Charlotte Linfoot

Charlotte Linfoot
Born	May 30, 1895 North Dakota
Died	October 30, 1976 Wilmette, Illinois
NSA member	United States 1953 - 1976
Works •  Media

Charlotte May Linfoot (May 30, 1895 - October 30, 1976) was a long-serving member of the National Teaching Committee and National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.

Biography

Charlotte was born in North Dakota in 1895, but moved to Canada at some point where she attended high school in Saskatchewan, completed degrees at Saskatoon Teachers College and Business College, and worked as an elementary school teacher and editor and reporter for a local newspaper. She returned to the United States moving to California in the 1930s where she worked for the American Red Cross.

She became a Bahá'í in Oakland California and was almost immediately involved in the administration of the Faith, being appointed as Western Secretary of the National Teaching Committee in 1931. In late 1931 she introduced Leroy Ioas at an Amity Dinner held at North Oakland Baptist Church. She was appointed as the Secretary of the National Teaching Comittee in 1932 and was also appointed to a new Committee for Training and Teaching Children as Secretary. The Committee for Children began producing lesson plans which Charlotte distributed to Local Assemblies. She also taught during 1932 giving a talk on the Báb at a home meeting in Oakland and talks to members of the Linden Club of Business and the Professional Girls of the Young Women's Christian Association. In early 1933 she spoke at the 20th Annual Women's Day program among the Colored Baptist Churches in Oakland on the equality of men and women.

In 1933 Charlotte became Chair of the Committee for Teaching and Training Children, rather than Secretary, in addition to continuing to serve as Secretary of the National Teaching Committee. In late 1934 she visited San Francisco and spoke at a regular Sunday public meeting held by the Bahá'ís. In 1935 she spoke at a regular Friday Bahá'í meeting in Oakland, and was appointed to a Western States Summer School Program Committee. In 1938 she held a session on the Rise and Fall of Civilization at Geyserville Summer School, and she was serving on the Geyserville Committee by 1939.

In 1940 Charlotte had to take a business trip through the Northwest of the United States and also used it as a teaching trip, assisting efforts in Monroe and Everett in Washington and in Vancouver in British Columbia. In June 1941 she chaired a discussion on teaching on the opening day of Vogel Park Teaching Conference held in Georgia, and in 1942 she taught a session titled The Bahá'ís in World Crisis at the Geyserville Summer School. In 1944 the National Spiritual Assembly established the position of Assistant Secretary with Charlotte being elected to the position. In 1945 she was appointed to the Committee on Bahá'í Peace Plan and spoke at a Bahá'í conference in Los Angeles. She made a second business trip which was used for teaching work in 1945, visiting Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle. As of 1949 Charlotte was serving on a Study Aids Committee and Programming Committee.

In 1950 Charlotte wrote the United States Convention Report for Bahá'í News. As of 1952 she was still serving as secretary of the National Teaching Committee, having served on the body throughout the 1940s. In 1953 she was appointed as secretary of the newly formed Asia Teaching Committee, responsible for coordinating pioneers to Ten Year Crusade goals in Asia. In late 1953 three members of the National Spiritual Assembly retired from the body in order to pioneer to goals of the Ten Year Crusade, and in a by-election Charlotte was elected to the Assembly. By 1954 she had been appointed assistant secretary of the Assembly, and she was also appointed to the Editorial Committee for Bahá'í News, as well as continuing to serve as secretary of the Asia Teaching Committee. She moved from Piedmont, California, to Wilmette in order to serve as assistant secretary. In 1957 she received a letter written on behalf of the Guardian which included the following:

"The Guardian has instructed me to inform you of how much he appreciates and values your devoted and sacrificial services to the Cause of God. You have served the Faith diligently, efficiently, and well over a long period of time, in outstanding and historic fields of service: as secretary of the National Teaching Committee during the first Seven Year Plan, the success of which was, in no small measure, due to your ceaseless labors, and since that time on teaching committees bring the Faith to numerous parts of the world. Now you are combining teaching and administrative service, in your outstanding services on the National Assembly. The Master will richly reward you for your indefatigable services in the Kingdom."

In 1961 Charlotte participated in the election of the International Bahá'í Council, and in 1963 she participated in the election of the first Universal House of Justice.

In December 1975 Charlotte suffered a stroke which forced her to withdraw from administrative service. Doctors thought she would pass soon after the stroke, but she began to recover in January 1976, left hospital in March, and was able to attend the 1976 U.S. National Convention. At the Convention tribute was payed to her with the delegates presenting her with a 'love letter' and William Sears presenting a bouquet of nineteen red roses. Sarah Pereira and Firuz Kazemzadeh spoke on her long service. She passed away on October 30 in Normandy House in Wilmette, survived by a sister, Gladys.

The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after her passing:

Share grief passing dearly beloved Charlotte Linfoot. Her tireless selfless service wholehearted commitment teaching and administration of Cause she embraced nearly fifty years ago indelibly inscribed annals American Bahá'í Community. Convey loving sympathy assurance prayers her sister Gladys. Advise hold befitting memorial service Temple.

Notes

Bahai.media has a related page: Category:Charlotte Linfoot

References

• Obituary published in Baha'i World, Vol. 17, pp 423-425