# Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner I

## GA 300a — 14 March 1920, Stuttgart

### Ninth Meeting

*There are complaints about the lack of discipline in the school.*

Dr. Steiner: Mr. Baumann will give a class once a week about tact and morality, about essential tact and living habits, so that the children will realize that one thing is acceptable and another is misbehavior. The children’s thoughts should evoke a feeling for authority. That class will not be connected with the other instruction, but included in the afternoon classes.

*There is further discussion about stealing.*

Dr. Steiner: If we pay too much attention to individuals, that will undermine all discipline. In my opinion, with regard to stealing, we should not need to look at individual cases. We should, instead, arrange things so that the children avoid it.

A teacher: Should we arrange an Easter festival or a Festival for Youth for the children without a religious confession? Perhaps a spring festival?

Dr. Steiner: We can include the independent religious instruction students of the four upper grades in the celebration.

[ *German editor’s comment: The discussion here is not about the present Celebration for Youth, which was first initiated by Dr. Steiner at Easter in 1921.*]

Dr. Steiner: It would be good to put the boys and girls together.

*A teacher asks about the class for the emotionally disturbed children.*

Dr. Steiner: We will include about ten children in the class for emotionally disturbed children that Dr. Schubert will give.

*The children to be included in this class are discussed. The children A.S. and A.B. are mentioned several times.*

Dr. Steiner: You will have to work with the children individually in this class. There is not much else that will be different, except that you will have to do everything more slowly.

A teacher: Should we have the children study Goethe’s “Heathrose”? It seems too erotic.

Dr. Steiner: “Heathrose” is not an erotic poem, but “I went into the forest …” certainly is.

A teacher: What should we do with the children in the continuation school?

Dr. Steiner: The main thing would be to concentrate upon practical and artistic subjects. The children should learn about practical things in life, about agriculture, commerce, industry, and trade. They should learn about the basic principles of business and accounting, and also continue their artistic, musical, and literature studies. Mr. Strakosch will take over that task. The children must learn to consider life as a school. You can remind them that from now on they will be taught by life. However, we should not rob them of their destiny.