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00600	325 Fernando Avenue
00700	Palo Alto, California 94306
00800	May 21, 1973
00900	
01000	
01100	.flush left
01200	To Whom it may concern:
01300	.end
01400	.preface 1 ; indent 0,0 ;
01500	My name is Lawrence G. Tesler.  I reside at the above address and work
01600	as a research scientist for Xerox Corporation.  I am 28 years old and
01700	have been a resident of this community for ten years, except for one
01800	year spent on land I own in Takilma, Oregon (1970-1971).  I live with
01900	my eight year old daughter, Lisa, of whom I have had custody for five
02000	years.
02100	
02200	During our stay in Takilma, we were fortunate to become
02300	acquainted with our neighbors at the Magic Forest Farm.
02400	They were very helpful to us, teaching us much about
02500	building, gardening,
02600	and other skills needed to live on a farm.
02700	
02800	My daughter enjoyed visits to the Magic Forest Farm,
02900	playing with the children there, and reading the books that
03000	were always prominently displayed and extensively read.
03100	By and large, the children were highly
03200	motivated to learn both at home and in school.
03300	
03400	I have visited the Magic Forest Farm several
03500	times since 1971, and have seen continued progress towards
03600	their goals.  They have made a happy and productive home
03700	for themselves mostly by perseverance and
03800	hard work.  Janie (Jeanette R. Stewart) is one of the
03900	residents who stands out as a willing worker and
04000	a positive force in the life on the Farm.
04100	
04200	The Magic Forest Farm has set a fine example for the
04300	surrounding community, in which it plays a leadership
04400	role in matters of health, safety, and cooperative undertakings.
04500	Janie, a particularly responsible individual, deserves a large part
04600	of the credit for this.
04700	
04800	I know Janie to be a good mother, and well able to care for
04900	Larissa at the Magic Forest Farm or anywhere.  I see no
05000	point in putting Larissa through the trauma of a
05100	change of custody for the advantages she might gain by
05200	living in a less rural area.  It is true that some of the
05300	comforts of suburban life are lacking, but this is compensated by an
05400	opportunity for her to live nearer the roots of life, to
05500	get healthul exercise, to learn basic skills, and to live in
05600	an uncrowded and beautiful environment with a
05700	loving mother and with other adults who care for her.
05800	.begin indent 30
05900	.nofill
06000	
06100	Sincerely yours,
06200	
06300	
06400	
06500	Lawrence G. Tesler
06600	.end