The Rudolf Steiner Archive

First Conference

On September 6, the preparatory course for prospective Waldorf school teachers came to an end (included in GA 293, 294, 295).

After the last seminar course, Rudolf Steiner had scheduled a “decisive conference in the closest circle” (GA 295, 1984, p. 184, or 2019, p. 226). The school's grand opening took place on September 7. The next morning, the teachers gathered for their first conference.

However, lessons could not begin immediately after this conference, as the school furniture was only being delivered gradually. On September 10, Steiner left for Berlin. After a small celebration and a speech by the school's founder, Emil Molt, classes began on September 16, 1919. E. A. Karl Stockmeyer served as school administrator in addition to his teaching duties.

Topics: Class teacher assignment. Timetable. Foreign languages.

Comments: From the outset, Steiner attempted to implement a “hygienic timetable,” as he had outlined in his lectures “The Question of Education as a Social Question” (GA 296): all learning and practice in the morning, all artistic activities, religion, and eurythmy in the afternoon.

In this first draft, all subject lessons were scheduled for a full hour.

Steiner pointed out that the conferences were “free republican discussions” in which “everyone is sovereign.” He recommended that teachers keep a short diary.

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RUDOLF STEINER: [We will start] school [at] 8 a.m. [For the period] from November 15 to February 15, [we can] expect [to start] at 8:30 a.m. [The class teachers will be]:

1st grade Leonie von Mirbach
2nd grade Pastor Johannes Geyer
3rd grade Hannah Lang
4th grade Hertha Koegel
5th grade Caroline von Heydebrand
6th grade Friedrich] Oehlschlegel
7th grade Rudolf Treichler and Karl Stockmeyer.
8th grade Rudolf Treichler and Karl Stockmeyer.

[The following will also be teaching: Dr. Stein, Mr. Hahn, Ms. Baumann, Mr. Baumann.]

Religious education [is to be] moved to the afternoon. [The same applies to] singing and music lessons; these will take place from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. [Eurythmy should also be in the afternoon].

[So in the afternoon we will have:]

from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. music
(half an hour break for rest)
from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. religion
from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. eurythmy and gymnastics
at 6:00 p.m. the children [will] be dismissed.
[The] Wednesday and Saturday afternoons [are] free.
[The lessons will be distributed across the weekdays as follows:]

	2:00-3:30 p.m.	4:00-5:00 p.m.	5:00-6:00 p.m.
	Singing and music	Religion	Eurythmy
Monday	7th/8th grade	7th/8th grade	1st/2nd grade
Tuesday	5th/6th grade	5th/6th grade	3rd/4th grade
Wednesday	—	—	—
Thursday	4th/3rd grade	4th/3rd grade	5th/6th grade
Friday	2nd/1st grade	2nd/1st grade	7th/8th grade
Saturday	—	—	—

The number of hours is left up to [the teachers]. [Religious instruction is] to be taught in descending order. It is good for the teacher to have Sunday after the youngest children. [On] Thursday [and] Friday [we therefore have] [the] four lower grades from 4 p.m. onward.
In grades 1, 2, and 3 [we have] only eurythmy, in grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 also gymnastics. The gymnasts [should be] allowed to watch the eurythmy, and the eurythmists should be allowed to watch the gymnastics.
[Then the] timetable [for the] morning:

1st grade	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8-10	Main lesson
	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	10¼-12¼	Main lessons
2nd grade	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	10:15-12:15	Main lessons
	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8:00-10:00 a.m.	Main lessons

[It should be] possible to cover everything in context during the first three quarters of the year, [i.e. the] subjects one quarter after the other, as desired. In the last quarter, [you can then] separate the subjects [and] take them alternately for repetition. Only during repetition should the subjects be separated; otherwise, one subject should always be taken for a period of time, [e.g.,] storytelling [and] then writing.

3rd grade Monday to Saturday 8-10 a.m. for the class teacher.

Twelve hours is sufficient for the teacher. [That is an] eight-hour working day including preparation.

4th grade as for grade 3

5th grade	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8-10
	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	10¼-12¼
6th grade	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	10:15-12:15
	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8-10

In 7th and 8th grade, the two homeroom teachers switch with each other.

7th grade	1st teacher	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8-10
	2nd teacher	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	8-10
8th grade	1st teacher	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	8-10
	2nd teacher	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	8-10

[Language lessons:]

The first grade [has daily, depending on whether the main lessons begin at] 8 [or] 10:15 [a.m.], before or after [an hour] of English and French. [This may] be moved to the afternoon, [but] if possible [it should] be in the morning.

The same applies to the 2nd grade.

The 3rd grade also has one hour of English or French every day.

The same applies to the 4th grade. However, they also have two hours of Latin every afternoon, except on Wednesdays and Saturdays, making a total of eight hours per week. But all of this should be in the morning, if possible.

Later, Rudolf Steiner changed this so that both Latin and Greek should be started in the 5th grade. See also “Seminar Discussions,” GA 295, 1984, p. 182, or 2019, p. 223.

[The 5th grade as well.]

In the] 6th [and] 7th grades [Greek is added]. In return, three English/French lessons per week are dropped from the 6th grade onwards. [Instead, they have] 1½ hours of Latin [and] 1½ hours of Greek.

All language teaching should be done between breaks. [The] English [in the] 1st [and] 2nd grades [is taught] by Dr. von Heydebrand; [all] other English by Oehlschlegel.

[In] French, Hahn [teaches] grades 1 to 3, [i.e.] nine hours; [the] rest, [grades] 4 to 8, are taught by Dr. Treichler.
Latin: grades 4 (and 5?) Pastor Geyer, grade 6 Dr. Treichler.
Greek: Dr. Treichler.

Dr. Stein is substituting for Miss von Mirbach during her absence. Perhaps Dr. Stein can assist Dr. Treichler with Latin for three to four weeks, until mid-October.

Handicrafts can be taught in part during the main lesson. [Or it can be] added somewhere in the afternoon.

Anthroposophical lessons, free religious education, can be given by the class teachers. But this should be paused until September 23.
[From] September 18 to 21, [I will be] in Dresden, and on the 23rd [I will be back] here. There will be a lot to discuss. [You can] ask a lot of questions. On the 26th, I have to leave again.

There is a question about equipment for physics.

RUDOLF STEINER: Teaching materials [must be] purchased when they are needed. [But you should] give four weeks' notice.

A question is asked about physics lessons.

RUDOLF STEINER: [One must distinguish between]: struck, plucked, and bowed notes. [On] the monochord.

RUDOLF STEINER refers to textbooks commonly used in Austria for Latin and Greek lessons:
Schmidt, “Latin School Grammar,” ed. Hofmann,
Schenkl, “Greek Elementary Book” and “Greek Exercise Book.”

The following topics were probably also discussed:

Fairy tales, legends, stories. History [Teachers' Library). Free Waldorf School Association. Unified elementary and secondary school.

RUDOLF STEINER: Conferences are free republican discussions. Everyone is sovereign [in them].

Every teacher should keep a short diary.