Synopsis
Reflections on the responsibilities of being rich, with a guide to self-assessment.
About the Author(s)
Kingdon Swayne was born in Newtown, Pennsylvania, in 1920. His parents taught at the George School, so he grew up on that campus among Friends. He attended Harvard University and went into the Marine Corps at the beginning of the Second World War. His service during that war led him to join the Foreign Service and coordinate civilian relations with the American occupation forces in Okinawa, Japan. He later taught at the Air Force War College and served in the American delegation to Burma. After ending his career in the Foreign Service, he returned to Newtown, where he taught political science at Bucks County Community College. He learned a lot about state and local government during his tenure at Bucks County, and became the first Democrat ever elected mayor of Newtown, Pennsylvania. During this time, he returned to the Religious Society of Friends. He served Philadelphia Yearly Meeting as clerk and was active on the committee to revise Faith and Practice. Between his pension from the State Department and his income from teaching, Kingdon found himself faced with an abundance of financial resources. Being childless, he decided to live below his means. His Pendle Hill pamphlet addresses his process of discerning how to live simply while continuing to accrue wealth.
Pendle Hill Pamphlet #259
