accustom the community to longer, more in-depth devotional programs. As part of that process, we greatly increased use of the arts and of engaging the senses in those programs. For several years, Betty Lou Cave of Marshalltown planned the opening and closing devotional programs each day and brought great joy and creativity to presenting profound, meaningful “devotional experiences.” I learned much from her and tried to continue that precedent as Devotions Coordinator after her. Some highlights I remember include Betty Lou’s “Pearls, Gems, and Treasures” program, which included a lovely sensory element. She projected onto the wall a bowl of clear water, using an overhead projector. Then she had a child carefully add drops of food coloring, in different colors, to the water. They swirled together in a beautiful display of “unity in diversity.” The child (again, I wish I could remember who it was) watched spellbound, eyes big, and just sighed, “Ooh…” A moment of wonder for everyone, I’m sure! Later I shared two programs that called on Darajun Abel (now Amini) to dance (she was breathtaking), and one in which Lindsay Lugsch arranged colored scarves in a graceful, almost choreographed way, to music. Another program, called “Wine of Astonishment,” explored mentions of wine in the Writings and featured a sparkling cider fountain. I believe, as a Committee, we achieved our goal in that area.
• Terri Foster Ferrell (then Bennett) remembers walking across the commons area of the campus at one of the Schools and being deeply touched by the simple sight of Grace and Karl Kogh, quite elderly at the time, walking hand in hand ahead of her.
• A popular part of many of the Schools was a variety show the last night, featuring individual, family, or group acts either well-planned and rehearsed ahead or tossed together spontaneously during the School. I remember a group of youth one year adapting a Monty Python sketch to tease their tired parents about making excuses not to attend Baha’i activities—message received, with much laughter! I remember a talented trio of youth, made up of Robin Siegling, Andrea Matheny, and Jane Rodriguez, singing for us a couple of years. Then, a year or two later, another talented trio, calling themselves “The Little Sisters,” taking their turn—Angie Siegling, Samantha Matheny, and Anisa Rodriguez. Perhaps my sweetest memory of the variety shows, though, is from the year Jane Rodriguez served as emcee (Maybe 1988?). She introduced Wendy Naaktgeboren, who was a youth at the time, to sing “Somewhere Out there” from the Disney movie AN AMERICAN TAIL. Wendy began the song but nerves got to her and she forgot the words. Without missing a beat, as smoothly as if it had been planned, Jane stepped in next to her, got her back on track, and the two finished the song together. I still tear up thinking about it. That moment so beautifully captured the spirit of love, kindness, unity, and encouragement that permeated those gatherings.
• One year at Grinnell, National Spiritual Assembly member Jack McCants attended as a keynote speaker. He was a former Christian preacher and known for his dynamic, dramatic speaking style. As I recall, he was sometimes affectionately teased about being a “fire and brimstone Baha’i!” I was working with youth classes that year and, of course, invited Jack to address the youth. I’ll never forget his “grand entrance.” He swept into the room, made his way to the chalkboard, told the group that if they took nothing else away from the School, he wanted them to remember this, and proceeded to write three bullet points on the board: 1: Remember you are noble. 2: Know what you believe. 3: GO FOR IT! I hope the youth present carried that with them as I have, all these years.
• Another special memory from Terri Foster Ferrell: I was asked to be director of Summer School (I believe it was at Simpson College). Each morning we started our day together in the auditorium.  After opening prayers, announcements, and plans for the day, I read the familiar story about the Geese. I was hoping to offer it as an example of what true community looked like as seen through nature. We all headed off to our classes and when we returned the next morning the wall of the auditorium was beautifully decorated with many geese flying in a V formation. One of the classes made all the geese! I wish I could remember who the artists were! Here’s a version of the story:

The Goose Story by Harry Clarke Noyes (from ARCS NEWS, Vol. 7, No. 1, January 1992)

Next fall, when you see Geese heading south for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way: as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are. When the Head Goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What do we say when we honk from behind? Finally, and this is important, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshots and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

The videos below are slideshows created at the schools, over the years, by Terri Foster Ferrell. They were played as part of the final evening closing program at each school. Quality isn’t great, after so many years and conversions from medium to medium, but they may touch some of your hearts, as they touch mine! Please register on the site to leave your comments or memories, or send related stories to us at iowabahaihistory@gmail.com.

As best we can determine: The first video is from Scattergood Friends School in West Branch, Iowa, in 1987 and features two songs written and performed by Curtis and Cindy (now Norris-Dorren) Mickunas. The second is from Briarcliff College in Sioux City and appears to be a mix of images from the 1991 and 1992 Schools. The third is also from Briarcliff in 1993. NOTE: The quilted banners you see at the top of this page and in the videos, which we used throughout these years with new ones reflecting School themes, were lovingly created by Diane Naaktgeboren, from Central City. The photos below the videos are from the 1988, 1991, and 1995 Summer Schools, respectively.