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00600	325 Fernando Avenue
00700	Palo Alto, California 94306
00800	May 11, 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
01600	and work as a research scientist for Xerox Corporation (palo
01700	Alto Research Center).  I am 28 years old and have been a
01800	resident of this community for ten years, except for one
01900	year spent on land I own in Takilma, Oregon (1970-1971).
02000	I live with my eight year old daughter, of whom I have had
02100	custody for five years.
02200	
02300	During our stay in Takilma, we were fortunate to become
02400	acquainted with our neighbors at the Magic Forest Farm.
02500	They were very helpful to us, teaching us much about
02600	building, gardening,
02700	and other skills needed to live on a farm.
02800	
02900	My daughter enjoyed visits to the Magic Forest Farm,
03000	playing with the children there, and reading the books that
03100	were always prominently displayed and extensively read.
03200	By and large, the children were highly
03300	motivated to learn both at home and in school.
03400	
03500	I have visited the Magic Forest Farm several
03600	times since 1971, and have seen continued progress towards
03700	their goals.  They have made a happy and productive home
03800	for themselves mostly by perseverance and
03900	hard work.  Janie (Jeanette R. Stewart) is one of the
04000	residents who stands out as a willing worker and
04100	a positive force in the life on the Farm.
04200	
04300	The Magic Forest Farm has set a fine example for the
04400	surrounding community, in which it plays a leadership
04500	role in matters of health, safety, and cooperative undertakings.
04600	Janie, a particularly responsible individual, deserves a large part
04700	of the credit for this.
04800	
04900	I know Janie to be a good mother, and well able to care for
05000	Larissa at the Magic Forest Farm or anywhere.  I see no
05100	point in putting Larissa through the trauma of a
05200	change of custody for the advantages she might gain by
05300	living in a less rural area.  It is true that some of the
05400	comforts of life are lacking, but this is compensated by an
05500	opportunity for her to live nearer the roots of life, to
05600	get healthul exercise, to learn basic skills, and to live in
05700	an uncrowded and beautiful environment with a
05800	loving mother and with other adults who care for her.
05900	.begin indent 30
06000	.nofill
06100	
06200	Sincerely yours,
06300	
06400	
06500	
06600	Lawrence G. Tesler
06700	.end