Dwight Allen
Dr. Dwight W. Allen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Dwight William Allen August 1, 1931 |
| Died | October 16, 2021 Aurora, Colorado, USA |
| NSA member | USA 1966 - 1974 1980 - 1985 |
| Spouse(s) | Carole |
| Children | Denny |
| Parent(s) | John Allen Valera Fisher |
Dr. Dwight Allen (August 1, 1931 - October 16, 2021) was an American Bahá’í who was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for pioneering to Greece and served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. In his career he was an educationalist and author.
Biography[edit]
Allen was born into a Bahá’í family in 1931 and his parents were John and Valera Allen. In his youth he studied at Stanford University and in his final year of studies in 1952 he wrote to Shoghi Effendi volunteering to pioneer for the Faith. He was advised to pioneer to Thailand or Greece.[1]
In 1953 Allen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and married Carole. That year the Ten Year Crusade was launched and he and his wife began studying the Thai language in preparation for pioneering to Thailand however Dwight received a letter from fellow Stanford student Amín Banání requesting that Dwight join him in Greece and advising there were professional opportunities. Allen secured permission from the American military draft board to leave the country by agreeing to return in one year and not defer the draft upon doing so. The Allen's arrived in Athens in September, 1953.[2]
Allen began teaching English and tutoring English and mathematics at Athens College after settling in the city.[3] At the time conversion to another religion was illegal in Greece as was formally teaching religions other than the Greek Orthodox Church however the Allen's were able to speak about the religion to friends in meetings in their home and established a small community of people interested in the Faith although nobody was willing to formally become a Bahá’í.[4] In 1954 the Allen's returned to the United States and Allen was almost immediately drafted into the United States army.[5]
After completing his military service Allen returned to studies at Stanford University completing a Masters degree in 1957 and Doctorate of Education in 1959. He then began working for the Education faculty of Stanford University as Director of Teacher Education serving from 1959 to 1967.[6] While working at Stanford he developed the concept of microteaching which aimed to improve collegial discussion about teacher performance,[7] and in 1963 he was presented with a key to the city of San Diego.[8] In 1968 he moved to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where he was appointed Dean of its College of Education and served until 1975.[6]
In the 1970's Allen assisted with educational development in Africa and pioneered to Lesotho in 1974 where he helped found a National Teacher Training College. He served as Chief Technical Advisor of the College until 1976.[6] In 1977 he attended the first Bahá’í National Convention of Greece at the invitation of the community.[5] He later returned to America and began working as a Professor for the College of Education at Old Dominion University in 1978.[7] He returned to Africa in the 1980's and served as Technical Advisor for the Molepolole College of Education in Botswana from 1986 to 1989.[6]
Allen continued working for Old Dominion University later in life working at its College of Education until his retirement in 2008. In 2001 he was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the University of Massachusetts established the Dwight W. Allen Professorship of Educational Policy and Reform in his honor.[7]
Allen passed away in 2021 at the age of 90.[7]
Publications[edit]
- 2008 - Reciting the Verses of God, with Shahin Vafai.[9]
Talks[edit]
- 2012 - Speech at Portrait Unveiling
- 2014 - Race Amity
- 2021 - Social Justice
External Links[edit]
- "Respecting Diversity, Building Unity, Securing Peace". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. December 24, 2000. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- Dwight Allen In Africa
- Dwight W. Allen, Longtime Education Professor and Champion of Educational Reform, Dies at 90
- MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FORMER EDUCATION DEAN DWIGHT ALLEN TO BE LIVESTREAMED ON SUNDAY
References[edit]
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 364
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 365
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 366
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 367
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 368
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 https://prezi.com/p/eoihfoc7oqrv/dwight-w-allen/
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 https://www.odu.edu/news/2021/10/dwight_allen_obituar#.Y1zNSnZBxPY
- ↑ Baha'i News (1963). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 386, Pg(s) 12. View as PDF.
- ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Reciting-Verses-God-Shahin-Vafai/dp/8186953140
