Activity Three
In this ELT activity, students will experience the power of Web 2.0 technology history and cultural awareness. Students will chose and report on an individual, who has garnered applause or drawn attention. Images, quotes and cited works are an important part of the portrayal of this individual. Material shared should be creditable and by no accounts plagiarised.
- Choose and individual of interest, and research their life and accomplishments in online books, newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, and existing biographies.
- Collect information that is creditable, and record it in your own words. Please have at least two sources cited in your blog.
- Identify the significance of the individual with a variety of personal accounts, important accomplishments, brave or traumatic acts, valuable quotes, and events they have made an impact on.
- Share times of conflict or success, where they found inspiration or hardship, and significant instances that deeply impacted them. (injury, death, accident, breakup, isolation).
- Tell how they changed the world, or what is unique about them.
Please use images, quotes, timelines, or video to support your findings.
Edward Arthur Wilson aka. Brother 12
A young, unhealthy boy took his first visit to Victoria from England in 1905. He worked many jobs, and might have appeared eager, but carried the pessimism and woefulness of the Great Depression and WW1 throughout his youth. But, his travels to Vancouver Island fortunately, (unfortunately) opened new opportunities and visions for him, as he devised and created a utopia of sorts, called the Aquarian Foundation in the early 20’s, in Cedar BC.
Basically the group, which professed to share answers for human salvation and to be the only surviving entity from a forthcoming Armagendon, was a spiritual salvation. People traded their finances, future, well-being, and lifestyle for a membership in the cult. “The followers were overworked and starved as they were "tested" for spiritual worthiness”.1 Wilson, aka. Brother 12, used rituals and prayer to motivate and support his followers.
By 1927, he had created almost a religious militant movement, which felt that they could help prevent the end of the world. Wilson, himself, travelled to the US, to offer his services to the president. Of course, he was shunned and kyboshed. He’s efforts to help did intrigue many new followers from the US though, and the Foundation became much larger and wealthier due to the allegiance of many philanthropist women.
Wilson was a great idealist, but didn’t not have great support for his polygamist ways. His initial concepts of the Foundation began to fall apart when he decided only he was allowed relationships with women in the group. The government and the community stepped in and took action in court, which is a major reason why Wilson decided it was time to leave Cedar for Decourcy Island….