f of Shoghi Effendi to
a National Committee and an individual believer) [120]

"121: You have asked him for detailed information concerning the
Baha'i..."

You have asked him for detailed information concerning the Baha'i
educational programme: there is as yet no such thing as a Baha'i
curriculum, and there are no Baha'i publications exclusively devoted to
this subject, since the teachings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha do not
present a definite and detailed educational system, but simply offer
certain basic principles and set forth a number of teaching ideals that
should guide future Baha'i educationalists in their efforts to formulate
an adequate teaching curriculum which would be in full harmony with the
spirit of the Baha'i Teachings, and would thus meet the requirements and
needs of the modern age.

These basic principles are available in the sacred writings of the Cause,
and should be carefully studied, and gradually incorporated in various
college and university programmes. But the task of formulating a system of
education which would be officially recognized by the Cause, and enforced
as such throughout the Baha'i world is one which [the] present-day
generation of believers cannot obviously undertake, and which has to be
gradually accomplished by Baha'i scholars and educationalists of the
future.

(From a letter dated 7 June, 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to
an individual believer) [121]

"122: With regard to the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha and which
you..."

With regard to the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha and which you have
quoted in your letter regarding a "problem child": these statements of the
Master, however true in their substance, should never be given a literal
interpretation. 'Abdu'l-Baha could have never meant that a child should be
left to himself, entirely free. In fact Baha'i education, just like any
other system of education, is based on the assumption that there are
certain natural deficiencies in every child, no matter how gifted, which
his educators, whether his parents, schoolmasters, or his spiritual guides
and preceptors, should endeavour to remedy. Discipline of some sort,
whether physical, moral or intellectual, is indeed indispensable, and no
training can be said to be complete and fruitful if it disregards this
element. The child when born is far from being perfect. It is not only
helpless, but actually is imperfect, and even is natural