Justin Stone’s typed letter read at conference

I HAVE TWO APPREHENSIONS ABOUT THE SO_CALLED “TWO TIER” TEACHERS’ TRAINING COURSES. I AGREE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED AND THAT THE QUALITY OF THE NEW TEACHERS MUST BE IMPROVED. UNLESS YOU HAVE TAUGHT A TEACHERS’ TRAINING COURSE YOU WILL NOT KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO TURN DOWN A SINCERE CANDIDATE. THE DEFERRED ACCREDITATION IS NO ANSWER.

MY QUESTIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING: WON’T IT MAKE THE WHOLE PROCESS TOO EXPENSIVE? IT COULD COST AS MUCH AS $2000 for a candidate to get thru two courses, and many could not afford that much, though they might make good teachers. T’AI CHI CHIH IS NOT A BUSINESS AND WE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN GETTING GOOD NEW TEACHERS THAN IN MAKING MONEY. PERHAPS A SPECIAL SCOLARSHIP FUND COULD BE SET UP TO HELP CANDIDATES IF THE TWO TIER SYSTEM IS PUT INTO EFFECT.

MY SECOND APPREHENSION IS THIS: THERE IS A REAL DANGER THAT A CANDIDATE MIGHT DECIDE THE WHOLE THING IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND DECIDE TO GO OUT AND TEACH WITHOUT SEEKING ACCREDITATION.

IN THE LAST ISSUE OF THE VITAL FORCE SOMEONE SUGGESTED A TEACHER’S TRAINING CANDIDATE BEING RECOMMENDED BY TWO TEACHERS, HIS OR HER ORIGINAL TEACHER AND ONE WHO IS A RELATIVE STRANGER TO THE CANDIDATE. THE ORIGINAL TEACHER IS BOUND TO HAVE SOME ATTACHMENT TO THE CANDIDATE, BUT THE SECOND ONE WOULD BE COMPLETELY IMPARTIAL. THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO CHECK ON A CANDIDATE TO SEE IF HE OR SHE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE ACCEPTED FOR THE COURSE. THIS METHOD IS USED IN JAPAN TO APPROVE THE ENLIGHTEMENT OF A MONK PREPARATORY TO HIS BECOMING A ZEN MASTER.

I AM IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH THE NEED FOR A CHANGE. BUT I DO HAVE THE ABOVE TWO CONCERNS ABOUT THE TWO TIER METHOD.

FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, WITH TIMES BEING AS BAD AS THEY ARE, I WOULD RATHER SEE THE COST OF BECOMING A TEACHER LOWERED NOT RAISED. THE SUCCESS OF T’AI CHI CHIH IS BASED ON INTEGRITY, NOT BUSINESS ACUMEN.