E. Norman Pearson

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E. Norman Pearson as newly elected TSA vice president, 1936.

ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Pearsons at Leadbeater Chambers, Adyar

E. Norman Pearson was a writer and lecturer associated with the Theosophical Society in America.

Early life and education

Activities with the Theosophical Society

In 1936 Pearson was elected vice president of the American Section, working with president Sidney A. Cook. During his tenure in that role, he devoted a great deal of time to lecture tours; his illustrated talks were very popular.

Our national Vice-President, Mr. E. Norman Pearson, and Mrs. Pearson, will leave shortly on an extended trip abroad designed to take them to Adyar for the opening of the 1951 sessions of the School of the Wisdom. They will leave New York at midnight of Tuesday March 20 and arrive at Southampton Sunday the 25th.
A three to four months lecture tour has been arranged for them covering the British Isles. They will attend the annual Convention of the English Section in London, during which Mr. Pearson is to give two public lectures, and they will be present at the European Federation gathering to be held at Camberley in July.
In the early part of September they will leave for India and the School of the Wisdom where Mr. Pearson will present two study courses, "Theosophy for the Modern Mind" and "Worker Training for Successful Service." later, they are hoping to travel to, and lecture in, Australia, returning to the west coast of the U. S. A. toward the end of 1952.[1]

Mr. Pearson was nominated to be national president in 1960, but Dr. Henry A. Smith was elected. In 1961, the Pearsons were invited to be guests of honor at the annual convention of the English Section and to tour the country lecturing.The Pearsons made taped lectures and slides that could be shipped to lodges for presentation to their members.[2]

ENP relaxing on balcony of Leadbeater Chambers, Adyar
Message to friends in Maryland TS, on reverse side of balcony photo

Photography and microfilming

Mr. Pearson was also quite a photographer. At Olcott, he and Joy Mills set up a dark room in the bathroom of guest room #8, and developed their own film.[3] While in Adyar, Pearson assisted Katherine Beechey with the photograph collection in the Adyar Archives, and also set up a dark room and an "apparatus" for microfilming.[4]

The Pearsons made taped lectures and slides that could be shipped to lodges for presentation to their members.[5]

Writings

The Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists 121 articles by or about Mr. Pearson. He also wrote books:

  • Space, Time, and Self. Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1964.
  • Let's Look at Life. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Press, 1954.
  • The Lord's Prayer in the Light of Theosophy. 1964. 22 pages.

Notes

  1. "Mr. and Mrs. Pearson," The American Theosophist 39.3 (March, 1951), 59-60.
  2. "Mr. and Mrs. E. Norman Pearson," The American Theosophist 47.12 (December, 1960), 259.
  3. Joy Mills in interview with Janet Kerschner. February, 2013 in Krotona. Miss Mills' personal photo albums are in the Theosohical Society in America Archives.
  4. Katherine Beechey letter to Boris de Zirkoff. November 19, 1956. Boris de Zirkoff Papers. Records Series 22. Theosophical Society in America Archives.
  5. "Mr. and Mrs. E. Norman Pearson," The American Theosophist 47.12 (December, 1960), 259.