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The Acorn People: Ron Jones' Inspiring Experiment in Community Building

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In 1967, Ron Jones, a history teacher at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, embarked on an extraordinary experiment that would change the lives of his students and the world. Jones' experiment, known as 'The Acorn People,' was designed to explore the nature of prejudice and the power of community. Over the course of three days, Jones' students created a fictional society, complete with its own rules, currency, and language. As the experiment progressed, the students began to divide themselves into different groups based on perceived differences, leading to conflict and tension. Jones' experiment is a powerful reminder of the dangers of prejudice and the importance of community.

The Acorn People

by Ron Jones

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3902 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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Print length	:	96 pages

The Origins of the Experiment

Jones was inspired to create The Acorn People experiment after reading about the Holocaust. He was horrified by the stories of how ordinary people could be turned against each other based on their race or religion. Jones wanted to see if he could create a more positive and inclusive society, one that would be free from prejudice and discrimination.

The Experiment

On the first day of the experiment, Jones asked his students to create a new society from scratch. The students came up with a name for their society, The Acorn People, and they developed a set of rules and values. They also created their own currency, the acorn, and they began to use it to trade goods and services.

On the second day of the experiment, Jones introduced a new rule: all students with brown eyes were superior to all students with blue eyes. Jones told his students that brown-eyed people were more intelligent, more athletic, and more deserving of respect than blue-eyed people. At first, the students were skeptical of this new rule. But as the day went on, they began to accept it. They started to treat brown-eyed students with more respect and they began to avoid blue-eyed students.

On the third day of the experiment, Jones revealed that the new rule was a lie. There was no difference between brown-eyed people and blue-eyed people. He told his students that he had created the experiment to show them how easily people can be divided into groups and turned against each other. The students were shocked and upset by this revelation. They realized that they had allowed themselves to be manipulated by Jones and that they had treated each other unfairly.

The Aftermath

The Acorn People experiment had a profound impact on Jones' students. They learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of prejudice and the importance of community. They also learned that they had the power to make a difference in the world. Many of Jones' students went on to become leaders in their communities and they have worked to promote understanding and tolerance.

The Legacy of The Acorn People

The Acorn People experiment is a powerful reminder of the dangers of prejudice and the importance of community. It is a story that has been told and retold for over 50 years and it continues to inspire people around the world. Jones' experiment is a testament to the power of education and the importance of teaching young people about the dangers of prejudice and discrimination.

The Acorn People experiment is a powerful and inspiring story that teaches us about the dangers of prejudice and the importance of community. It is a story that should be told and retold for generations to come.

The Acorn People

by Ron Jones

4.5 out of 5