“His books were covered in drawings. His scratch paper was covered in drawings. And they were good, even if angry and violent in content. But he wouldn’t draw for art class. He refused to participate. His art was personal and not for others.
“The Art Teacher was a person who could walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Her art hung in some of the best galleries in London as well as in the homes of such celebrities as Steven Speilberg and others. She knew what she was doing. But he wouldn’t participate.
“He was 16 and from a ‘gang’ somewhere in California. He came to this school, which was located in a beautiful wilderness, so he would have a change of environment. His parents wanted to give him a chance to find his place in the world; a chance for him to realize his true potential and be happy in life. But he wouldn’t participate.
“The Art Teacher knew her stuff. She spent time with the boy, getting to know him and earning his trust. What she learned from him was that it was against the moral code of the ‘gang’ to share his art in a positive way. Graffiti was ok. Art projects that others admired was not ok. His art was only to be used for destructive purposes.
“Talk about suppression of the creativity of an artist! This was upside down! Artists are the dream-makers of society. They give beauty and pleasure to existence. They are God-like in their ability to make something out of nothing.
“Thank goodness this Art Teacher was also highly trained in Scientology Counseling. On a very easy gradient she was able to guide the boy into inspecting the ‘gang’ moral code and free himself of this suppression. He was no longer stopped. He could participate.
“She used a universally known booklet called THE WAY TO HAPPINESS. This booklet was written by L. Ron Hubbard to give us a moral code based wholly on common sense and one which is entirely nonreligious in nature. It carries no other appeal than to the good sense of the individual who reads it. It is simple to read, yet life changing in the power of its application.
“Every parent should have this booklet as a guide for answering those profound questions that each child has; for all of those, ‘Why?’ and ‘How come?’ questions from your child. For both the parent and the child, it can help bring about happiness in the home.
“By the way, the 16 year old boy is now grown and has a successful career as an artist in the music industry. I am very proud of him!
“With Wishes for Happiness in Your Life,”
Carol Kingsley