Howard Harwood

Howard Harwood
Born	September 10, 1914 Graytown, Port Adelaide, South Australia
Died	April 25, 1998 Woodcroft, South Australia
NSA member	Australia 1963 - 1964
ABM	Australia 1964 - 1968
Counsellor	Australasia 1968 - 1980
Spouse(s)	Myrtle (1916 - 2003)
Children	David, Michael, Robert, Elaine, Charles
Parent(s)	David Frederick Harwood, Rosina Frances Harwood
Media

Howard David Harwood (September 10, 1914 - April 25, 1998) was an Australian Bahá'í who served as a National Spiritual Assembly member, an Auxiliary Board member and Counsellor for Australasia.

Biography

Howard was born in Graytown, Port Adelaide, to David Frederick and Rosina Frances Harwood in 1914. His father was a Private in the Australian Imperial Force and was killed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on October 31, 1915. Howard and his mother were living in Renmark, South Australia, at this time. As a child Howard wrote to The Murray Pioneer, a South Australian newspaper which ran a column for youth, contributing from the age of 11. He attended Lone Gum and Monash School, receiving a qualifying certificate in 1928. By 1932 he was a member of the Monash Literary and Debating Society.

In 1935 he won a local Renmark bicycle race, and celebrated his coming of age at a party attended by around sixty residents of Renmark. Howard was a saxophonist, and played at social and charitable events, including a United Nations Children's Appeal, in Renmark in the 1930's and 40's. Howard married Myrtle Mary in 1938, and they eventually settled on a farm. In 1950 he was appointed as fire officer for the Cooltong area, and in 1953 the Governor of South Australia, the Mayor of Renmark, and the chairman of the Renmark Irrigation Trust began an investigation of spray irrigation and growth in the area by visiting Howard's property.

Howard had become a Bahá'í by the 1950's, and he regularly visited a local Australian Aboriginal settlement in the River Murray area and invited residents to barbecues at his home to teach the Faith. Fred Murray, an early Australian Aboriginal Bahá'í introduced to the Faith by Howard, resided on the Harwood property for a time. By 1966 Howard had been appointed as an Auxiliary Board member for Australia. Howard was appointed as one of the three inaugural Counsellors for Australasia in 1968 when the Universal House of Justice established the Continental Boards of Counsellors. In 1969 he visited the Gilbert and Ellice Islands where he gave a talk on the islet of Betio, and also visited Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands where Summer Schools, teaching institutes, public meetings and press interviews were held. He was accompanied by Peter and Janet Khan and Hand of the Cause Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir on his visit to the Pacific. In November 1969 the Counsellors for Australasia called a Conference in Melbourne.

In January 1970 Howard attended Australia's first National Teaching Conference in Adelaide, South Australia, which also marked the 50th Anniversary of the religion in Australia. He visited New Zealand in 1970, and represented the Hands of the Cause of God at the New Zealand National Convention. In August 1970 a Continental Board of Counsellors Conference was held in Christchurch by the Australasian Counsellors. In 1971 Howard attended and spoke at the Bahá'í Oceanic Conference in Suva, Fiji. In 1972 Howard accompanied Collis Featherstone on a tour of the districts which were to be administrated by the newly established National Spiritual Assembly of the North West Pacific Ocean, and assisted with the North West Pacific Convention and advised the Assembly. In 1974 Howard spoke at a youth conference held in Araluen, Western Australia. In 1975 he addressed a Conference held to discuss the functioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Malvern, Victoria. In 1976 Howard consulted with youth at the Australian National Youth Conference held in Brisbane, Queensland. In April 1976 he attended and spoke at the opening of the New Hebrides National Haziratu'l-Quds. In January 1977 he spoke at the Australian Bahá'í Youth Conference held in Sydney. In 1979 Howard attended the opening of the House of Worship in Samoa.

In 1980 the Universal House of Justice reconstituted the Continental Boards, and introduced five year long terms that appointees would serve for. Howard was not reappointed. The Universal House of Justice stated the following regarding the Counsellors whose service in the position ended in 1980:

"A number of friends who have rendered highly valued services as Counsellors are not being reappointed for the coming term, and we wish to express here our profound gratitude for the devoted labours they have rendered and are rendering in the path of the Cause."

Howard's last place of residence was Woodcroft, South Australia. He was laid to rest in Centennial Park following his passing in 1998.

References

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