Belden and Lisa Paulson Papers, 1937-2012
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Belden and Lisa Paulson
Belden Henry Paulson was born in Oak Park, Illinois on June 29, 1927 to Henry T. and Evelina (Belden) Paulson (OC 1909). Henry and Evelina first met in 1914 when they were residents at the Chicago Commons Social Settlement. Their service idealism and devotion to humanitarian causes held a lasting influence on Belden throughout his many career tracks.
Paulson attended one semester at Oberlin College in the summer of 1945 before being drafted to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve. In 1946 when the peacetime military was demobilized, he received an honorable discharge and continued his studies at Oberlin, earning a B.A. in Economics in 1950.
Shortly after graduation, Paulson and three classmates sailed to France and cycled across the Swiss Alps through southern Europe. After working a month at Agape, an international work camp sponsored by the World Council of Churches, they continued to Naples. There he worked for an overseas relief project sponsored by the Italian Service Mission and subsidized by the Congregational Christian Service Committee (CCSC). Paulson’s efforts delivering relief to Italian refugees was interrupted in 1951 when the Oak Park draft board ordered him to return to the United States to be drafted. The Italian Service Mission and CCSC argued that his work in Naples served the U.S. national interest, and after a long battle with the State Appeal Board, Paulson received an occupational draft deferment. He returned to Naples in 1951, working closely with Italian physician Teofilo Santi to organize “Casa Mia,” the first social settlement center in Italy. He served as the on-site director until 1953.
Paulson returned to the United States in 1953 to attend graduate school at the University of Chicago. He received an M.A. in Political Science in 1955 with a focus in international relations. While pursuing his doctoral studies in 1956, actor Don Murray approached Paulson to assist him in developing a pilot project in Sardinia to help resettle “hard core” refugees still living in camps. The Homeless European Land Program (HELP) aimed to rehabilitate refugees through work, and was based largely on creating a new community that included small industries and large plots of land designated for farming and agriculture. In 1958, when virtually no finances existed for the project, Murray arranged for Paulson to be featured on NBC’s This is Your Life. The publicity from this appearance generated nearly $90,000, which saved the project from being shut down.
From 1959 to 1961, Paulson served as a special consultant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Working in Rome, he helped devise plans to clear remaining Italian refugee camps. After completing this assignment, Paulson lived for three months in an Irish Augustinian monastery near Genazzano, one of Italy’s most communist-voting villages. There he wrote most of his doctoral dissertation, earning a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1962. He also developed a friendship with local resident and ex-communist organizer Athos Ricci during this period. A few years later, Paulson returned to Italy and together they wrote The Searchers: Conflict and Communism in an Italian Town (1966) based on interviews with residents living in Genazzano.
Paulson joined the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 1962, accepting a joint appointment between the Political Science Department and the University Extension. He transitioned to part-time in 1995, and ended his employment in 1998 as emeritus full professor. Though he intermittently conducted university-related research in Northeast Brazil from 1962 to 1968, most of his work in the 1960s and 1970s addressed the increasing poverty, racial tension, and failing schools in Milwaukee’s inner city. In 1967, he helped found what is now the Center for Urban Community Development (CUCD), which he chaired until 1991. The CUCD’s efforts led to a wide range of activities and programs that improved the quality of life for many low income and minority citizens living in Milwaukee.
In 1976, Belden’s wife Lisa visited Findhorn, a spiritual community in Scotland. Upon returning, she shared with Belden her experiences at Findhorn and the community’s core values of fostering a harmonious relationship between individuals and the environment. Also in 1976, Belden taught a seminar at the United Nations that addressed the threatening environmental crisis and widening gap between the world’s rich and poor. These events influenced Belden to rethink certain assumptions he held about the prevailing culture and develop alternative approaches to the political, social, and economic concerns of the global era. He began teaching seminars and courses related to this new mode of alternative thinking, many within the UWM School of Education. These new areas came to be known as Futures Studies and New Politics.
In 1977, Belden and Lisa founded the non-profit High Wind Association, an alternative community whose residents aimed to live out many of the spiritual values espoused by the New Age movement. High Wind evolved through the 1980s and 1990s to become an eco-neighborhood and learning center, educating a wide range of individuals to the benefits of sustainable living.
Belden became involved in a variety of civic-minded activities, many of which focused on promoting sustainability within Wisconsin, including the Coalition for Global Survival (1990-1991) and Sustainable Wisconsin (1992-1994). He addressed these issues nationally on the Presidential Council for Sustainable Development (1994-1996), and globally as he co-organized three conferences in Shanghai from 1990 to 1992 focusing on the interrelationship between the environment and economy, and co-chaired a workshop on sustainability at a Summit held in Moscow in 1990.
In recognition of his many professional accomplishments, Belden received the Oberlin Alumni Association Distinguished Achievement Award in 2004. His memoir, Odyssey of a Practical Visionary (2009), chronicles the idealistic spirit that enabled him to defy odds and succeed in projects that many would deem impossible.
Belden married Louise (Lisa) Hill on January 9, 1954. They met in the slums of Naples where they were both working at Casa Mia for the Italian Service Mission. Lisa graduated from Oberlin College in 1950 with a B.A. in English literature.
Lisa supported Belden’s refugee work abroad, living off and on in Italy from 1957 to 1961. In 1962 when they settled in Wisconsin, she devoted her time to raising their two children. She played cello in the Milwaukee Civic Orchestra and translated Belden’s book The Searchers from Italian to English.
In 1968, Lisa lived in Northeast Brazil where Belden was engaged in university related research. There, she endured a transpersonal experience with macumba (Brazilian voodoo). Partly because of this experience, she helped found Psy-Bionics in 1970, a school in Milwaukee that educated individuals about altered states of consciousness. She counseled, taught, and designed course materials for the school until 1975.
Lisa’s 1976 visit to Findhorn was a life-changing experience that held significant ramifications for both her and Belden’s future. She was instrumental in establishing the High Wind Association with Belden in 1977. The driving force behind High Wind’s mission and vision, she edited its newsletter, Windwatch. She also served as outreach coordinator and secretary on the board of directors. She wrote and published two books detailing the history of High Wind: Voices From a Sacred Land: Images and Evocations (2008), and An Unconventional Journey: The Story of High Wind, From Vision to Community to Eco-Neighborhood (2010).
Belden and Lisa had two sons: Eric (b. 1956) and Steve (b. 1960).
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
High Wind Association
The High Wind Association, located in Plymouth, Wisconsin, was founded in 1977 by Lisa and Belden Paulson to “help restore balance between people and the earth,” interrelating new concepts in community, spirituality, and ecology through education and shared discovery. Past presidents of High Wind include Belden Paulson (1977-1999 and 2001-present) and Freya Secrest (1999-2001). Though overseen by a board of directors, the decision-making process reflected High Wind’s values and was much more collaborative than that of traditional governing bodies who adhere to a rigid hierarchical structure.
The initial activities of High Wind focused mostly on educational outreach. In conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, High Wind sponsored courses such as “Planetary Survival and the role of Alternative Communities” and “New Dimensions in Governance: Images of Holistic Community.” Though it continued to sponsor living/learning seminars, workshops, and educational retreats over the next two decades, the association became operational as an “intentional community” in 1981 after receiving a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to construct a bio-shelter. Some individuals lived at High Wind for short periods while others stayed for many years. At its height, High Wind included 22 residents living on-site. Many full time residents relied on savings, held jobs off site, or established private enterprises at High Wind to support themselves economically. Others lived on the grounds on a volunteer basis working construction, farming, and helping serve educational programs. In 1984, High Wind opened a bookstore in Milwaukee, the first in the area to exclusively sell materials emphasizing New Age spirituality and alternative thinking. In the mid-1980s High Wind helped organize Springdale, an independently owned organic farm, purportedly the first CSA (community supported agriculture) in the Midwest. In the early 1990s, High Wind shed its intentional community image, and became identified as a “learning center.”
In 1992, a small group of people associated with High Wind purchased the adjacent Silver Springs Resort on 144 acres of land, which included a conference center, restaurant, and fish hatchery. Two new corporations were born out of this purchase: The for-profit Silver Springs of Plymouth, and the non-profit Plymouth Institute. A separate board of directors governed each entity. Plymouth Institute continued the educational outreach that was integral to the mission of High Wind and became the umbrella for all work at both Silver Springs and High Wind. Many of these new educational programs involved a partnership with the Milwaukee public schools, created to teach inner city students about the benefits of sustainable living. When Plymouth Institute began to struggle economically, its board of directors organized a team to design and implement a state of the art eco-village, which the local Mitchell town board rejected. As a result, Plymouth Institute sold the Silver Springs property in 1999 and merged with High Wind. In 2001 High Wind sold its public buildings and some of its property to two Buddhist groups who shared the association’s commitment to stewardship of the land. High Wind now continues as a foundation that utilizes money from the sale of the property to support ventures related to sustainability.
Sources Consulted:
Paulson, Belden. Odyssey of a Practical Visionary. Plymouth, Wisconsin: Thistlefield, 2009.
Paulson, Lisa. An Unconventional Journey. Plymouth, Wisconsin: Thistlefield, 2010.
Belden and Lisa Paulson Papers (OCA 30/374), Subgroup I. Series 2. Biographical Files.
High Wind Association Historical Files (Subgroup II. Series 9).
Author: Nate Scheible Forms of Material (links to similar genres)awards
certificates
diaries
drawings (visual works)
ephemera - printed ephemera
lecture notes
letters (correspondence)
manuscripts
moving images - film
notebooks
paintings (visual works) - oil paintings
pamphlets
photographs - negatives (photographic)
photographs - photographic prints
postcards
publications
records (documents)
records (documents) - appraisals
research (document genres)
speeches
theses and dissertations
Administrative InformationFor additional archival records relating to Belden Paulson, researchers should consult the Evelina Belden Paulson papers (30/406), which includes correspondence between Belden and his mother, Evelina.
A copy of Belden Paulson’s book The Searchers (1966) is available in the Oberlin College Library Special Collections. His memoir, Odyssey of a Practical Visionary (2009), is shelved in the Oberlin College Archives office. Lisa Paulson’s books Voices from a Sacred Land (2008) and An Unconventional Journey (2010) are also shelved in the archives office.
Researchers interested in Belden Paulson’s genealogy and family history should consult the Belden Family Papers (30/319).
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee maintains the Belden H. Paulson Papers (UWM Manuscript Collection 230), which includes materials related to the Center for Urban Community Development, Goals for Greater Milwaukee 2000, as well as course materials from his teaching career at the University of Wisconsin-Extension and later the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Copies of Belden Paulson’s thesis, “An Introduction to the Role of the Voluntary Service Agency in International Relations” (1955), and dissertation, “Revolution in the Villages of South Italy” (1962), are housed at the University of Chicago library.
The Belden and Lisa Paulson Papers primarily document the life of Belden Paulson, who began his varied service-oriented career resettling refugees in post-World War II Europe. As a maverick academic, his professional endeavors involved urban development, alternative futures, sustainability, and substantial, practical projects related to each of these fields. The records of the High Wind Association document a non-profit intentional community founded by Belden and Lisa dedicated to educating individuals about New Age values and sustainable living.
Located in Subgroup I, the professional and personal papers of Belden and Lisa Paulson mostly include correspondence, writings, and project related files. The historical materials primarily document Belden Paulson’s professional and scholarly activity from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. The most comprehensive files are those related to his mission work in Italy from 1950 until 1962. Other prominent files include those focusing on “alternative” projects in the 1980s and 1990s that challenged the attributes of mainstream culture to address societal values and problems. Topics include new thinking about higher education, new models for public education and urban policy, alternative think tanks, and perspectives on building a sustainable world. Most of the files associated with Paulson’s tenure as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) focus on writings and research related to the Center for Urban Community Development (CUCD), which he chaired from 1968 to 1991. These files date mostly from the 1970s. There is little documentation of his UWM teaching career and service to the university-wide system.
Due to the crossover that exists among his many activities, Paulson’s life is best viewed as a sequence of interrelated events more so than a series of distinct careers. However, to understand the breadth of his involvement on both a local and global scale, his life’s work can be divided into three broader themes. These themes include his post-World War II service in Europe dealing with the aftermath of wartime destruction and helping relocate refugees; community development, and projects addressing urban poverty and racism; and “alternative” projects, many of which were related to the burgeoning New Age movement.
The files documenting Paulson’s service in Europe contain materials from the Italian Service Mission at Casa Mia in Naples from 1950 to 1953, the Homeless European Land Project (HELP) in Sardinia from 1957 to 1959, and project files from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Rome from 1959 to 1961. Located in Series 7, these files include correspondence, publicity, reports, proposals, and writings related to a variety of projects involving rehabilitating and resettling post-World War II refugees. Paulson’s experiences in Italy are described in richly detailed letters to his parents, located in Series 3. Subseries I. Specifically from the Naples era, these letters reveal the life altering spiritual and intellectual growth that resulted from challenges he faced through his mission work. These experiences also formed the basis of his thesis and dissertation at the University of Chicago, which, unfortunately, is only loosely documented in Series 4. Subseries 3. Paulson’s research and experiences in Genazzano, an Italian communist village, are documented in his book The Searchers (1966), as well as in additional published and unpublished writings, all located in Series 14.
Upon accepting an appointment at UWM in 1962, Paulson’s initial activities continued to focus on international concerns. Located in Series 6, files related to projects in Northeast Brazil document his university-related research trips to the region. The first, in 1963, was funded by the Land Tenure Center at UW-Madison and involved researching the role of local leadership in facilitating economic and social development. The second trip, in 1967-1968, funded by a Social Science Research Council grant, involved studying the political obstacles to improve economic conditions in a developing region.
By 1964, Paulson’s main focus shifted to issues of inner city poverty and racism. Most of these files are associated with the Center for Urban Community Development (formerly the Center for Community Leadership Development). Series 8 mostly contains writings and talks related to his efforts in this arena. Many of these documents reference Milwaukee as a case study area, which Paulson and the CUCD used to develop national models to improve the quality of life in depressed urban areas. Paulson’s efforts also involved addressing ineffective schools in low-income areas. Two schools born out of courses Paulson taught at UWM included the Global Learning Center, a school that provided young people with skills for building a sustainable global community; and the Urban Waldorf School, the first public Waldorf school in the nation. Files related to these schools and the role Paulson played in establishing them in the 1990s are located in Series 13.
In the late 1970s, Paulson’s focus shifted to alternative projects that functioned outside the context of mainstream culture. The major themes associated with such projects include sustainable futures, new politics, and designing a new think tank rooted in holistic values. Many of the documents focusing on this phase of Paulson’s life are located in Subgroup II within the records of the High Wind Association. The most comprehensive files in Subgroup I include materials related to various think tank projects, located in Series 11. These include writings, interviews, conference presentations, and project files. Materials highlighting Paulson’s service on a number of councils and committees dedicated to sustainability issues are documented in Series 9. These files highlight his role on the President’s Council on Sustainable Development (1993-1997), the Milwaukee Coalition for Global Survival (1990-1991), and Sustainable Wisconsin (1994-1995). A few topical files related to alternative projects are located in Series 12, and contain documentation of Paulson’s involvement with the New World Alliance (1980-1983) and the World Future Society (c. 1982-2002).
The writings files are extensive, documenting Paulson’s authentic experiences in a variety of settings, specifically related to mission work, urban development, and sustainability. Both published and unpublished writings are located in Series 14, and further supplement the broader themes that encompass Paulson’s professional and personal endeavors.
Of interest to the Oberlin community are the education files from when Paulson was a student at Oberlin College (1946-1950). Located in Series 4. Subseries 2, these materials mostly chronicle his involvement in the Consolidated Relief Drive, the YMCA, and the 1948 mock convention. Paulson received the Oberlin Alumni Association Distinguished Achievement Award in 2004 for demonstrating success within his life that reflected Oberlin’s core values. Materials related to this honor are located in Series 1. At his 50th class reunion, he presented a symposium talk, “Toward Learning to Build a Sustainable World,” which is located in Series 10. Belden’s service-oriented adventures, documented throughout the collection, may also serve as an inspiration to Oberlin College students seeking meaningful life experiences before immersing themselves in careers.
The most comprehensive source of biographical information on Belden Paulson is his memoir, Odyssey of a Practical Visionary (2009), shelved in the archives office. Additional materials such as biographical sketches, resumes, and documentation of his experience in the Navy are located in Series 2. Video of Paulson’s 1958 appearance on NBC’s This is Your Life and a 2010 television interview coinciding with the publication of his memoir, are located in Series 16.
Materials specifically related to Lisa Paulson in Subgroup I include a biographical file in Series 2, and files in Series 12 related to Psy-Bionics, a school she helped found in Milwaukee that taught classes on altered states of consciousness.
Subgroup II documents the establishment and evolution of the High Wind Association, an intentional community founded by Belden and Lisa Paulson in 1977. The records include documentation of the seed ideas leading to High Wind, process of the community’s organization, and materials related to its spiritual, technological, and educational dimensions. These documents mostly include meeting minutes, newsletters, correspondence, and a wealth of files related to High Wind’s educational outreach. Many of the files associated with High Wind coincide with Belden Paulson’s teaching career and his pursuit of alternative projects, specifically those related to sustainable living. As the community “vision-holder,” Lisa Paulson was a key force in the founding of High Wind. As a result, her contributions feature more prominently in this subgroup. Non-textual materials related to High Wind are filed at the end of Subgroup I.
In 1992, Belden and Lisa Paulson established the non-profit Plymouth Institute and the for-profit Silver Springs of Plymouth, which became closely associated with High Wind. The files for these entities are located in Series 14 and Series 19, respectively. Plymouth Institute, especially, became the focal point for many of the activities, outreach, and goals of High Wind in the 1990s, and includes most of the documentation of High Wind during this era after it shed its intentional community status.
The history of High Wind is mostly documented within Series 9, which details the early influence of both the Findhorn community in Scotland and new age thinker David Spangler. These files also include historical narratives and documents describing the relationship of High Wind to Plymouth Institute, Silver Springs, and the University of Wisconsin. Every issue of Windwatch, a journal of the High Wind Association, is located in Series 22. Edited by Lisa Paulson, Windwatch documents the philosophy and challenges associated with living in the community. Writings by Lisa Paulson, located in Series 23, provide extensive historical documentation of High Wind. Lisa’s books related to High Wind, Voices from a Sacred Land (2008) and An Unconventional Journey (2010), are shelved in the archives office.
A significant dimension of the High Wind Association mission included educational outreach. Located in Series 6, these files mostly document the seminars and workshops held on the grounds of High Wind, and include topics such as renewable energy, New Age spirituality, organic agriculture, Native American wisdom, the philosophy of Ken Wilber, and alternative futures. Though some of these files relate directly to seminars taught by Belden Paulson, they also include workshops conducted by David Spangler, Milenko Matanovic, Robert Theobald, and Dorothy Maclean. High Wind eventually evolved into a learning center and grew to include the educational offshoot Plymouth Institute in 1992, which is documented extensively in Series 15. These files, dating from 1992 to 2000, include additional information about High Wind’s educational outreach and document Plymouth Institute’s partnerships with Cardinal Stritch College, the Global Learning Center, and Milwaukee Public Schools.
Subgroup II also documents the struggles and benefits related to organizing and living within an intentional community. Extensive board minutes, mostly from 1980 to 1989, provide insight into this process and are located in Series 2. Goals, objectives, and proposals are located in Series 20, and detail the strategic planning involved in setting up and sustaining an intentional community. Additional documentation of the process of life within High Wind is located in Series 16 through member surveys, questionnaires, and internal conference files.
The Belden and Lisa Paulson Papers are arranged in the following subgroups, series, and subseries:
Subgroup I. Professional and Personal Papers of Belden and Lisa Paulson
Series 1. Awards and Certificates Received
Series 2. Biographical Files
Series 3. Correspondence
Subseries 1. Family Correspondence of Belden Paulson
Subseries 2. Other Individuals
Subseries 3. Postcards
Series 4. Education Related Files
Subseries 1. Grammar and High School, Oak Park, IL
Subseries 2. Oberlin College
Subseries 3. University of Chicago
Series 5. Name Files
Series 6. Project Files Related to Brazil
Series 7. Service in Europe Files
Subseries 1. Italian Service Mission at Casa Mia (Granili, Naples)
Subseries 2. Sardinia Refugee Project (HELP) Files
Subseries 3. UNHCR Project Files (Rome)
Series 8. Service Files under CCLD/CUCD
Series 9. Other Service Related Files
Series 10. Talks
Series 11. Think Tank Project Related Files
Series 12. Topical Files
Series 13. Urban Educational Programs
Subseries 1. Global Learning Center
Subseries 2. Waldorf Education Movement
Series 14. Writings Files
Subseries 1. Books
Subseries 2. Published Articles
Subseries 3. Unpublished Articles
Series 15. Photographs and Non-textual Items
Subseries 1. Photographs
Subseries 2. Other Non-textual Items
Series 16. Motion Picture Films
Subgroup II. Records Related to the High Wind Association
Series 1. Administrative Files
Series 2. Board of Directors Files
Series 3. Bookstore Files
Series 4. Conference Presentations
Series 5. Correspondence
Series 6. Educational Outreach
Subseries 1. Learning Center
Subseries 2. Midwest Summer Institute
Subseries 3. Seminars
Subseries 4. Workshops
Subseries 5. Other Educational Outreach
Series 7. Financial Records
Series 8. Findhorn Foundation
Series 9. Historical Files
Series 10. Land Records
Series 11. Membership Files
Series 12. Name Files
Series 13. Notes
Series 14. Personnel Files
Series 15. Plymouth Institute Files
Series 16. Process of Life
Series 17. Project Files
Subseries 1. Bioshelter
Subseries 2. Eco Village
Series 18. Publicity
Series 19. Silver Springs Files
Series 20. Strategic Planning
Series 21. Topical Files
Series 22. Windwatch, a Journal of High Wind Association
Series 23. Writings of Lisa Paulson
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Subgroup I. Professional and Personal Papers of Belden and Lisa Paulson
Series 1. Awards and Certificates Received, 1963-2004 [span] (.05 l.f.)
Belden Paulson received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, and this series contains a number of these awards. The Oberlin Alumni Association Distinguished Achievement Award, presented to Belden in 2004, is well documented and includes a detailed nomination statement.
Series 2. Biographical Files, 1944-2000 [span], 2012, n.d. (.2 l.f.)
These files primarily contain biographical sketches and resumes for both Belden and Lisa Paulson. Also included is documentation of Belden’s service in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1945 to 1946, including writings and diary accounts of his daily experiences.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1943(1945-1966)-2004, n.d. (2 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Family Correspondence of Belden Paulson, 1943(1945-1966)-2004
The most voluminous files in the collection comprise the family correspondence sent and received by Belden, mostly to and from his parents, Evelina and Henry Paulson; his uncle, Benjamin Paulson; and his sister, Mary (“Chow”) Harrington. These are rich letters dating primarily from 1946 when Belden was in the Navy Reserve and the 1950s and 1960s when he was working in Italy. Few letters exist from 1947 to 1949 when Belden was a student at Oberlin College, and almost none exist after the death of his mother in 1966. Also noteworthy are the letters sent to Belden from his mother, Evelina (OC 1909), who provides sound advice and guidance based on her own social work experiences with the Red Cross in Poland following World War I.
Subseries 2. Other Individuals, 1951(1951-1962)-1965, 1986, n.d.
Most non-family correspondence is filed throughout the collection, attached to series based on a topical relationship. This subseries contains correspondence with individuals who are not directly associated with any other series. These individuals include Senator Hubert H. Humphrey; Ann Plemmons, Belden’s grammar school teacher; Karamu House in Cleveland, Ohio; and Richard Utley (OC 1950), Belden’s roommate at Oberlin College.
Subseries 3. Postcards, 1946, 1950, 1952, n.d.
This subseries mostly contains postcards sent or collected by Belden while living in Italy from 1950 to the early 1960s. These postcards contain rich images of Agape international work camp, Naples, and Genazzano.
Series 4. Education Related Files, 1937(1944-1950)-1963, 1982, n.d. (.7 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Grammar and High School, Oak Park, IL, 1937, 1940-1941, 1944-1945, n.d.
Papers and reports that Belden wrote in grammar and high school constitute the bulk of this subseries. One paper, “The Negro,” from 1941, provides young Belden Paulson’s insightful observations on racism and segregation that later became the focal point of his work with the Center for Urban Community Development (CUCD). Also included is his 1945 yearbook from Oak Park High School.
Subseries 2. Oberlin College, 1945-1956, n.d.
Contains a variety of materials recounting Belden’s experiences at Oberlin College, mostly from 1947 to 1950, including files related to his participation in the Consolidated Relief Drive, the YMCA, and the Mock Convention of 1948. Types of materials include correspondence, clippings, essays, and a copy of his senior thesis, “Eastern Europe—Toward Greater Strength.” Information regarding Belden’s Oberlin Alumni Achievement Award is filed in Series I.
Subseries 3. University of Chicago, 1952-1963, n.d.
The files in this subseries provide documentation of Belden’s graduate study at the University of Chicago from 1952 to 1963 mostly through commencement programs, correspondence, and his initial application and acceptance letter. This subseries contains little to no documentation of his thesis (1955) or dissertation (1962).
Series 5. Name Files, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1980-1984, 1987-1991, 1995, n.d. (.2 l.f.)
This series mostly contains name files for individuals with whom Belden maintained a political relationship. For example, the files document his involvement in Barbara Marx Hubbard’s vice presidential campaign in 1984, and Jerry Brown’s unsuccessful Presidential bid in 1980. This series also contains biographical information and articles by his sister, Mary Harrington (OC 1946).
Series 6. Project Files Related to Brazil, 1962-1969, 1971, 1980, 1987, n.d. (.4 l.f.)
These project files document Paulson’s two research trips (1963 and 1967-1968) to Northeast Brazil to study community development and political change in the region. The bulk of the materials include case studies, reports, proposals, clippings, and correspondence from 1962 to 1968. See additional published articles related to Brazil in Series 14. Subgroup 2.
Series 7. Service in Europe Files, 1950(1951-1962)-1982, n.d. (1.6 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Italian Service Mission at Casa Mia (Granili, Naples), 1950(1951-1956)-2000, n.d.
Materials in this subseries document Belden’s work with refugees in Naples through Casa Mia, the Congregational Christian Service Committee (CCSC), and the Italian Service Mission. Correspondence is voluminous and includes letters sent and received by Paul Rusby (OC 1950) and Jane Weed (OC 1950), who initially accompanied Belden to Naples; Earle Ballou, executive director of CCSC; Fred Hoskins, minister at the Congregational Church in Oak Park, IL; and Teofilo Santi. A rich topical file of correspondence details Belden’s attempt to receive an occupational draft deferment to continue his mission work. Also included in this subseries is a chapter from Herbert Kubly’s book “American in Italy” (1955), which won the National Book Award for nonfiction and features Belden’s work with cave dwelling refugees. A letter sent to Belden by Oberlin professor Frederick Artz accompanies the chapter by Kubly. There are many unpublished writings related to Casa Mia and Naples in this subseries. For published writings, see Series 14. Subseries 2.
Subseries 2. Sardinia Refugee Project (HELP) Files, 1957-1963, 1967, n.d.
Belden’s collaboration with actor Don Murray to develop the Homeless European Land Project (HELP) pilot project is documented mostly through clippings, publicity, reports, and correspondence. Frequent correspondents include Paul Moore, Cliff Clements, and Harold Row. Copies of outgoing letters to Don Murray are included, but many incoming letters are notably missing. This subseries includes textual documentation and letters received in response to Belden’s appearance on This is Your Life in 1958. Photographs and a DVD copy of This is Your Life are located in Series 15 and 16, respectively. This subseries also contains unpublished writings, diary reports, and a file providing historical background of HELP. Published articles related to Belden’s work in Sardinia are filed in Series 14. Subseries 2.
Subseries 3. UNHCR Project Files (Rome), 1958-1963, 1967, 1978, 1982, n.d.
This subseries mostly contains meeting minutes, memorandums, proposals, and reports from 1959 to 1961 when Belden was employed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Significant correspondents within this subseries include John Barwick, Victor Beerman, and Jean Heidler. Pamphlets and publications of the UNHCR provide general information about the efforts of the United Nations in addressing refugee problems around the world.
Series 8. Service Files under CCLD/CUCD, 1965(1967-1978)-1986, 2012 (.35 l.f.)
Files in this series mostly include unpublished writings and talks related to projects and case studies undertaken by the Center for Urban Community Development (CUCD) between 1969 and 1981. Frequent collaborators referenced in these documents include Reuben Harpole and Daniel Folkman. Though summarized in writings and talks within this series, there are few detailed files related to the Harambee Project, Community Health Project, and other projects undertaken by CUCD. Extensive files pertaining to these programs are housed in the archives at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. See Series 14. Subseries 2 for additional published writings related to CUCD.
Series 9. Other Service Related Files, 1951-1952, 1970, 1978-1983, 1990-1997, n.d. (.2 l.f.)
This series mostly documents Belden’s role within committees dedicated to promoting sustainability, most notably on the President’s Council on Sustainable Development (1993-1997). Additional files provide evidence of Belden’s involvement on the Governor’s Commission on the United Nations (1970, 1978-1983) and his service to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Extension as a proponent of the Wisconsin Idea Commission (1983-1985). Another file documents Belden’s brief employment in 1951 with the American Friends Service Committee in Chicago as he awaited an occupational draft deferment.
Series 10. Talks, c. 1956-2006, n.d. (.2 l.f.)
Contains evidence of speaking engagements and copies of talks that do not relate directly to any other series. Though only a few are included, they mostly date from 1976 to 2006 and address issues related to sustainability, futures studies, and alternative politics. This includes a symposium talk, “Toward Learning to Build a Sustainable World,” that he presented at his 50th class reunion at Oberlin College. Talks and presentations closely associated with High Wind Association are located in Subgroup II. Series 4.
Series 11. Think Tank Project Related Files, 1986-1993, n.d. (.8 l.f.)
This series documents Belden’s attempt to utilize the think-tank approach to address societal problems. The first of these approaches is documented through a panel and colloquium, “Toward and Alternatives Think Tank,” held at UWM in 1986 and 1987. This led to a national consultation at the United Nations Plaza in 1987, “The New Synthesis Think Tank,” which is documented through papers, proposals, writings by others, and conference materials. Belden’s related article, “Toward a New Kind of Think Tank,” is filed in Series 14. Subseries 2. Significant documentation of a project born out of this conference, “Rethinking Public Policy” (1988-1990), is also included. The evolution of the think tank approach to encompass global issues is documented within files on the Soviet-American Citizens’ Summits in Moscow (1989 and 1990) and three global conferences in China (1990-1992).
Series 12. Topical Files, 1949(1970-1983)-2002 (.5 l.f.)
Materials related to Lisa Paulson’s involvement as a founding member, with Steve Vind, of the Psy-Bionics Center in Milwaukee constitute the bulk of this series. Dating from 1970 to 1976, the files contain writings, speeches, case studies, and research mostly focusing on the benefits of self-hypnosis. Files related to Belden contain general information and accounts of his 1950 visit to the Agape work camp in Italy. Also included are files providing evidence of his involvement with the New World Alliance (1980-1983), the World Future Society (c. 1982-2002), and his role in organizing a “National Consultation of Selected Leaders on a New Approach to Politics” (1981).
Series 13. Urban Educational Programs, 1988, 1990-2001, 2012, n.d. (.5 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Global Learning Center, 1993-2001, n.d.
These files include action plans, proposals, meeting minutes, and writings that detail the founding of an innovative education program from conceptualization to implementation. Significant individuals involved in this project include Wil Kraegel, Robert Pavlik, Tom McGinnity, and Jewell Riano. Files detailing the Global Learning Center’s association with Plymouth institute are located in Subgroup II. Series 15.
Subseries 2. Waldorf Education Movement, 1988, 1990-1995, 1999, 2012
These files document Belden’s efforts in the early 1990s, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Public School system, to establish the first public Waldorf school in the nation. This subseries primarily includes course materials for seminars and workshops Belden offered to train future Waldorf teachers.
Series 14. Writings Files, 1951-2009 [span], n.d. (.6 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Books, 1964-1967, 1973, 1981, 1999, 2004, 2008-2009, n.d.
Contains notes, correspondence, reviews, and other materials associated with Paulson’s memoir Odyssey of a Practical Visionary (2009) and The Searchers (1966, co-authored with Athos Ricci). A file containing Ricci and Paulson’s 1981 proposal, “The Wisdom of an Italian Village,” details their plans to write a sequel to The Searchers, but does not include any of the research associated with the unfinished project.
Subseries 2. Published Articles, 1951-2001 [span]
This subseries contains nearly all of the published articles Belden wrote between 1951 and 2001. Most are rooted in personal experience and relate to refugee work in Italy, community research in Brazil, inner city projects associated with the UW extension and CUCD, new think tank initiatives, and sustainability. Published writings of Lisa Paulson are filed in Subgroup II. Series 23.
Subseries 3. Unpublished Articles, 1953-1995 [span], n.d.
Though a wealth of Belden’s unpublished writings are scattered throughout Subgroup I, this subseries contains unpublished writings that do not tie in directly with any other series. This includes one of his best received papers, “The Role of the Small Intellectual as an Agent of Political Change: Brazil, Italy, and Wisconsin,” prepared for the 1967 annual conference of the American Political Science Association. Other articles provide evidence of Belden’s ongoing interest in Italian politics, as well as his “man in every village” model for combatting communism in underdeveloped areas. Unpublished writings of Lisa Paulson are filed in Subgroup II. Series 23.
Series 15. Photographs and Non-textual Items, 1946-1979 [span], n.d. (.25 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Photographs, 1946, 1948-1954, 1957-1959, 1979, n.d.
This photographic subseries mostly consists of images linked to Belden Paulson’s work at Casa Mia in Naples and HELP in Sardinia, as well as documentation of his 1958 appearance on This is Your Life. Though a few family photographs are included in the subseries, most images are of other individuals such as Athos Ricci and David Spangler. Photographs from Oberlin College include visual documentation of the mock convention in 1948 and Stageroo in 1949. Additional images related to Paulson’s work in Italy are documented through postcards, filed in Series 3. Subseries 3.
Subseries 2. Other Non-textual Items, 1967, n.d.
The most notable items in this subseries include undated oil paintings and a sketch of “Castelfuoco” (the pseudonym used for Genazzano in The Searchers) by Athos Ricci. Additional items include Belden’s Navy dog tag and his ID card from when he was conducting research in Northeast Brazil in 1967.
Series 16. Motion Picture Films, 1958, 2010, n.d. (.05 l.f.)
Contains DVD copies of Belden’s 1958 appearance on the NBC television program This is Your Life, and a 2010 interview with Jim Peck on the Milwaukee Public Television program I Remember. Also included in this series is an informational video from the 1990s about Plymouth Institute at High Wind.
Subgroup II. Records Related to the High Wind Association
Series 1. Administrative Files, 1977-2000 [span] (.08 l.f.)
The administrative files of the High Wind Association include articles of incorporation, by-laws, legal files, reports, and mission and purpose statements. Administrative files specific to Plymouth Institute and Silver Springs are filed in Series 15 and Series 19, respectively.
Series 2. Board of Directors Files, 1980-2001, n.d. (.3 l.f.)
Most notable in this series are the meeting minutes (1980-1989, 1991-1996, 1998-2001) that detail the communal decision-making and planning process of the High Wind board of directors. Meeting minutes for High Wind Books are filed in Series 3, Plymouth Institute in Series 15, and Silver Springs in Series 19.
Series 3. Bookstore Files, 1984-1999, n.d. (.25 l.f.)
High Wind Books and Records opened in Milwaukee in 1984 and is documented in this series through brochures, correspondence, meeting minutes, proposals, and reports. The newsletters (1988-1997) include a running calendar of events and provide evidence of the types of books and music the store promoted.
Series 4. Conference Presentations, 1978(1993-1999)-1999 (.08 l.f.)
Belden and Lisa Paulson presented at a variety of conferences where they discussed High Wind, Plymouth Institute, and their mission of promoting global sustainability. Mostly dating from the 1990s, this series documents such events, and in some cases, includes full copies of these presentations, most notably, “Toward Global Sustainable Village—A View from Wisconsin” (1993).
Series 5. Correspondence, 1976-2002, 2006, n.d. (.21 l.f.)
Most correspondence in Subgroup II is filed based on its topical relationship within a particular series. Therefore, this series contains general correspondence sent and received by Belden and Lisa Paulson not directly connected to any other series. Most notable is correspondence between Lisa and members of Findhorn during the fledgling years of High Wind from 1976 to 1979. Early correspondence with Findhorn founders Peter and Eileen Caddy is filed in Series 9. Historical Files. Correspondence from individuals inquiring about membership is filed in Series 11. Membership Files.
Series 6. Educational Outreach, 1977-2000, n.d. (1.15 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Learning Center, 1990-1993
This subseries documents the shift of High Wind’s status as an intentional community to that of a “learning center,” mostly through meeting minutes, mission statements, and financial reports.
Subseries 2. Midwest Summer Institute, 1988-1990
Contains documentation of three “Summer Institutes” held at High Wind. These files mostly contain program calendars, workshop offerings, notes, and evaluations. There is little documentation of course materials.
Subseries 3. Seminars, 1977-1992, 1994, 1996-1998, n.d.
This subseries provides detailed examples of High Wind’s educational outreach efforts through documentation of its many seminars, oftentimes held in association with UWM and taught by Belden Paulson. The rich materials include brochures, course materials, notes, clippings, evaluations, and correspondence. See Workshops in Subseries 4 for related materials as many workshops coincided with seminars being offered. Additional documentation of High Wind’s educational outreach is located in Series 15. Plymouth Institute Files.
Subseries 4. Workshops, 1978-1999, n.d.
Though not as extensive as the seminar files, this subseries contains documentation of High Wind’s workshop offerings, mostly through brochures, fliers, course materials, notes, and correspondence.
Subseries 5. Other Educational Outreach, 1981, 1983-1994, 2000, n.d.
Calendars, program descriptions, and Lisa Paulson’s notebook from a variety of seminars and workshops in the early 1980s constitute the bulk of this subseries.
Series 7. Financial Records, 1979-2000 [span] (.08 l.f.)
Contains fragmented documentation of High Wind’s financial history in the form of budgets, reports, grant applications, and tax documents spanning from 1979 to 2000.
Series 8. Findhorn Foundation, 1976-1998 [span] (.09 l.f.)
This series provides documentation of Belden and Lisa’s visits to Findhorn and participation in conferences in 1976, 1978, 1982, and 1988. A sampling of materials from 1976 to 1998 provides general information about the foundation. See Series 9. Historical Files, for further documentation on the influence of Peter and Eileen Caddy on the history of High Wind, and Series 23. Writings by Lisa Paulson, for Lisa’s writings about Findhorn.
Series 9. Historical Files, 1977-2002 (.25 l.f.)
Files in this series include detailed historical narratives and chronologies; letters to constituents and residents; and documents explaining the relationship between High Wind, Plymouth Institute, and Silver Springs. Also included are files related to High Wind’s beginnings, including Peter and Eileen Caddy’s lecture and workshop at UWM, David Spangler’s speech on the New Age, and the “Seeds of a New World” workshop presented by Milenko and Kathi Matonovic, all from 1977.
Series 10. Land Records, 1974, 1982, 1983-1990, 1993, 1998, n.d. (.17 l.f.)
Materials related to the High Wind Community Land Trust dating from 1985 to 1990 constitute the bulk of this series. Additional files include documentation of land contracts and land purchases. Documents related to the purchase of the Silver Springs property are filed in Series 19.
Series 11. Membership Files, 1985-1994 (.2 l.f.)
The bulk of this series contains incoming and outgoing correspondence (1985-1994) to and from individuals seeking information about living at or becoming members of High Wind. An additional file contains lists of residents from 1988 and 1989.
Series 12. Name Files, 1974-2005 [span] (.07 l.f.)
This series contains general information related to a few individuals who played a key role in High Wind’s history, most notably David Spangler and Milenko Matanovic.
Series 13. Notes, 1978-2000 [span], n.d. (.05 l.f.)
Contains a sampling of Belden and Lisa’s notes that are unrelated to any other series. Though oftentimes undated and difficult to read, these notes include musings, reflections, and ideas, which provide evidence of the thought processes of High Wind’s founders.
Series 14. Personnel Files, 1984-2000 [span], n.d. (.05 l.f.)
Though High Wind mostly relied on volunteers, paid staff members included an executive director, learning center coordinator, and facilities manager, whose job descriptions are included in this series. Other files include meeting minutes of the personnel committee, task lists for residents, and evidence of staff development sessions.
Series 15. Plymouth Institute Files, 1992-2000, n.d. (.75 l.f.)
This series documents the non-profit Plymouth Institute, on offshoot of High Wind responsible for education, research, and development related to sustainable living. Materials include meeting minutes, correspondence, financial documents, proposals, and information regarding two Education Summits held in 1995 and 1996. Plymouth Institute’s partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, specifically Grand Avenue Middle School, is well documented and includes examples of curriculum materials and a sampling of student work. Because Plymouth Institute and Silver Springs were incorporated at the same time, see Series 19. Silver Springs Files, for possible crossover of materials.
Series 16. Process of Life, 1979-1992 [span], n.d. (.13 l.f.)
The files in this series provide further information on what life was like for residents at High Wind. The bulk of the materials include documentation of six “internal conferences” (c. 1985-1992) wherein High Wind residents and board members gathered to reflect on their personal and collective visions as a community. Other notable files include resident surveys, and copies of schedules from 1991 and 1992 that provide a glimpse of what a typical week at High Wind entailed.
Series 17. Project Files, 1977-1984, 1995, n.d. (.2 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Bioshelter, 1977-1984, 1995, n.d.
Files related to the bioshelter project mostly include grant proposals from 1978 and 1981, as well as correspondence, meeting minutes, and notes that document planning and fundraising efforts from 1980 to 1984. This subseries also contains general information about the New Alchemy Institute, whose “Ark” served as the model for High Wind’s bioshelter.
Subseries 2. Eco Village, 1982-1984
This subseries documents an unsuccessful attempt by some High Wind residents and other individuals to establish an eco-village on property owned by Belden and Lisa Paulson. The bulk of the materials include correspondence, meetings minutes, and documents outlining the purpose and philosophy of the project.
Series 18. Publicity, 1980-1999 [span], n.d. (.05 l.f.)
Examples of High Wind’s publicity efforts are evident throughout Subgroup II, especially in promotion of their educational offerings, located in Series 6. This series specifically focuses on the general publicity efforts of High Wind as evidenced through brochures, clippings, and documentation of events not associated with education programs.
Series 19. Silver Springs Files, 1987, 1991-1999, n.d. (.35 l.f.)
This series documents the for-profit corporation Silver Springs through meeting minutes, correspondence, legal documents, financial records, and land records. Rich documentation of the attempt to establish the SpringLedge Eco-Village, along with the Mitchell Town Board’s eventual rejection of the project, is included in this series. Since Silver Springs and Plymouth Institute were incorporated at the same time, see Series 15. Plymouth Institute Files, for possible crossover of materials.
Series 20. Strategic Planning, 1978-2000 [span], n.d. (.17 l.f.)
Documentation of proposals, goals, objectives, and long range planning is included in this series and spans from 1978 to 2000. Files related to High Wind’s New Initiatives gathering in 1999 also feature prominently in this series. Planning files associated with Plymouth Institute and Silver Springs are filed in Series 15 and Series 19, respectively.
Series 21. Topical Files, 1972-2012 [span] (.27 l.f.)
This series includes a variety of topical files spanning 1972 to 2012. Notable files include detailed information on Belden and Lisa’s home, Hawthorne House; general materials regarding intentional communities and the Lorian Association; and extensive documentation of a film project, The Renascent Pharaoh, conceptualized by Maurice Aylward, Belden Paulson, and David Spangler.
Series 22. Windwatch, a Journal of High Wind Association, 1981-1993, 1999-2000 (.21 l.f.)
Every issue of Windwatch, the semi-annual journal of High Wind, is included in this series. Though High Wind did not issue Windwatch from 1994 to 1998, three issues of the Plymouth Institute newsletter from years 1994, 1995, and 1996 are filed in Series 15.
Series 23. Writings of Lisa Paulson, 1976-2010 [span] (.06 l.f.)
This series contains both published and unpublished writings detailing Lisa’s reflections on life at High Wind, the meaning of “community,” and the importance of Findhorn to High Wind’s history.