Founding of the First Waldorf School - Waldorf Research Institute

simply, he must be married to the school. He must identifyhimself completely with the task; and because this is the case,we cannot use a principal who gives directions. The positionof a principal must be replaced — it says all this here — bydiscussions which lead to insight, by mutual development ofconsciousness among colleagues in meetings which are alsostudy groups. These groups work on The Study of Man andfrom this gain the necessary pedagogical insights. So whatwas formerly determined by the principal of a school — dothis, do that — is now replaced by a working and studyingtogether.And lastly, what I would like to bring out, are the movingstatements: We can do justice to our task only if, first of all,we recognize the great needs of our time, and secondly, if wedevelop an interest in meeting the enormous challenges of ourtime. Both of these are of the greatest importance.Dear friends, if I now make the attempt to describe the actof the founding of the school, I must ask for your patience.The event was a subtle one and can only be portrayed step bystep. You will notice that the event has a twofold nature —that it has two sides. On the one hand, it is a historical eventthat occurred at a specific time in Stuttgart; on the other, it isan event that can be enacted at any moment, even now, withus, if our egos can orient themselves in accordance with theirown consciousness. Therefore, the event can also be describedas an etheric event.Now, what did take place? Please transport yourselves intothe early morning hour of August 21, 1919, in Stuttgart, intothe Society-house, the blue hall. Barely two dozen people aregathered together. Rudolf Steiner opens the meeting, andwhat does he say in his very first sentence? “We will only dojustice to our task if we orient our consciousness in such a33