Inventory of the Donald C. Stone, Jr. Papers, 1971-1983

Processed by Clae Styron.
Graduate Theological Union Archives
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, California, 94709
Phone: (510) 649-25223/2501
Email: archives@gtu.edu
URL: http://gtu.edu/library/information/special-collections
© 2001
The Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.

Note

Arts and Humanities--Religion--Sects and Cults Social Sciences--Sociology--Social Psychology

Inventory of the Donald C. Stone, Jr. Papers, 1971-1983

Accession number: GTU 2001-8-03

Shelf location: 5/D/4-5

The Graduate Theological Union Archives



Berkeley, California

Contact Information:

  • Graduate Theological Union Archives
  • 2400 Ridge Road
  • Berkeley, California, 94709
  • Phone: (510) 649-2523/2501
  • Email: archives@gtu.edu
  • URL: http://gtu.edu/library/information/special-collections
Processed by:
Clae Styron
Date Completed:
9/2001
Cataloged:
10/2001
Encoded by:
UCSC OAC Unit
© 2001 Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Donald C. Stone, Jr. Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1971-1983
Accession number: GTU 2001-8-03
Creator: Stone, Donald C., Jr.
Extent: 4 boxes, 4 linear ft.
Repository: The Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, California
Abstract: The papers document Donald C. Stone's work with Ornstein and Swencionis on the est Outcome Project, and the development of his doctoral research, including his various publications on the human potential movement, up to the completion of his doctoral dissertation.
Shelf location: 5/D/4-5
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research. Series IV, Interview #38 is restricted to the year 2035.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Donald C. Stone, Jr. Papers, GTU 2001-8-03, The Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Donald C. Stone, Jr.

Biography

Donald C. Stone, Jr., while a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, 1972-1981, was a teaching assistant for sociologist, Robert Bellah. Stone also worked with psychologist, Robert Ornstein, and psycho-physiologist, Charles Swencionis, at the University of California San Francisco Medical School, on their est Outcome Study. They were interested in demonstrating statistically a relationship between the graduates of Erhard Seminars Training [ est] and their physical and mental well-being.
Stone writes, "I had the good fortune to be at the center of conceptualizing and carrying out the est Outcome Study which gave me the opportunity to investigate the experience of est graduates with not only the est training but also with religious, quasi-religious, and other human potential movement trainingsAnd having gained the confidence of Werner Erhard [founder of est] that I was a competent survey researcher and could be trusted to oversee an objective studyI was given unusual access as an unpaid volunteer to the est organization and to a random sample of est graduates who I interviewed in depth, 2-4 hours.[Werner] really wanted to know what happened to est graduates during and after the training, both good and bad outcomes, and I was delighted to carry out my mandate to be scrupulously objectiveWhen the est Outcome survey was complete, I then turned to my own research and in-depth interviews of est graduates." [See Box 2, Folder 37, for Stone's autobiographical account.]

Scope and Content

The papers document Stone's work with Ornstein and Swencionis on the est Outcome Project, and the development of his doctoral research, including his various publications on the human potential movement, up to the completion of his doctoral dissertation.
They include, correspondence, annotated manuscripts and transcripts of interviews, handwritten and typed research notes, notebooks, questionnaires, agendas and minutes of meetings, drafts of manuscripts, reports, surveys, printouts, published materials, clippings, audiovisual materials including data tapes and audiocassettes of lectures and panels, flyers and other ephemera.
Of note is Stone's set of interviews of est graduates, which were coded to secure confidentiality, materials on Erhard Seminars Training at its beginnings, including rare audiocassette recordings of Werner Erhard, and Stone's notes and annotations throughout his papers.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into eight series: Doctoral Dissertation; Correspondence; Methodology and Planning; Interviews; Writings and Publications; Erhard Seminars Training; Related Research; and Related Resources.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Erhard, Werner, 1936-
Est, an Education Corporation--History--Sources
People's Temple--History--Sources


 

Series I Doctoral Dissertation, 1981

Physical Description: Box 1:1-6

Scope and Content Note

This series is the published doctoral dissertation of Donald C. Stone, Jr.

Arrangement

The arrangement is as published.
Box-folder  1:1-6

Enlightenment American Style: The Personal and Social Significance of est and the Human Potential Movement. Department of Sociology, University of California at Berkeley, 1981

 

Series II Correspondence, 1973-1983

Physical Description: Box 1:7-17

Scope and Content Note

This series contains correspondence.

Arrangement

The outgoing correspondence is arranged chronologically. The incoming correspondence is arranged alphabetically.
Box-folder  1:7-11

Correspondence, Out-going, 1973-1983

Box-folder  1:12-17

Correspondence, In-coming, 1973-1977

 

Series III Methodology and Planning, ca. 1971-1981

Physical Description: Box 1:18-34

Scope and Content Note

This series contains the project methodology and plans, including project correspondence, handwritten notes, notebooks, drafts of forms, reports, surveys, questionnaires.

Arrangement

The material is arranged by process.
Box-folder  1:18-34

Methodology and Planning.

 

Series IV Interviews, ca. 1971-1983

Physical Description: Box 1:35-49, Box 2:1-25

Scope and Content Note

This series includes Stone's set of interviews of est graduates, which were coded to secure confidentiality.
NOTE: Interview #38 is restricted to the year 2035.

Arrangement

Interviews #30, #35, #36 are missing.
Box-folder  1:35-49

Interview #1 to Interview #15

Box-folder  2:1-25

Interview #16 to Interview #29, 31-34, 37-43[?]

 

Series V Writings and Publications, 1974-1981, 2001

Physical Description: Box 2:26-37

Scope and Content Note

This series contains drafts, reviews, published interviews and publications. Also included is Stone's autobiographical statement.

Arrangement

The material is arranged chronologically.
Box-folder  2:26

"These lines from a song written by a 'graduate' of the est training" [rough draft], 1974

Box-folder  2:27

"Erhard Seminars Training"[draft], 1974

Box-folder  2:28

Spiritual and Political Interests of Encounter Group Participants: Results from the Psychology Today Questionnaire [draft],1974-1975

Box-folder  2:29

"Seeking Transcendence in Human Potential Groups" [draft],1975

Box-folder  2:30

Evaluation of the est Experience by a National Sample of Graduates, by Earl Babbie and Donald C. Stone, Jr., 1977

Box-folder  2:31

The Awareness Trap: Self-Absorption Instead of Social Change (Book Review), 1978

Box-folder  2:32

New Religious Consciousness and Personal Religious Experience, 1978

Box-folder  2:33

Donald C. Stone's transcript of his People's Temple interview, 1979

 

[See also, Series VIII, Folder 25-31.]

Box-folder  2:34

Social Consciousness in the Human Potential Movement, 1981

Box-folder  2:35

The Peril of the New Religious Movements in America by Donald C. Stone, Jr. and James McCarthy, 1980-1981

Box-folder  2:36

The Human Potential Movement, n.d.

Box-folder  2:37

Biographical Statement, 1977, 2001

 

Series VI Erhard Seminars Training, 1971-1981

Physical Description: Box 2:38-41; 3:1-8

Scope and Content Note

This series contains information on the formation of the est advisory committee, accrediation committee, taped lectures by Werner Erhard, est Graduate Survey and taped Hunger Project interview by Will Noffke.

Arrangement

The material is arranged alphabetically by format.
Box-folder  2:38

Ad hoc Steering Committee Meeting re: Formation of an est Advisory Board, Summary Reports, 1973

Box-folder  2:39

est Advisory Board Steering Committee, Agenda, 1973

Box-folder  2:40

est Accreditation Committee, 1973

Box-folder  2:41

Lectures by Werner Erhard (9 audiocassettes), 1973, 1975

Box-folder  2:42

Interview, seminar with Werner Erhard (4 audiocassettes), 1976

Box-folder  3:1

Lectures by Werner Erhard, #34 (7 ½ inch magnetic tape), 1973

Box-folder  3:2

Lecture on Love by Werner Erhard, #35 (7 ½ inch magnetic tape), 1973

Box-folder  3:3

Lectures, #36 (7 ½ inch magnetic tape), 1971

Box-folder  3:4

Lectures, Interview with Erhard, Bartley, Fuller, #37 (7 ½ inch magnetic tape), 1976

Box-folder  3:5

Lecture by Werner Erhard at Masonic Auditorium, #39 (7 ½ inch magnetic tape), 1974

Box-folder  3:6

Hunger Project interview of Werner Erhard by Will Noffke, New Horizons, KPFA-FM (script), 1979

Box-folder  3:7

est Graduate Survey, 1981

Box-folder  3:8

Articles by Others about est, 1972-1978

 

Series VII Related Research, 1973-1984

Physical Description: Box 3:9-36; 4:1-10

Scope and Content Note

This series contains research and in-depth interviews of est graduates conducted after the completion of the est Outcome Study.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by process.
Box-folder  3:9-10

" est Outcome Study" (draft), 1975

Box-folder  3:11-12

Self-Report Survey, Preliminary Study of Participants in Erhard Seminars Training, 1975

Box-folder  3:13-35

est Outcome Study

 

Methodology and Planning, 1973-1974

 

Project notes by Stone, 1973-1975

 

Report on Second Questionnaire Pre-Test, 1973

 

Evaluation, 1973-1974

 

Preliminary Survey of Results, 1974

 

Monthly Bulletin Project, ca.1974

 

Research Retrospective, 1974-1975

 

Notes by Others, ca.1975

 

Discussion, 1975

 

Master, n.d.

 

Notebook I-IV, ca. 1973-1975

Box-folder  3:36

Questionnaire, CATLA, Judaica Group, n.d. [legal size]

Box-folder  4:1-4

Codebook Guide, I-IV, n.d.

Box-folder  4:5

Transferring, Outcome Study Particle Count, 1974

Box-folder  4:6-8

Printouts, 1974-1984

Box-folder  4:9

Data Tape, labeled Donald C. Stone[1976?]

Box-folder  4:10

Data Tape, labeled Earl Babbie, n.d.

 

Series VIII Related Resources, ca. 1971-1974

Physical Description: Box 4:11-38

Scope and Content Note

This series contains related research resources.

Arrangement

The material is arranged alphabetically.
Box-folder  4:11

Abstract of the Behaviordyne Report on Psychological Changes Measured After Taking the Erhard Seminars Training, May 29, 1973

Box-folder  4:12

Bibliography of est, 1978

Box-folder  4:13

Changing Attitudes Toward Psychotherapy on the Part of Converts to Eastern Mysticism, 1977?

Box-folder  4:14

The Complex Forms of the Religious Life: A Durkheimian View of New Religious Movements. Doctoral dissertation by Frances R. Westly, 1978

Box-folder  4:15-16

Encounter Groups, ca.1971-1974

Box-folder  4:17-18

Erhard Seminars Training: A Longitudinal Study of its Psychological Effects, Using Selected Studies Measured by the California Psychological Inventory , by Leilani Lewis, 1973

Box-folder  4:19

Excerpts annotated by Donald C. Stone, Jr. from Changing Frontiers in the Science of Psychotherapy by Allen E. Bergin and Hans H. Strupp, 1972.

Box-folder  4:20-21

Human Potential Movement, 1971-1979

Box-folder  4:22

Human Potential Movement (Debunkers), 1969-1974

Box-folder  4:23

Large Group Awareness Training by Peter Finkelstein, Brant Wenegrat, and Irvin Yalom, 1982

Box-folder  4:24

Missionary and Cult Movements, A Mini-Course for the Upper Grades in Religious Schools. A Sixteen Unit Lesson Plan on Reform Judaism's Response to "Hebrew/Christian" Missionary Movements and the Cults, 1977

Box-folder  4:25-30

People's Temple, transcripts of interviews by Others, 1979

 

Note: This work was done as part of Stone's participation in the Center for the Study of New Religious Movements at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA. See the Center's Collection: GTU 91-9-3.

Box-folder  4:31

People's Temple interviews (3 audiocassettes), 1979

Box-folder  4:32

Questionnaires, 1971

Box-folder  4:33

Radical Therapy, 1971-1974

Box-folder  4:34-35

Reported Changes in Personality, Self-Concept, and Personal Problems following Erhard Seminars Training (est). Doctoral dissertation by Jeffrey Weiss, 1977

Box-folder  4:36

Scientology, 1973-1974

Box-folder  4:37

Stillson Judah, lectures on Hare Krishna (2 audiocassettes), ca. 1974

Box-folder  4:38

Transcendental Meditation, 1972-1975