The Story of the First Waldorf School

The Story of the First Waldorf School: History, Background, and Personalities 1919–1925

Waldorf pedagogy was born in a time of dire need following The First World War. Rudolf Steiner provided the spiritual foundations for this approach to education, including its methods of teaching, out of his comprehensive insights into human nature and based on his own diverse experiences as a student and teacher. It was the industrialist Emil Molt, inspired by his sense of social responsibility, who enabled the founding of the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart. After only a few months of preparation the new school opened on September 7, 1919.

For its first six years Rudolf Steiner was the Waldorf School’s director of education. While the school benefited from fast-growing student numbers, it also had to deal with antagonism and financial hardship. In the face of such challenges, the first Waldorf teachers worked incredibly hard to put the new art of education into practice. All aspects of the school’s life, including its organization, administration, and finances, served this superior goal.

Tomáš Zdražil’s thorough research of the historical sources has resulted in a vibrant picture of the early years of the first Waldorf School. The book, which contains numerous original citations and more than 250 historical photographs, focuses on the collaboration of the faculty of teachers with Rudolf Steiner.

Contents

Introduction

1. Rudolf Steiner as teacher and educator
   Steiner’s own experience of school and private tutoring · Private tutor to the Specht family · Workers’ school and higher girls’ school · Rudolf Steiner as teacher in the Theosophical and Anthroposophical Society · Steiner’s first pedagogical essay: The Education of the Child in the Light of Spiritual Science · The threefold human being · The threefold social organism
2. Before the founding of the school
   Emil and Berta Molt · Emil Molt and the revolution of November 1918 · Emil Molt and Karl Stockmeyer · Stockmeyer’s preparation for his life’s task · Stockmeyer and the impulse for anthroposophical architecture · Stockmeyer’s essays on education policy · Courses for workers at the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory · Herbert Hahn · The “birth” of the school on April 23, 1919 · The crucial conversation on April 25, 1919 · Rudolf Steiner’s education policy · Lectures on the social basis of education · The threefolding campaign · Stockmeyer’s consolidation of the school concept · Purchase of the school building · The curriculum question · Negotiations with culture minister Heymann and the teacher question · Caroline von Heydebrand · Paul Baumann · Stockmeyer’s round trip · June 27: Munich · Michael Bauer and the Waldorf School · June 29: Nuremberg/Marktredwitz · July 2: Leipzig · July 3: Halle · July 5: Breslau · July 6: Berlin · July 7: Hamburg · July 10–12: Return journey · Hermann Hesse and the founding of the Waldorf School
3. The First Teachers’ Course
   Meeting on the evening before the course · The members of the First Teachers’ Course · Hannah Lang – Elisabeth Dollfus – Walter Johannes Stein – Friedrich Oehlschlegel – Marie Steiner and Mieta Waller – Ludwig Noll – Karl Wolfer – Hermann Heisler – Alexander Strakosch – Luise Kieser · Summary of the participants · The course structure · Lectures on “general aspects of education” · Lectures on methods of teaching and practical discussions · Broad range of topics – The teacher-child relationship – The temperaments – Rudolf Steiner as a teacher – Botanical challenges – Speech and language – The curriculum · “Celebratory act of cosmic dimensions” · Course objectives · After the Teachers’ Course
4. The school’s first year, 1919/1920: The magic of new beginnings
   The opening ceremony on September 7, 1919 · Outline of external developments · The education system in Stuttgart after World War I · Faculty meetings as the “soul of the school organism”: School leadership and self-governance · The school’s first year as reflected in the faculty discussions · Leonie von Mirbach and class 1 · Caroline von Heydebrand in the Waldorf School · The challenges of class 5 · Three class 5 students · Caroline von Heydebrand’s research on experimental pedagogy · Introduction of the morning verses · Lessons in classes 7 and 8 · The gifted siblings Dora and Rolf Gutbrod · The introduction of free religion lessons · Friedrich Oehlschlegel’s departure · Eugen Kolisko · Independent schools and the renewal of the sciences · The Science Courses at the Waldorf School · Kolisko’s first pedagogical experiences · The school doctor · Karl Schubert, the first special needs teacher · Elisabeth von Grunelius and the kindergarten idea · Der Kommende Tag and the Waldorf School Association · The economist Emil Leinhas · Rudolf Steiner’s first public course on education
5. The second school year, 1920/1921: Growing in the face of opposition
   Outline of external developments · Criticism and opposition · General Gerold von Gleich and Foreign Minister Walter Simons · Under attack from Dietrich Eckart and Adolf Hitler · Rudolf Steiner’s lectures to the teachers in the school’s second year · Faculty meetings with Rudolf Steiner in the school’s second year · The new class 1 teachers Maria Uhland and Robert Killian · Technology teacher Alexander Strakosch · Hermann von Baravalle, “a great mathematical thinker” · Max Wolffhügel, the first arts and crafts teacher · Else Klink, the Wolffhügels’ foster daughter · Wilhelm Ruhtenberg, Christoph Boy, Ernst Uehli, Hedwig Hauck, and Julie Lämmert
6. The school’s third year, 1921/1922: Foundation Stone laying and the first inspection
   Outline of external developments · New class 1 teachers Clara Düberg and Violetta Plincke · New high school teachers Erich Schwebsch and Maria Röschl · Steps towards resolving the room crisis · The foundation stone laying as a spiritual act · The Christmas Course and Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on education · The first school inspection—an interesting insight into the life of the school · Complaints from the Catholic Church · Rudolf Steiner’s view of the teaching
7. The school’s fourth year, 1922/1923: A year of crises
   Outline of external developments · Changes in the faculty · Johanna Doflein, a struggling substitute teacher · Rudolf Grosse, an outstanding Swiss student · Student health · A pedagogical crisis · Expulsion of students · The Waldorf School and the fire at the Goetheanum · Rudolf Steiner’s pedagogical work with the faculty · Rudolf Steiner’s challenge to the younger generation · The founding of the Eurythmeum · Rudolf Steiner’s pedagogical lectures outside Stuttgart · Salary questions · Lack of money and space
8. The school’s fifth year, 1923/1924: The Christmas Conference in Dornach and class 12 exams
   Outline of external developments · Changes in the faculty · The Christmas Conference 1923/1924 and the School of Spiritual Science · The Waldorf School’s first leaving exams (Abitur) · Worries of the class 12 students · Class 12’s conversation with Rudolf Steiner about their future · Problems with class 9 and the highly gifted Alexis von Vivenot · Martha Sonderegger joins the learning support class · Rudolf Steiner’s lectures: Dissemination and deepening of Waldorf education
9. The school’s sixth year, 1924/1925: Departure and mission
   Outline of external developments · Changes in the faculty · Internal situation · Rudolf Steiner’s teaching activity in the school’s sixth year · Financial instability · Rudolf Steiner’s mission for the teachers · Rudolf Steiner’s death on the last day of school
10. Rudolf Steiner in the Waldorf School, with the students
11. After 1925

Bibliography · Index of Archives · Picture credits

Appendices: The First Teachers’ Course 1919 in chronological order · Class teachers 1919–1926 · Beginning and end of the first six school years · Year to year development of student numbers 1919–1922 · Average class sizes · Index of persons · School rules from the year 1926

About the Author

Tomáš Zdražil — Dr. Tomáš Zdražil, born in 1973, teaches at the Freie Hochschule Stuttgart – Seminar for Waldorf Pedagogy and is director of the von Tessin Centre for Health and Education.