Rudolf Steiner in the Waldorf School
GA 298
17 June 1921, Stuttgart
Address and discussion at the first official members’ meeting of the Independent Waldorf School Association
Ladies and gentlemen!1This speech was revised by Rudolf Steiner himself for inclusion in the Mitteilungsblatt für die Mitglieder des Vereins Freie Waldorfschule [Newsletter for Members of the Independent Waldorf School Association], August 1921, Vol. 1. He did not, however, revise the discussion that followed. I call this first official meeting of members of the Independent Waldorf School Association to order. Before I go into the agenda, please allow me to welcome you most heartily in the name of the Board. Of course only a small number of the Association’s members are here today; we welcome all the more heartily those of you who are able to be here. We have 1,400 members, and not nearly that many are here, but it is a pleasure to see that a considerable number have come.
To begin with, ladies and gentlemen, there are some things that need to be said with regard to the development of the Waldorf School up to this point. We now have two school years behind us. From various publications that have already appeared, you probably know that in this Waldorf School which Emil Molt founded, we aspired to something that could really bring about something new in various directions as a result of new pedagogical and methodological viewpoints and as a result of a universal humanitarian way of thinking. We aspired to release new forces that are needed in the field of education in order to counter the forces of decline that are so apparent in our times. Understandably enough, something important must be done now in the realm of the educational system. Our task was not an easy one; in choosing the teachers, we needed to make sure that the spirit of a much-needed new pedagogical and methodological way of thinking, as we may call it, was alive and active in them.
In addition, the faculty first had to come to a common understanding of what our task would have to become as we got into the details of pedagogical and methodological activity. For this purpose, a pedagogical and methodological course was given prior to the opening of the school for the college of teachers as it was initially constituted. Instruction was then begun, attempting to take this course as a basis. In addition to this first somewhat longer pedagogical course, a shorter supplementary course was given before the start of the second school year, and a second supplementary course is taking place now before the third school year begins.2Supplementary courses: See Rudolf Steiner’s Meditativ erarbeitete Menschenkunde (1947) (available also as the first four lectures, Stuttgart, Sept. 15, 16, 21, 22, 1920 in Erziehung und Unterricht aus Menschenerkenntnis, GA 302a), Balance in Téaching (Spring Valley, NY: Mercury Press, 1990) and Menschenerkenntnis und Unterrichtsgestaltung (Eight lectures, Stuttgart, 1921, GA 302), Educating Adolescents(Hudson, NY: Anthroposophic Presas, 1996). On the various occasions when I as the educational director was able to visit the school in the course of these two years, it became evident—and I say this after a conscientious investigation—that in spite of all the difficulties that some individual teachers had to overcome in themselves—difficulties due in part to outer circumstances and in part to the difficulty of the task itself—it has become possible for the spirit that prevails in our school to take hold of the college of teachers ever more strongly. We have been involved in an ascending development, and the way in which this spirit of the Waldorf School has settled down among us to an ever greater extent leads us to hope that we will also be able to note an ascending development in the Waldorf School spirit in the school year to come. It has become evident that the new teachers who joined the old ones as the expansion of the school made it necessary have found their way into the spirit of the Waldorf School with astounding rapidity. In this connection, we can say that this spirit of the Waldorf School is becoming something more and more alive, something you discover and are touched by as soon as you come into the school.
In this connection, after properly assessing the situation, we have only good things to note; we can hope that by developing the spirit we aspire to we will gradually get to the point at which we can offer clear evidence that the Waldorf School will be able to achieve its goal. This is what there is to report about the spirit that prevails in the school and in the teachers’ conferences, about the spirit that was evident to me, as the one who had to verify it, in the attitude and way of thinking that prevails within the college of teachers. The college of teachers consists of its founder Herr Emil Molt and his wife in the role of patrons, so to speak, and of the people you know. By the very nature of the thing, the educational directorship has fallen to me, and I may say that in the teachers’ conferences that have been held in my presence and in the classes in which I participated, which happened quite often in the course of these two years, what I have just described has certainly been evident.
This is all that needs to be noted in brief about this side of things; however, there is something that needs to be presented from the other side. This is something that I believed to be fully justified in saying in all kinds of talks before the opening of the school and at the opening itself, namely that the Waldorf School will only really fulfill its mission if other such schools are founded very soon. With a single school, of course, we can provide nothing more than a model and a pedagogical and methodological example. I believe I am justified in telling you this. Of course we will be able to produce a model and an example of this sort, but in our times this can only be a beginning. What is needed now is to carry the spirit of which we have spoken into the entire educational system in the sense of the threefold social organism. This threefolding requires a truly free cultural life with regard to education. The spirit of which we have spoken can be achieved only through the broadest possible dissemination of the idea of the Waldorf School. The Waldorf School must have successors, and this depends of course on interest in the school developing in the widest possible circles. It may be said that the active cooperation of the members of the Waldorf School Association, and also of the parents, demonstrates an admirable degree of interest. Unfortunately, however, the idea of the Waldorf School has not excited interest in wider circles; interest there remains extraordinarily low. Apart from the single small-scale and very gratifying attempt that has been made within Central Europe, the Waldorf School has not found any successors, and there are very few movements afoot to get such successors started.
We can also say that the interest has not been as great as expected from another point of view, namely that it takes money for even one model school to thrive. We have had to set things up in a way that involves adding one grade a year. When the school was founded, it had eight grades; last year we added the ninth grade, and with the beginning of the third school year, which takes place tomorrow, the tenth grade will be added. In this way, we will expand the school upward each year so that eventually our graduating students will be able take the Abitur and go straight on to various colleges and universities. There is still time for all this, but this is how we imagine the school’s expansion to take place. Of course this requires constant additions to our physical space. In addition, our original idea, which was to found this school primarily for the children of associates of the Waldorf-Astoria factory, has broadened considerably. We have been getting more and more applications from all over the place; in this respect there is no lack of interest. Interest in increasing the size of the school, in expanding this one school, and in the spirit of the school is certainly already present. This is evident from the fact that we have students applying on all sides, and that most grade levels have several parallel classes.
The Board of Directors” report will mention the difficulties with regard to expanding the school.3Because of a ruling on the laws governing primary schools, the Waldorf School had to reapply for approval in the fall of 1920. This was granted under the proviso that starting in the 1922/23 school year it, like other private schools, was not to admit a new first grade and would have to decrease the number of students in the first four grades. However, as an experimental school the Waldorf School was expected to win an extension to this deadline. The ruling was later repealed. We can see from all this that it is necessary to arouse interest in the school in a financial context. We really cannot say that the school has met with this interest in a financial sense. We encounter new financial worries each time an expansion becomes necessary. Already today the Board will present some of its concerns in its report to this official members’ meeting. While on the one hand we can report considerable satisfaction with the school’s spiritual progress, this must be balanced by reporting our concerns, which will increase greatly in the next few weeks. Naturally, the college of teachers cannot deal with these concerns; it already has a great deal to do in keeping up with the school’s spiritual progress. This is something that must be taken to the broader public in the right way in the near future. We simply must awaken interest in financially supporting the Waldorf School, or else even the model that a single school provides will not be able to develop in the appropriate way. It is to be hoped that if we succeed in raising the interest of the broader public in the spirit of the Waldorf School and its results, we will be able to meet our other need, namely to broaden the concept of the Waldorf School by founding other such schools as successors to this one. If this does not happen, establishing a model and an example is all that will be possible. This would certainly not do justice to the ideas and ideals of the Waldorf School movement.
This is what I wanted to present to you in my role as chairman of the Waldorf School Association.
From the discussion
E. Molt: I could not wish for a nicer task than to have to present Dr. Steiner with our heart-felt thanks for his loving leadership of the school. We know that we have him to thank for the successful growth of the school
Dr. Steiner: Ladies and gentlemen! I would like to thank Herr Molt for his kind words, and all of you for agreeing with them. I believe I may also express these thanks in the name of the entire college of teachers of our Waldorf School. There can be no doubt that to the extent to which this college of teachers has been successful in building up the Waldorf School, this has only been possible because the entire college of teachers is deeply imbued with the need for the idea of the Waldorf School, because each individual member of this college of teachers is enthusiastically involved with the idea of the Waldorf School. From this enthusiasm comes the strength to work at something essentially new. We can rest assured that in spite of many difficulties, this enthusiasm will endure, and as a consequence the strength needed by those of us who must provide for the Waldorf School and its spiritual progress will also endure. And in this sense, since you may be able to believe that we in this school are working out of pure enthusiasm for the idea of the Waldorf School, you will also be able to accept the promise I would like to make, in my name and in the name of my dear friends in the college of teachers, to you who have taken such a deep interest in the Waldorf School. Please accept our promise that we will in future continue to work in the way that you have seen and in a way that will satisfy you.
Someone expresses the wish to have a chance to see the Waldorf School.
Dr. Steiner: I believe you would not get much out of seeing the Waldorf School itself, and that the faculty would not be able to conduct a tour tomorrow morning. If it is possible for you to modify your wish, perhaps you could take part in the opening assembly here in the Stadigartensaal at 9:30 tomorrow, if there are not too many of you. Would it be possible for you to do this instead? I am sure the teachers will have no objections. And if you should wish to take a walk tomorrow evening after six o’clock, the members of the college will be glad to show you the building when school is not in session.
A member: Perhaps people can be allowed to visit the school on a certain day? The eurythmy lessons, for instance?
Dr. Steiner: Eurythmy belongs to our lessons, so the same objections would apply to it as to other classes. I would like to comment that the most that would be possible would be that we might decide to show visitors the empty school when the children and teachers are not there. There can be no question of visiting while school is in session. That is, such a visit could only take place after weighing it up carefully in consultation with those who hope to learn something by visiting the school—for instance, with people who want to see something of this school because they are trying to found a similar school elsewhere, because they themselves are doing something relevant to spread the idea of the Waldorf School. Seeing the school in operation would only come into question in infrequent cases of this sort. Of course we have already had many requests along these lines, but for purely pedagogical and methodological reasons it would not be possible to have it happen on a more general basis. Even a legitimate visit during a lesson is a cause of disturbance, a disturbance that is not justifiable in pedagogical terms. Anyone coming into the classroom disturbs the lesson. Sometimes there is a higher goal that justifies the disturbance, and we have to accept reasons of this sort. But we need to be sensitive to the fact that a lesson requires presence of mind and should therefore under no circumstances be subjected to visitation unless there is some urgent need.
I believe, therefore, that it is also the view of the other members of the college that the most we can allow is for you to see the classrooms, and even this would be burdensome at the moment. I can assure you that the classrooms will be well worth seeing once we are receiving a lot of financial support. But with regard to equipment that comes from endowments, people are probably much more likely to feel that they are getting their money’s worth if they go and look at other schools. We, on the other hand, would only be subjecting ourselves to the danger of having them tell us that they didn't see anything, that the instructional materials are anything but ample, and that they want their money back!
With regard to eurythmy, let me remind you again that we have done everything possible to demonstrate what eurythmy is like. We have organized events where people could see what the Waldorf children do in eurythmy, and I hope that these events will continue. These are opportunities for you to convince yourselves of what the Waldorf children can accomplish in eurythmy. For pedagogical reasons, it does not seem possible to me for us to make exceptions in the case of eurythmy to what applies to the rest of the lessons.
So far we have accommodated to the greatest possible extent any legitimate wish people might have to inform themselves of what is going on in the Waldorf School, and people have taken advantage of the possibility to see the school to an equally great and not always desirable extent.
In this regard, nothing healthy can come of it if visitation and our interaction with the outer world are governed by any directives other than those the directorship and teachers™ college of the Waldorf School see fit to issue. It does not seem possible to me for the school’s leadership to receive any such directives from an Association. The issue here is that only a proper decision of the teachers’ college can come into consideration in a matter like this, so it does not seem necessary to me to vote in the context of the Waldorf School Association on whether or not this should be permitted. How this matter is handled depends absolutely on the college of teachers. There has also been no motion to do otherwise.
... It does not work to have what I described in the first part, the spirit of the Waldorf School, on display for visitors. It has to be developed in the lessons, and this can be done only in the way in which it has been attempted so far. The only way in which the spirit of the Waldorf School can be presented to the public is through public testimonials of people who have children here, who are becoming familiar with our educational ideals; that is, through parents and others related to the school. There is no possibility of drawing attention to the spirit of the Waldorf School in any other way.
I can assure you that I know that this suggestion was made with good intentions, but in the past two years we have been accommodating on all sides. We must guard carefully against having people come who are merely curious. However, we will also continue to not turn away anyone who has legitimate grounds for getting to know the school.
Now that we have come to the end of our gathering, allow me to still express on behalf of the Board our hearty thanks to you for being willing to attend this first gathering. I hope the experiences you will be able to have will satisfy the interest you have demonstrated by being present here today. In this sense, I thank you in the name of the Board of the Waldorf School Association for being here today. Let me now call this first official members’ meeting to a close.
Ansprache An Der Ersten Mitgliederversammlung Des Vereins «Freie Waldorfschule»
Meine sehr verehrten Anwesenden! Ich eröffne die erste ordentliche Mitgliederversammlung des Vereins «Freie Waldorfschule». Ehe ich auf das Programm eingehe, gestatten Sie, daß ich Sie im Namen des Vorstandes auf das allerherzlichste begrüße. Es ist nur eine kleine Anzahl der Mitglieder des Vereins heute naturgemäß erschienen, aber um so herzlicher soll die Begrüßung für die kleine Anzahl sein; wir haben 1400 Mitglieder, so viel sind lange nicht da. Um so erfreulicher ist es, daß eine stattliche Anzahl erschienen ist. Was zunächst, meine sehr verehrten Anwesenden, zu sagen ist in bezug auf die bisherige Entwickelung der Waldorfschule, ist das Folgende: Wir haben zwei Schuljahre hinter uns, wir haben, wie Ihnen wohl aus den verschiedenen Veröffentlichungen, die schon erschienen sind, bekannt sein dürfte, mit dieser Waldorfschule, die von Emil Molt gegründet worden ist, etwas angestrebt, das aus neuen pädagogisch-didaktischen Gesichtspunkten und aus Gesichtspunkten einer allgemeinen humanitären Denkweise heraus wirklich nach den verschiedenen Richtungen hin etwas Neues schaffen kann, daß neue Kräfte entfesselt werden, die auf dem Gebiete des Unterrichts und der Erziehung notwendig sind, um gegenüber den Verfallskräften, gegenüber den Niedergangskräften, die in unserer Zeit sehr deutlich zu sehen sind, das Nötige zu tun. Es ist begreiflich, daß ein Wichtiges in der Gegenwart getan werden muß auf dem Gebiete des Unterrichts- und Erziehungswesens. Eine solche Aufgabe war nicht leicht; es handelte sich darum, in der Auswahl der Lehrer so vorzugehen, daß nun wirklich bei denjenigen, die Lehrende und Erziehende sein sollten, der Geist von all dem lebt, was wir eine notwendige neue pädagogisch-didaktische Denkweise nennen können.
Wir mußten außerdem uns innerhalb der Lehrerschaft erst verständigen über dasjenige, was da ins einzelne des pädagogisch-didaktischen Wirkens hinein unsere Aufgabe wird werden müssen. Dazu ist ja zunächst ein pädagogisch-didaktischer Kurs vor der Eröffnung der Schule für das Lehrerkollegium in seiner ersten Zusammensetzung gehalten worden, auf Grundlage dessen dann der Unterricht und die Erziehung versucht worden sind. Zu diesem etwas längeren pädagogischen Kurs, der der Eröffnung voranging, kam dann ein kürzerer Ergänzungskurs vor dem Beginn des zweiten Jahres, und ein zweiter Ergänzungskurs wird jetzt eben gehalten vor dem Beginn des dritten Schuljahres. Bei den verschiedenen Besuchen, die mir als pädagogischem Leiter der Waldorfschule möglich waren im Laufe der zwei Jahre, hat sich allerdings dasjenige ergeben, das darf nach einer gewissenhaften Prüfung gesagt werden, daß es - trotz aller Schwierigkeiten, die ja der einzelne Lehrer und Erzieher zum Teil aus äußeren Umständen und zum Teil, weil die Aufgabe schwierig ist, bei sich selbst zu überwinden hat möglich geworden ist, daß der Geist, der in unserer Schule waltet, immer intensiver das Lehrerkollegium ergriffen hat. Wir haben es mit einer aufsteigenden Entwickelung zu tun gehabt; und die Art, wie sich mehr und mehr eingelebt hat dieser Geist der Waldorfschule, läßt uns hoffen, daß wir auch im folgenden Schuljahre eine steigende Entwickelung des Waldorfschulgeistes werden zu verzeichnen haben. Es hat sich herausgestellt, daß die Lehrkräfte, die zu den alten hinzugekommen sind, weil die Vergrößerung der Schule es nötig machte, sich wirklich mit erstaunlicher Schnelligkeit in den Geist der Waldorfschule einleben, so daß man in dieser Beziehung sagen kann: Dieser Geist der Waldorfschule ist immer mehr und mehr etwas Lebendiges geworden, etwas, das man findet, von dem man berührt wird, wenn man in die Waldorfschule hineinkommt.
In dieser Beziehung dürfen wir aus einem sachgemäßen Beurteilen sagen, wir können nur Gutes verzeichnen; wir können hoffen, daß wir durch die Ausbildung des angestrebten Geistes allmählich dahin kommen, einen deutlichen Beweis liefern zu können, daß die Waldorfschule ihr Ziel wird erreichen können. Das ist zu sagen über den Geist, der waltet in der Schule, in den Lehrerkonferenzen, über den Geist, der in der Denkweise, in der Gesinnung des Lehrerkollegiums für mich, der ich das zu prüfen hatte, zu bemerken war. Das Lehrerkollegium besteht aus dem Begründer der Schule, Herrn Emil Molt, und seiner Gattin, die gewissermaßen die Stelle der Patrone innehaben, und aus den Ihnen bekannten Persönlichkeiten; die pädagogische Leitung ist durch die Natur der Sache mir zugefallen, und ich darf sagen: In den Lehrerkonferenzen, die in meiner Anwesenheit gehalten worden sind, und auch bei meinem Dabeisein während des Unterrichtes, was ja auch öfters im Laufe der zwei Jahre stattgefunden hat, ist durchaus das zutage getreten, was ich jetzt auseinandergesetzt habe. Das wäre in aller Kürze dasjenige, was von der einen Seite gesagt werden muß; dem muß allerdings von der anderen Seite etwas gegenübergestellt werden. Das ist das, was ja, wie ich glaube, mit voller Berechtigung von mir vor der Eröffnung der Schule in allerlei Ansprachen und auch bei der Eröffnung gesagt worden ist, daß eigentlich die Aufgabe der Waldorfschule nur dann voll erfüllt ist, wenn zu ihr sehr rasch sich andere solche Schulgründungen finden. Denn mit einer einzelnen Schule kann selbstverständlich nichts anderes geliefert werden als ein Musterbeispiel, das wir in bezug auf PädagogischDidaktisches hingestellt haben. Das glaube ich in dieser berechtigten Weise vor Ihnen sagen zu können. Ein solches Musterbeispiel wird man konstruieren können, Allein mit einem solchen Musterbeispiel ist ja natürlich in unserer Zeit, in der es notwendig ist, den Geist, der hier gemeint ist, ins ganze Unterrichtswesen hineinzutragen im Sinne der Dreigliederung des sozialen Organismus, die ein wirklich freies Geistesleben in bezug auf Erziehung und Unterricht fordert, nur ein Anfang gemacht. Es ist der Geist, der gemeint ist, nur dadurch zu erreichen, daß die Waldorfschul-Idee die weiteste Verbreitung findet. Die Waldorfschule müßte Nachfolge erfahren; und das hängt natürlich davon ab, daß in weitesten Kreisen Interesse dieser Waldorfschule entgegengebracht wird. Wir dürfen allerdings sagen: Die Mitglieder des WaldorfschulVereins haben wirklich durch ihr tätiges Mitwirken ein anerkennenswertes Interesse gezeigt und ebenso die Elternschaft. Leider aber hat sich das Interesse der weitesten Kreise gegenüber der Waldorfschul-Idee nicht geregt; es ist noch außerordentlich gering. Außer einem Versuch, der in dankenswerter Weise im Kleinen unternommen worden ist innerhalb Mitteleuropas, hat die Waldorfschule keine Nachfolgerschaft gefunden. Es sind auch recht wenig Bestrebungen hervorgetreten für eine solche Nachfolgerschaft. Auch kann man sagen, daß sich nach einer anderen Seite hin das Interesse durchaus nicht in der Weise gezeigt hat, wie es eigentlich zu erwarten gewesen wäre: Man braucht Geld, selbst wenn nur eine Schule als Musterbeispiel gedeihen soll. Wir müssen die Sache so einrichten, daß wir mit jedem Jahr eine Klasse anfügen. Wir haben, nachdem wir die Schule achtklassig gegründet haben, im vorigen Jahr die neunte Klasse angefügt; wir werden mit der Eröffnung des dritten Schuljahres, die morgen stattfindet, die zehnte Klasse anzufügen haben. Wir werden damit unsere Schule nach oben in jedem Jahre weiter ausbauen, so daß sich unseren letzten Schuljahren die verschiedenen Hochschulen anschließen können und wir tatsächlich unsere Schüler so weit bringen, daß sie beim Abgang aus unserer Schule das Abiturientenexamen ablegen können. Wir haben noch Zeit dazu, aber in dieser Weise soll diese Schule ausgebaut werden. Das fordert natürlich eine fortwährende bauliche Erweiterung der Schule. Außerdem hat sich herausgestellt, daß die Idee, die ursprünglich zugrunde lag, die Schule der Hauptsache nach zu begründen für die Kinder der Angehörigen der Waldorf-Astoria-Fabrik, ins Breite gewachsen ist. Es kamen immer mehr Anmeldungen aus weitesten Kreisen; und nach dieser Richtung hin ist durchaus ein gewisses Interesse vorhanden. Für die Vergrößerung der Schule, für die Erweiterung der einen Schule, für ihren Geist ist durchaus ein Interesse schon vorhanden. Das zeigt sich darin, daß wir von allen Seiten Schüleranmeldungen haben, daß die meisten Klassen mit Parallelklassen arbeiten müssen.
Daß Schwierigkeiten bestehen in bezug auf den Ausbau der Schule, das wird im Vorstandsbericht gesagt werden. Jedenfalls sieht man daraus, daß es notwendig ist, daß man der Schule in finanzieller Beziehung Interesse entgegenbringe. Man kann wirklich nicht sagen, daß die Schule in finanzieller Beziehung dieses Interesse gefunden hat. Wir stehen jedesmal, wenn eine Erweiterung notwendig ist, vor neuen finanziellen Sorgen. Daher muß schon heute der Vorstand vor dieser ordentlichen Mitgliederversammlung in den Bericht etwas über seine Sorgen hineintragen. Wenn wir auf der einen Seite berichten dürfen über die Befriedigung, die man haben kann über den geistigen Fortgang, so muß dem entgegengesetzt werden, daß wir berichten müssen von den Sorgen, die wir haben und die sich insbesondere im Verlaufe der nächsten Wochen "sehr vergrößern werden. Diese Sorgen kann natürlich das Lehrerkollegium nicht bewältigen; das hat schon sehr viel zu tun mit der Bewältigung des geistigen Fortschrittes. Das ist etwas, was in geeigneter Weise in der nächsten Zeit in die weitere Öffentlichkeit hineingetragen werden müßte. Wir brauchen einfach die Erweckung des Interesses in bezug auf die finanzielle Stützung der Waldorfschule, sonst würde selbst dieses eine Beispiel, das mit der einen Schule gegeben worden ist, nicht in der entsprechenden Weise ausgebaut werden können. Es steht zu hoffen, daß, wenn es gelingt, allmählich das Interesse der breitesten Öffentlichkeit für den Geist der Waldorfschule, für deren Ergebnisse zu erregen, auch das andere Notwendige nachfolgen wird: die Erweiterung der Waldorfschul-Idee dadurch, daß diese eine Schule Nachfolge findet, daß solche Schulen weiter begründet werden. Geschieht das nicht, so bleibt es bei einer Art Musterbeispiel. Damit wäre der Idee der WaldorfschulBewegung durchaus nicht Rechnung getragen. Das ist dasjenige, was ich als Vorsitzender des Waldorfschul-Vereins vorbringen wollte.
Aus der Aussprache bei der Mitgliederversammlung vom 17. Juni 1921
E. Molt: Es scheint eine der schönsten Aufgaben zu sein, Herrn Dr. Steiner den tiefgefühlten Dank zum Ausdruck zu bringen für seine liebevolle Führung der Schule. Wir wissen, daß wir ihm die gedeihliche Entwickelung der Schule zu verdanken haben.
Dr. Steiner: Meine sehr verehrten Anwesenden! Ich danke Herrn Molt für seine lieben Worte, und ich danke allen für ihre Zustimmung zu seinen lieben Worten. Ich glaube diesen Dank auch aussprechen zu dürfen im Namen des gesamten Lehrerkollegiums unserer Waldorfschule. Es wird ja kein Zweifel darüber bestehen können, daß dasjenige, was einigermaßen gelungen sein kann diesem Lehrerkollegium, was möglich war für es, für die Entwickelung der Waldorfschule zu leisten, daß das nur hat geleistet werden können aus dem Grunde, weil das gesamte Lehrerkollegium durchaus tief durchdrungen ist von der Notwendigkeit der Waldorfschul-Idee, weil jeder einzelne dieses Lehrerkollegiums mit Begeisterung an dieser Waldorfschul-Idee hängt, und aus dieser Begeisterung kommt die Kraft zu dem Wirken für eine im wesentlichen doch neue Sache. Wir dürfen annehmen, daß trotz mancher Schwierigkeit uns, die wir für die Waldorfschule und ihren geistigen Fortgang zu sorgen haben, diese Begeisterung bleibt und infolgedessen auch die Kraft zum Wirken bleibt. Und in diesem Sinne, weil Sie vielleicht doch glauben können, daß wir aus reiner Begeisterung für die Waldorfschul-Idee in dieser Schule wirken, werden Sie auch das Versprechen entgegennehmen können, das ich in meinem Namen und in meiner lieben Freunde Namen vom Kollegium abgeben möchte. Sie werden das Versprechen entgegennehmen, daß wir auch in der Zukunft in der Weise wirken werden, wie Sie es sehen, die Sie Ihr tiefstes Interesse für die Wadlorfschule bezeigt haben, wie es Sie wird befriedigen können.
Es wird der Wunsch ausgesprochen nach einer Gelegenheit, die Waldorfschule zu besichtigen.
Dr. Steiner: Ich glaube, daß man nicht außerordentlich viel haben wird von einer Besichtigung in der Waldorfschule selbst, und daß die Lehrerschaft am morgigen Vormittag verhindert wäre zu führen. Es wäre vielleicht möglich, Ihren Wunsch dahin zu modifizieren, daß Sie morgen um halb zehn Uhr im hiesigen Stadtgartensaal an der Eröftnungsfeier teilnehmen, wenn es nicht allzu viele sind. Darf ich die verehrten Anwesenden bitten - es ist auch wohl von seiten der Lehrer nichts einzuwenden -, wenn es Ihnen möglich erscheint, diesen Wunsch dahin zu modifizieren, daß Sie morgen an der Eröffnungsfeier teilnehmen. Sollte Ihr Wunsch sein, gegen Abend nach sechs Uhr einen Spaziergang machen zu wollen, so werden sich die Mitglieder des Kollegiums freuen, morgen nach Feierabend das Gebäude zu zeigen.
Ein Mitglied: Vielleicht kann man Leute an einem bestimmten Tag die Schule besuchen lassen? Etwa die Eurythmiestunden?
Dr. Steiner: Die Eurythmie gehört zum Unterricht; es würde für die Eurythmie dasselbe in Betracht kommen, was für den übrigen Unterricht in Betracht kommt. Da möchte ich bemerken, daß es sich höchstens darum handeln kann, daß vielleicht der Beschluß gefaßt würde, daß die von den Kindern und Lehrern leere Schule besucht würde. Von einer Besichtigung der Schule während des Unterrichts könnte nicht die Rede sein. Denn solch eine Besichtigung sollte nur stattfinden nach vorheriger genauer Erwägung, nach vorherigem Verhandeln mit denen, die durch die Besichtigung der Schule etwas lernen wollen. Es kann sich etwa handeln um die, die aus dem Grunde etwas sehen wollen von der Schule, weil sie irgendwo eine solche Schule begründen wollen, weil sie selbst irgend etwas in sachgemäßer Weise für die Verbreitung der Waldorfschul-Idee tun wollen. Es kann sich im Grunde nur um derartige seltene Fälle handeln, wenn es sich um die Besichtigung des Betriebes der Schule handelt. Wir sind natürlich nach dieser Richtung hin schon reichlich aufgefordert worden, aber irgendwie weitergehend könnte das nicht geschehen. Das kann aus rein pädagogisch-didaktischen Gründen nicht sein. Auch das berechtigte Besuchen der Schule während des Unterrichts bedeutet doch immer eine Störung, eine vor der Pädagogik nicht zu rechtfertigende Störung des Unterrichtes. Wer auch immer das Schulzimmer betritt, stört den Unterricht. Es kann begründet sein, daß zu einem höheren Ziele der Unterricht gestört wird. Dann muß man solche Gründe gelten lassen. Man sollte doch ein Herz dafür haben, daß der Unterricht etwas ist, was der Sammlung bedarf, was daher unter keinen Umständen, wenn es nicht dringend notwendig ist, der Besichtigung des Besuches ausgesetzt werden sollte.
Ich glaube, daß es auch die Ansicht der übrigen Mitglieder des Kollegiums ist, daß wir daher höchstens könnten - das wäre eine Belastung, die jetzt auch kaum zuzumuten ist -, daß wir höchstens könnten die Schulräume sehen lassen. Nun kann ich Ihnen die Versicherung geben, daß die dann etwas Sehenswertes darstellen werden, wenn wir recht viel finanzielle Mittel bekommen werden. Aber wahrscheinlich mit Bezug auf dasjenige, was von Dotierungen herrührt, was die Ausstattung betrifft, die auf Dotierungen begründet ist, werden die Leute viel eher auf die Rechnung kommen, wenn sie andere Schulen anschauen. Wir könnten uns höchstens der Gefahr aussetzen, daß sie uns sagen werden, wir haben nichts gesehen, und Lehrmittel, die durchaus nicht etwa reichlich sind. Gebt uns unser Geld zurück!
Bezüglich der Eurythmie ist festzuhalten, daß wir das Tunlichste gemacht haben, um zu zeigen, wie es mit der Eurythmie steht. Wir haben Veranstaltungen gemacht, in denen man sehen kann, wie die Waldorfschulkinder eurythmisch sich betätigen. Solche Veranstaltungen werden hoffentlich auch weiter gemacht werden. Das kann die Gelegenheit sein, bei der man sich überzeugen muß, was in der Eurythmie durch die Waldorfschulkinder geleistet werden kann. Es erscheint mir aus pädagogischen Gründen tatsächlich untunlich, daß in bezug auf die Eurythmie irgendeine Ausnahme gemacht würde für dasjenige, was dem Unterricht gegenüber überhaupt gilt.
Es ist bisher in der weitgehendsten Weise jedem berechtigten Wunsch entgegengekommen worden, sich zu informieren über das, was in der Waldorfschule vorgeht. Es ist in der weitgehendsten Weise auch ein nicht immer wünschenswerter Gebrauch gemacht worden von der Möglichkeit, die Waldorfschule zu besichtigen.
Es kann im Grunde genommen in bezug auf diese Sache etwas Gesundes nicht herauskommen, wenn bezüglich der Handhabung des Verkehrs mit der Außenwelt und der Besichtigung irgendwie eine andere Weisung möglich ist als diejenige, die durch die Leitung der Waldorfschule und das Lehrerkollegium möglich ist. Mir scheint es unmöglich zu sein, daß die Leitung der Schule irgendwelche Weisung erhalten würde von einem Verein. Hier handelt es sich darum, daß auch bezüglich dieser Sache nur das sachgemäße Urteil des Lehrerkollegiums in Betracht käme, so daß es mir gar nicht nötig schien, im Schoß des Waldorfschul-Vereins irgendwie darüber abzustimmen, ob man es gestatten soll oder nicht. Es müßte das durchaus vom Lehrerkollegium abhängen, wie man diese Sache handhabt. Es ist wohl auch kein Antrag gewesen.
.. . Das geht nicht, daß das, was ich im ersten Teil gesagt habe, daß der Geist der Waldorfschule vor Besucher hingetragen wird. Das muß entwickelt werden im Unterricht. Das läßt sich auf keine Weise machen, als auf den Wegen, auf denen es bisher gesucht worden ist. Das, was der Geist der Waldorfschule ist, wird nicht anders vor die Öffentlichkeit gebracht werden können, als wenn diejenigen, welche Kinder haben, die Erziehungsideale kennenlernen, wenn die Elternschaft und auch andere, die damit zusammenhängen, in der Öffentlichkeit zeugen. Auf eine andere Weise gibt es keine Möglichkeit, daß der Geist der Waldorfschule beachtet wird.
Ich kann die Versicherung geben, da ich weiß, daß der Vorschlag aus gutem Willen hervorgeht: in den bisherigen zwei Jahren sind wir nach jeder Richtung entgegengekommen. Wir müssen scharf darüber wachen, daß nicht neugierige Leute kommen. Wir werden auch in der Zukunft niemanden, der eine Berechtigung hat, die Schule kennenzulernen, abweisen.
Und da wir dann am Ende der Versammlung angekommen sind, gestatten Sie mir noch, daß ich im Namen des Vorstandes den herzlichen Dank dafür ausspreche, daß Sie diese erste Versammlung besuchen wollten. Ich hoffe, daß Sie an den Erfahrungen, die Sie werden machen können, das erleben werden, was Sie befriedigt, angesichts des Interesses, das Sie heute an den Tag gelegt haben durch Ihr Erscheinen. In diesem Sinne danke ich Ihnen im Namen des Vorstandes des Waldorfschul-Vereins für Ihr Erscheinen und erlaube mir, die erste ordentliche Mitgliederversammlung zu schließen.
Address at the first general meeting of the “Independent Waldorf School” association
Ladies and gentlemen! I hereby open the first regular general meeting of the “Freie Waldorfschule” association. Before I go into the agenda, allow me to welcome you most warmly on behalf of the board. Only a small number of the association's members are present today, as is to be expected, but this makes our welcome all the more heartfelt. We have 1,400 members, but not all of them are here today. This makes it all the more gratifying that such a large number have turned up. What needs to be said first, ladies and gentlemen, with regard to the development of the Waldorf School to date, is the following: We have two school years behind us, and as you are probably aware from the various publications that have already appeared, with this Waldorf School, which was founded by Emil Molt, we have strived to create something new from a new pedagogical didactic points of view and from the point of view of a general humanitarian way of thinking, that new forces are unleashed which are necessary in the field of teaching and education in order to do what is necessary in the face of the forces of decay and decline that are very clearly visible in our time. It is understandable that something important must be done in the present day in the field of teaching and education. Such a task was not easy; it was a matter of selecting teachers in such a way that those who were to be teachers and educators truly embodied the spirit of what we might call a necessary new pedagogical and didactic way of thinking.
We also had to agree among the teaching staff on what our task would have to be in the details of pedagogical and didactic work. To this end, a pedagogical and didactic course was held for the teaching staff in its initial composition before the school opened, on the basis of which teaching and education were then attempted. This somewhat longer pedagogical course, which preceded the opening, was followed by a shorter supplementary course before the start of the second year, and a second supplementary course is now being held before the start of the third school year. During the various visits I was able to make as the educational director of the Waldorf School over the course of two years, it became apparent, after careful examination, that despite all the difficulties that individual teachers and educators had to overcome, partly due to external circumstances and partly because the task is difficult, it has become possible for the spirit that prevails in our school to take hold of the teaching staff with increasing intensity. We have been dealing with an upward development, and the way in which this spirit of the Waldorf School has become more and more established has been has taken hold of the teaching staff with increasing intensity. We have been dealing with an upward development, and the way in which this spirit of the Waldorf School has become more and more established gives us hope that we will also see a continuing development of the Waldorf School spirit in the coming school year. It has become apparent that the teachers who have joined the old ones, because the expansion of the school made it necessary, are really settling into the spirit of the Waldorf school with astonishing speed, so that in this respect one can say: This spirit of the Waldorf school has become more and more alive, something that one finds and is touched by when one enters the Waldorf school.
In this respect, we can say with confidence that we can only report good things; we can hope that by cultivating the spirit we are striving for, we will gradually be able to provide clear proof that the Waldorf school will be able to achieve its goal. This is to say about the spirit that prevails in the school, in the teachers' conferences, about the spirit that was noticeable in the way of thinking, in the attitude of the teaching staff, for me, who had to examine this. The teaching staff consists of the founder of the school, Mr. Emil Molt, and his wife, who in a sense hold the position of patrons, and of the personalities known to you; the pedagogical leadership has fallen to me by the nature of things, and I may say: In the teachers' conferences that have been held in my presence, and also during my attendance at lessons, which has taken place frequently over the course of two years, what I have now explained has become quite apparent. That, in a nutshell, is what needs to be said on the one hand; on the other hand, however, something must be said in response. This is what I believe I said quite rightly in various speeches before the school opened and also at the opening ceremony, namely that the Waldorf school will only have fully fulfilled its task when other schools of this kind are established very quickly. For with a single school, of course, nothing else can be provided than a model example that we have set in terms of pedagogy and didactics. I believe I can say this to you in this justified manner. Such a model example can be constructed, but in our time, when it is necessary to carry the spirit referred to here into the entire educational system in the sense of the threefold social organism, which demands a truly free spiritual life in relation to education and teaching, such a model example is, of course, only a beginning. The spirit referred to here can only be achieved if the Waldorf school idea is disseminated as widely as possible. The Waldorf school must be emulated, and this naturally depends on the widest possible circles taking an interest in this Waldorf school. We can certainly say that the members of the Waldorf School Association have shown commendable interest through their active participation, as have the parents. Unfortunately, however, interest in the Waldorf school idea has not been aroused in the widest circles; it is still extremely low. Apart from a small-scale attempt that has been made in Central Europe, for which we are grateful, the Waldorf school has found no followers. There have also been very few efforts to find such followers. It can also be said that, on the other hand, interest has not been shown in the way that might have been expected: money is needed, even if only one school is to flourish as a model example. We must arrange things so that we add one class each year. After founding the school with eight grades, we added the ninth grade last year; and with the opening of the third school year tomorrow, we will have to add a tenth grade. We will thus continue to expand our school upwards each year, so that the various universities can join our final school years and we can actually bring our students to the point where they can take their high school graduation exams when they leave our school. We still have time to do this, but this is how this school should be expanded. Of course, this requires continuous structural expansion of the school. In addition, it has become apparent that the original idea of establishing the school primarily for the children of Waldorf Astoria factory employees has grown in scope. More and more applications have come in from a wide range of circles, and there is certainly interest in this direction. There is already considerable interest in the expansion of the school, in the extension of the one school, and in its spirit. This is evident from the fact that we have student registrations from all sides and that most classes have to work with parallel classes.
The fact that there are difficulties with regard to the expansion of the school will be mentioned in the board report. In any case, it is clear from this that it is necessary to show interest in the school in financial terms. It cannot really be said that the school has found this interest in financial terms. Every time an expansion is necessary, we are faced with new financial worries. Therefore, the board must already today include something about its concerns in the report to this regular general meeting. While on the one hand we can report on the satisfaction we have with the intellectual progress, on the other hand we must also report on the concerns we have, which will “increase significantly” over the next few weeks. Of course, the teaching staff cannot deal with these concerns; they already have a lot to do with managing intellectual progress. This is something that needs to be brought to the attention of the wider public in an appropriate manner in the near future. We simply need to arouse interest in the financial support of the Waldorf school, otherwise even this one example, which has been given with one school, cannot be developed in the appropriate manner. It is to be hoped that if we succeed in gradually arousing the interest of the broadest public in the spirit of the Waldorf school and its results, the other necessary steps will follow: the expansion of the Waldorf school idea by this one school finding successors, by such schools being established elsewhere. If this does not happen, it will remain a kind of model example. This would not do justice to the idea of the Waldorf school movement. That is what I wanted to say as chairman of the Waldorf School Association.
From the discussion at the general meeting
E. Molt: It seems to be one of the most beautiful tasks to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Steiner for his loving leadership of the school. We know that we owe the school's prosperous development to him.
Dr. Steiner: Dear attendees, I would like to thank Mr. Molt for his kind words, and I thank everyone for their agreement with his kind words. I believe I can also express this gratitude on behalf of the entire teaching staff of our Waldorf School. There can be no doubt that whatever this teaching staff has been able to achieve, whatever it has been possible for it to do for the development of the Waldorf school, has only been possible because the entire teaching staff is thoroughly imbued with the necessity of the Waldorf school idea, because every single member of this teaching staff is enthusiastically committed to this Waldorf school idea, and this enthusiasm gives them the strength to work for what is essentially a new cause. We can assume that, despite many difficulties, we who are responsible for the Waldorf school and its spiritual progress will retain this enthusiasm and, as a result, the strength to work. And in this sense, because you can perhaps believe that we are working in this school out of pure enthusiasm for the Waldorf school idea, you will also be able to accept the promise that I would like to make on behalf of myself and my dear friends from the teaching staff. You will accept the promise that we will continue to work in the future in the way that you, who have shown your deepest interest in the Waldorf School, see fit, in a way that will satisfy you.
The desire is expressed for an opportunity to visit the Waldorf School.
Dr. Steiner: I believe that a visit to the Waldorf School itself will not be particularly beneficial, and that the teaching staff will be unable to give a tour tomorrow morning. It might be possible to modify your request so that you attend the opening ceremony tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in the local Stadtgartensaal, if there are not too many of you. May I ask the distinguished guests present—and I believe the teachers have no objection—if you think it possible to modify your request so that you attend the opening ceremony tomorrow. If you wish to take a walk after six o'clock in the evening, the members of the faculty will be happy to show you around the building tomorrow after work.
A member: Perhaps people could be allowed to visit the school on a specific day? For example, during the eurythmy lessons?
Dr. Steiner: Eurythmy is part of the curriculum; the same considerations would apply to eurythmy as to the rest of the curriculum. I would like to point out that the most that could happen is that a decision might be made to visit the school when the children and teachers are not there. There can be no question of visiting the school during lessons. Such a visit should only take place after careful consideration and prior negotiation with those who want to learn something from visiting the school. This could be people who want to see something of the school because they want to establish such a school somewhere else, because they themselves want to do something appropriate to spread the Waldorf school idea. Basically, there can only be such rare cases when it comes to visiting the school's operations. We have, of course, already been asked to do this on numerous occasions, but somehow it could not be taken any further. For purely pedagogical and didactic reasons, this cannot be done. Even justified visits to the school during lessons always mean a disruption, a disruption of lessons that cannot be justified from a pedagogical point of view. Whoever enters the classroom disrupts the lesson. It may be justified to disrupt the lesson for a higher purpose. In that case, such reasons must be accepted. However, one should understand that teaching is something that requires concentration and should therefore not be exposed to visitors under any circumstances unless it is absolutely necessary.
I believe that it is also the opinion of the other members of the faculty that we could therefore at most—and this would be a burden that is hardly reasonable at present—allow the classrooms to be viewed. I can assure you that they will be something worth seeing if we receive sufficient financial resources. But probably, with regard to what comes from endowments, in terms of equipment that is based on endowments, people will be much more likely to get their money's worth if they look at other schools. At most, we could run the risk of them saying that they have seen nothing and that the teaching materials are by no means abundant. Give us our money back!
With regard to eurythmy, it should be noted that we have done our utmost to show what eurythmy is all about. We have organized events where people can see Waldorf school children practicing eurythmy. Hopefully, such events will continue to be held. This can be an opportunity to see for oneself what can be achieved in eurythmy by Waldorf school children. For educational reasons, it seems to me that it is indeed inappropriate to make any exception for eurythmy with regard to what applies to teaching in general.
Up to now, every legitimate request for information about what goes on in Waldorf schools has been met in the most comprehensive manner possible. The opportunity to visit Waldorf schools has also been made use of in the most comprehensive manner possible, although this has not always been desirable.
Basically, nothing healthy can come of this matter if, with regard to dealing with the outside world and visits, it is possible to issue instructions other than those issued by the Waldorf school management and the teaching staff. It seems impossible to me that the school management would receive any instructions from an association. The point here is that only the appropriate judgment of the teaching staff can be taken into consideration in this matter, so that it did not seem necessary to me to vote on whether or not to allow it within the Waldorf School Association. How this matter is handled should depend entirely on the teaching staff. It was probably not even a proposal.
... It is not possible to convey the spirit of the Waldorf school to visitors, as I said in the first part. This must be developed in the classroom. There is no other way to do this than in the ways that have been sought so far. The spirit of the Waldorf school cannot be brought to the public's attention in any other way than by those who have children becoming familiar with the educational ideals, by parents and others associated with the school bearing witness to them in public. There is no other way for the spirit of the Waldorf school to be noticed.
I can assure you, as I know that the proposal comes from a place of goodwill, that in the past two years we have been accommodating in every way. We must be vigilant in ensuring that no curious people come. We will continue to welcome anyone who has a legitimate reason to get to know the school.
And now that we have come to the end of the meeting, allow me to express my sincere thanks on behalf of the board for your willingness to attend this first meeting. I hope that the experiences you will have here will satisfy you, given the interest you have shown today by attending. With this in mind, I would like to thank you on behalf of the board of the Waldorf School Association for your attendance and take the liberty of closing the first regular general meeting.