The Founding of the First Waldorf School in Stuttgart, 1919
After WWI, within the framework of activities of the Threefold Social Organism, the board of the Waldorf Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, lead by Emil Molt, decided on April 23rd, 1919, to found a school for the children of the factory workers. They asked Rudolf Steiner to take on and lead the education. Emil Molt had already been caring for the education and welfare of his employees. He gave them the opportunity to take classes during the workday and attend lectures by Rudolf Steiner and Herbert Hahn. He also had houses where they could go to recuperate and a worker’s newspaper called, “Waldorf News.”
Just two days after the board’s decision, Rudolf Steiner had developed a concept for the school with help from Emil Molt and Karl Stockmeyer. By May 13th they had the permit for the school and on May 30th Emil Molt bought a suitable building with his own money. The building had been a restaurant in Stuttgart called, “Uhlandshoehe.” Based on suggestions from Rudolf Steiner and E.A. Karl Stockmeyer, the first faculty of teachers was formed. Their average age was 32.
On August 20th, Rudolf Steiner began a training course for the new teachers. In the mornings he gave lectures on, “A general study of man as the basis for pedagogy” (“Study of Man” GA 293) followed by lectures on method and didactic questions (“Practical Advice for Teacher” GA 294). In the afternoons they had conversations about pedagogy, in a seminar format (“Discussions with Teachers” GA 295). On September 7th, 1919 after only five months of preparation, the school was opened with a celebration.
A week later, classes began for 256 children in eight grades with twelve teachers: Elisabeth Baumann-Dollfus (Eurythmy), Paul Baumann (music and gymnastics), Johannes Geyer (class teacher), Herbert Hahn (German, history, French and religion), Caroline von Heydebrand (5th grade and foreign language), Hertha Koegel (4th grade), Hannah Lang (3rd grade), Leonie von Mirbach (1st grade), Friedrich Oehlschlegel (6th grade), Walter Johannes Stein (administration, literature and history), E. A. Karl Stockmeyer (7th and 8th grade) and Rudolf Treichler sen. (7th and 8th grade). During the first year the following teachers joined: Elisabeth von Grunelius (Kindergarten), Eugen Kolisko (School doctor, English, Naturkunde), Berta Molt (handwork and bookbinding), Edith Röhrle (Eurythmy), Helene Rommel (handwork), Karl Schubert (Förderklasse?) und Nora Stein von Baditz (Eurythmy). Friedrich Oehlschlegel left.
To begin with, Emil Molt had thought of the Waldorf School as a work-school. On the one hand it would provide a basic education for underprivileged children and on the other it would be the actualization for, “The Free Spiritual Life.” Largely independent from the normal state-run education or economic pressures, the teacher was to have the freedom to develop a lesson, which at its roots would meet the developmental needs of the students:
"Nun, eine freie Schule ist diejenige, welche den Lehrenden und Erziehenden alles dasjenige ermöglicht, was sie aus ihrer Menschenerkenntnis heraus, aus ihrer Welterkenntnis heraus, aus ihrer Kinderliebe heraus unmittelbar für das Wesentliche halten […] wo die Lehrer eine ganz bestimmte, ihrem Wirken zugrunde liegende Erkenntnis haben von dem, wie ein Kind heranwächst, welche körperlichen, seelischen Kräfte in dem Kinde entwickelt werden müssen; wo der Lehrer das, was er jeden Tag und jede Stunde machen muss, aus dieser Menschenerkenntnis und aus seiner Kinderliebe heraus einrichten kann."
(Rudolf Steiner, Ansprache während eines Elternabends am 9. Mai 1922, GA 298, S. 108.)
New methods of teaching included coed classes from varied socio-economic backgrounds, block courses, no standardized testing, a strong focus on the arts, Eurythmy, woodwork and handwork for boys and girls, two foreign languages from the 1st grade on and no textbooks. The children are also not failed and forced to repeat a grade and a class has one main teacher who stays with them from 1st through 8th grade.
(translated by Leila Allen)
- Das Lehrerkollegium der Freien Waldorfschule Stuttgart, September 1926.