Wilmette Institute Catalogue: Summer Residential Session

At the completion of each summer session, students will receive a certificate of attendance.

The facilities at Kendall College are the base of operations for the Wilmette Institute's summer session. It is located in northern Evanston near Wilmette, twenty minutes on foot from the Bahá'í House of Worship. The campus is a five-minute walk from Lake Michigan, a ten-minute walk from the Bahá'í National Center Office building, and a twenty-minute walk from the Bahá'í Publications building and the Bahá'í Home for the Aged.

Kendall College was established in 1934 by the United Methodist Church and offers early childhood/elementary education, culinary arts, and hospitality/hotel management; it also sponsors Montessori training during the summer. The Wilmette Institute's relationship with the school is contractual; it is not affiliated.

The Wilmette Institute rents from Kendall College classrooms and dormitory accommodation. The dorms have laundry facilities, lounges, study rooms, and elevators. Students are housed two to a room as very few single rooms are available. Kendall's dormitories are fully air conditioned. Telephones can be installed in your room by calling Ameritech (the local telephone company). Albert Thompson is Kendall's dormitory supervisor. He is always happy to help and is available during emergencies.

Parking for Wilmette Institute students is available at Kendall. The Chicago "El" (elevated train/subway) has a stop a five-minute walk from the school at Central Street. It reaches downtown Evanston in ten minutes, where one can visit many bookstores, restaurants, cafés, and shops. A forty-minute ride on the El takes one to downtown Chicago. With a car one can easily drive to several nearby malls.

Gillson Park, a beautiful public park on the shore of Lake Michigan in Wilmette, is close to campus. In addition to walking, jogging, and biking areas, the park has swimming and boat rental facilities. Evanston Hospital, an excellent private hospital, is less than half a mile away and has a high-quality, inexpensive cafeteria.

Because Chicago is in the middle of a continent and near a very large lake, its weather is highly variable. July and August are the hottest months of the year, with a mean daily high of 84 F / 27C and a mean nightly low of 63F / 17C. Extremely high temperatures, however, do occur, and they are always accompanied by humidity. August tends to be more humid than July. In July 1995 one day hit 106F/36C during a month-long heat wave with temperatures almost every day over 90F/32C. In July 1996, however, almost every day was 70 to 78F (21 to 26C), humidity was comfortable, and nights were ideal for comfortable sleep. Summers are not always hot; if there is a strong wind off the lake and one is at an outdoor activity near it, one can get quite chilly, because the lake does not warm up until August. Also, classrooms may be air conditioned too much and can be chilly.

Rain is unpredictable; an entire month can pass without rain, or it can rain almost daily. Severe thunderstorms can also occur. On rare occasions, they are accompanied by tornadoes.

When packing clothes for Chicago, it is, therefore, best to bring light summer clothes for high heat, but a rain coat that can also serve as a jacket and windbreaker is necessary. A sweater or spring coat might also be a wise precaution. An umbrella is essential.

4. Dress Code.

The Wilmette Institute students must be exemplars of Bahá'í ideals at all times. They are not the only students in the dormitories or on campus; there are many opportunities to mention the Faith. Wilmette Institute students should be aware of the public image of the Faith they create. For this reason one should choose one's dress carefully, avoiding overly casual, sloppy, or revealing clothes.

Even higher standards of dress are expected of those who enter the Holiest House of Worship. One should not go to the House of Worship wearing shorts or tank tops.

The House of Worship expects formal dress of anyone serving as a guide. Men should wear nice shirts with ties; women should wear dresses or skirts, not slacks.

5. Behavioral Expectations.

As noted, Wilmette Institute students will be visiting the Bahá'í House of Worship, serving there and at the Bahá'í National Center, and living in a dormitory with other students. Our time together in Wilmette is an opportunity to create an ideal Bahá'í community, not only as a laboratory for our own learning but as a model for others to see and experience. For these reasons the highest standards of ethical, moral, and spiritual conduct will be expected of our students.

The closed space of a dormitory also dictates that one be courteous of one's fellow students. Among other things, this means one cannot stay up late at night talking as it disturbs others as well as impairs one's ability to participate in class. For this reason after 11 p.m. is quiet time and all should be in their rooms.

6. Dormitory Supervision.

The Wilmette Institute provides a dormitory supervisor to live with the students, offer advice, assist in emergencies, and monitor behavior.

7. Safety.

Evanston and Wilmette have experienced the crime problems typical of many American cities. Consequently, personal property should always be kept in a locked place, such as your room, or should be kept close to you. Automobiles should always be locked. If you must walk somewhere at night, you should be accompanied by a friend.

8. Children and Spouses.

The Institute has not established formal policies about the presence of children and spouses at the summer residential program. One year a couple brought a six-month old with relatively little disruption. Small children able to walk, presumably, would be disruptive of class. Other students have brought older children (over the age of 15) who were able to volunteer at the National Center or guide at the House of Worship during class. Spouses have often stayed at the dormitory on weekends.