The William Sears Bahá'í School, named in honor of William (Bill) Sears , Hand of the Cause of God , was established in the Pasadena, California back yard of Dorothy and James Nelson some 30 years ago.

Begun with their daughter and a few neighborhood Bahá'í children, the William Sears Bahá'í School now shares the facilities of the Progressive Montessori School , a preschool in La Cañada. Located just northwest of Pasadena the school now has six classes with age groups from 3 to 16.

In addition to the children's classes, there is an adult lecture/talk given by Bahá'ís invited to talk about subjects near and dear to their hearts. Subjects discussed run the gamut of social, spiritual, and intellectual matters.

The William Sears Bahá'í School, free to all, is sponsored by the Pasadena Bahá'í Community and operates through the donations from the surrounding Bahá'í communities. (Bahá'ís may not accept contributions from non-Bahá'ís)

The school is now operated under the guidance of the William Sears Bahá'í School Committee.

The purpose of the Bahá'í School spoken by `Abdu'l-Bahá

In that hour you should make the children familiar with the prophecies in the gospels and with the Name of God, and with this Revelation: that is to say, instruct them how to become teachers, so that the love of God may be established in their hearts while they are young children. They should develop spiritual feelings. You should explain to them or read to them the Ishrakat, Tarazat, Tajalleyat, the Words of Paradise , and the Tablet of the World. You should make them memorize some of these verses. By these means they will become enlightened and well educated, for they are like unto a young tree: you can train them in whatever manner you like.

  Spoken on Feb. 1909 to Pauline A. and Joseph H. Hannen, (Star of the West, Vol.9, p 93)