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(Editor’s Note: The purpose of this
edition of the Stelle Letter is to better acquaint our readers with
the purpose, organization, and programs of The Stelle Group.) * * * The
Stelle Group is an organization of men and women who have gathered
together for a very specific purpose. That purpose is to facilitate
the establishment of the Nation of God by: · Developing the technology necessary for surviving
the events at the turn of this century. · Creating an environment conducive to Egoic
growth. Developing
a sophisticated technology and building a balanced,
economically self-sufficient city is a highly complex task. However, a project
of this magnitude can be accomplished by breaking it
down into smaller, more manageable parts. They can then be accomplished with
greater ease, and it doesn’t take long before these
smaller accomplishments add up to the success of a larger project. There’s an
expression which is apropos here: “Life by the yard
is hard; by the inch, it’s a cinch.” A
planning group has been formed to help accelerate
The Stelle Group’s progress toward its ultimate goal. The planning process is aimed at identifying what needs to be accomplished in
each key area. Once these areas of accomplishment are defined, the next step
is to develop practical, action-oriented programs which
will take us closer toward our intended goal. Out of this planning process,
The Stelle Group’s 1979 program was developed. A HISTORIC
PERSPECTIVE Before
we present The Stelle Group’s program for 1979, we would like to give you a
brief picture of where we’ve been. The
Stelle Group was established in Five
years later, Stelle—once called a “City for Tomorrow”—has now become a
reality. There are 33 housing units, two school buildings, water- and
sewage-treatment plants, a factory, and an administrative building. Stelle
has become a “total environment.” Members live, learn, work, socialize, and
shop here. There is even a credit union where members may take care of some
of their financial needs. While
we have come a long way, most of our task still stretches before us. But we have taken those first important steps. Our task
now is to hasten the tempo and increase the ground covered by each future
step. 1979 — AN
OVERVIEW This
new year, 1979, will be another step for The Stelle Group in the fulfillment
of its role in the Great Plan of the Brotherhoods.
In 1979 Stelle’s focus is on increasing its degree
of self-sufficiency in finance, agriculture, and energy. Of these three,
financial self-sufficiency will receive the emphasis. I. Financial Self-Sufficiency — Defined as having sufficient funds for all
necessary projects. There are several aspects of financial self-sufficiency.
The initial stage is having adequate funds to operate our regular year-to-year
programs, such as the school and the newsletter. To cushion The Stelle Group
from any economic contingencies, a reserve fund shall be
established from savings to be invested in gold or silver so that it
does not lose its purchasing value. Then, as additional funds become available they can be directed into new or additional
projects. The
Stelle Group derives most of its income from the following sources: · Tithes and donations from members and friends. · Income from the sale of Stelle Publications. · Non-interest loans. Money
also comes into the community from
the profits of the various Stelle businesses such as the Stellwood Company
and the Stelle Plastics Company. Financial self-sufficiency is the key to
Stelle’s success in the areas of agriculture and energy. Energy in particular
requires a great deal of capital expenditure for technical research and
development. II. Agricultural Self-Sufficiency — Defined as the ability to produce the food and
food products needed by the community. This also entails having the capacity
to process foods so they can be stored (is, canning or dehydration). Since
the regional economy around Stelle is primarily based
on agriculture, a food-processing business would tie Stelle into the local
economy. III. Energy Self-Sufficiency — The ability to provide for our own power needs,
whether it be through electric generation, the
manufacture of fuels, or application of solar energy. The long-range goal
here is to eliminate dependence on outside energy sources. SELF-SUFFICIENCY
IN GENERAL The Brotherhoods have repeatedly pointed out that each person is
responsible for his~ own thoughts and actions. In short, we are responsible
for and are in control of our lives. We may elect to exercise this control
and enjoy freedom, or we may fail to take the responsibility and thus become
subject to those who will. In
many respects the life of an organization closely
parallels the life of an individual. When we are born
we are totally dependent upon others for the fulfillment of our physical and
psychological needs. As we grow older we become
self-reliant, we gain confidence in our God-given abilities, and we become
secure in our identity. The
members of The Stelle Group seek to grow in knowledge and in mature
self-reliance. It seems fitting then that The Stelle Group as a body of
people seeks to become more self-reliant. While we may not be able to achieve
total self sufficiency in one or even two years, we
can and are developing programs which will provide a firm foundation for the
future. Your city must always be totally
self-sufficient and industrially strong because when the continent rises,
most of the world will be destroyed … Dr. White, p. 103, The Ultimate Frontier. ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE In
the Ancient Lemurian Empire, the government was run
through twelve departments: Administration, Agriculture, Building, Commerce
and Industry, Civil Service, Communication, Culture, Education, Exchange,
Natural Resources, Public Engineering, and Religion. At
present there are four departments in The Stelle
Group: Administration, Building, Education, and Exchange. Conceptually, the function of a fifth department, Commerce and Industry, is
provided by Stelle Industries. Each of the departments has an overall
objective for which it is responsible, and within each department
there are sections or offices which have very specific duties. The directors of the four departments are appointed by the Board of
Trustees of The Stelle Group (the latter being elected to two-year terms by
the general membership). The trustees are also responsible for
appointing the president, vice president, treasurer and corporate secretary. PROGRAMS
BY DEPARTMENT FOR 1979 DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION —Coordinates all the activities of The Stelle
Group, and provides the organizational framework for activities and functions which are not large enough to operate as
departments. Within the Department of Administration we have the following
offices and programs: Office
of Publications — Responsible for disseminating the philosophy of the
Brotherhoods by: · Publishing the Stelle Letter. · Distributing The Ultimate Frontier. · Distributing other Stelle publications such as
the Observations, books. · Distributing the taped discussions entitled, On Becoming An Initiate. · Providing additional reading material supplemental to the Brotherhoods’ philosophy through the Select
Publications Program. Office of Technology — Responsible for
developing the technology needed by The Stelle Group in the fulfillment of
its purpose. The focus for 1979 is on research and development of alternative
energy sources. Office of Culture —
Responsible for coordinating the artistic and creative talent of Stelle’s
members to provide a culturally stimulating environment. Some
of the other offices within the Department of Administration are: Rentals Management, Communications, Public Relations,
and Planning Assistance. The corporate offices, which provide administrative
support services to the other departments, are a part of the Department of
Administration. DEPARTMENT
OF BUILDING — Responsible for
facilitating the construction and physical development of the community of
Stelle, as well as providing public services. Within this department we have the following
offices and programs: Utilities Section — Operates and
maintains the water- and sewage-treatment plants. Public Services Section — Maintains
all public grounds, streets, community furnishings and equipment owned by The
Stelle Group. Office of Agriculture — Responsible for maintaining a food program
involving the stockpiling of reserves, food propagation and processing. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — Seeks to provide each member of The Stelle Group
with the highest level of education. Within the community of Stelle learning is a lifetime activity which starts at
birth and continues until transition. Education is the cornerstone of a
democracy; if you remove it, the entire structure collapses. Within this
department there are several major programs: Early Learning Program — Assists the parents in providing their young
children with an optimum education. Through this program, children accomplish
work at least at the third-grade level by age six. More importantly, this
program seeks to develop a love of learning within the child as well as
encouraging the child to develop a high sense of self-esteem. Within this
program there are a number of sections: Early
Learning Council — Coordinates the Early Learning Program and consists of
parents, teachers, administrators, and interested members. Birth
Program —A resource for prospective parents to assist them in having a
comfortable, family-oriented, uplifting birth experience. Reading Program — Provides assistance to parents as they
teach their child to read. The Brotherhoods
have advised that the optimum time for children to be reading is by age three
and writing by age four. Our experience verifies this. Modified Montessori Classroom — An environment
where young children between the ages of three and six can develop their
motor skills (in preparation for reading and writing) and social skills, as
the children interact with one another. In the classroom
the child is allowed to choose his activities, fostering self-direction. Primary Program — Provides an
opportunity for mother and child to work together in a classroom environment.
This allows for a one-to-one learning relationship, which seems to be
optimum. There is a professional teacher available with
whom the mother may consult to increase her effectiveness in teaching her
child. Mothers’ Study Group — Provides a
symposium where mothers can share with each other their practical
experiences in rearing children. Elementary Program — Assists the student
in learning how to learn on his own. In this program, children aged six to
ten years work to improve their level of understanding in reading, writing,
and arithmetic—the basic tools of learning. The child’s time in the
classroom is spent on independent study as well as
group work. The teacher acts as a facilitator in helping each student proceed
at his optimum rate- During the four years of a child’s participation in the
Elementary Program, he will usually learn the
equivalent of five years of material in a regular school. Secondary Program — Provides students
with a balanced education beginning at age eleven. In order to enhance the
child’s development of intelligence and creativity, emphasis is placed on experiential learning; that is, learning by
doing. The program is tailored to meet the
individual needs of each student so that he may progress at the fastest
possible rate. Subjects are taught in relationship
to each other so that the student has a greater sense of the
inter-relatedness of the various fields of knowledge. In addition, members of
the community contribute to the program by sharing with the children their
individual areas of expertise. Secondary Program — Assists new
students in making an adjustment to life in Stelle
by familiarizing them with the educational approach evolving here, as well as
with the philosophy by which Stelle lives. Learning Center Council — Consists of
teachers, parents, administrators, and other interested community members
who coordinate the activities of the elementary and secondary programs. Adult Education Program —Provides
facilities and assistance to adults who wish to continue their education.
There are several existing and projected areas of this program: orientation
seminars, college-level courses, and continuing-education courses. Greater
emphasis is now going to be placed on adult
education, whose classes are organized as needed. There is also a library and
resource center available to all members. DEPARTMENT
OF EXCHANGE — Responsible for
maintaining correspondence with people who are interested in Stelle. It is also responsible for accounting for all
property and funds contributed to The Stelle Group. The Department of
Exchange also plans to facilitate the implementation of the Stelle Credit
System. The offices within this department are: Office of Membership — Provides
administrative support to the Membership Committee and answers
correspondence from potential members and interested persons. This office
helps to acclimate new members as they arrive in the
Stelle area. Office of the Treasurer — Maintains
financial records on all business transacted by The Stelle Group. Office of Development —
Responsible for raising money to meet the normal expenses of The Stelle
Group’s program. There are several ways in which
interested people can put their surplus funds to work in The Stelle Group:
tithing, non-interest loans, and special trusts. * * * The
Stelle Group’s program for 1979 was initially drafted by
the staff. This proposed program was then presented
to the Board of Trustees. After making several revisions, the program was then presented to the membership at the regular
community meeting held on December 8, 1978. (In Stelle, the trustees and
staff comprise the executive branch of the government, and the membership
makes up the legislative branch.) At that meeting, attending members offered
their suggestions and ideas. Support for the 1979 program has
been given by the membership of The Stelle Group. ● ● ● What
you have read are the highlights of our 1979 program. While, for the sake of
brevity, we did not include all the details of our program, we do hope that this
newsletter has given you an idea of our goals and our organizational
structure. If there are areas of our program which
interest you, we invite you to write us for additional information or to
offer your suggestions or comments. RAISING
FUNDS In
the coming weeks, the Office of Development will be sending a letter to each
reader of the Stelle Letter. The purpose of this contact will be to encourage
each reader of our newsletter to assist The Stelle Group financially. We have
always been appreciative for the help we’ve
received, for it has enabled us to develop Stelle to its present point in a
few short years. We anticipate that this support will continue as The Stelle
Group fulfills its role in Christ’s and the Brotherhoods’
Great Plan. ∆ |
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