 On
the 7th of September, 1937, a little school with 7 children
opened in Mylapore, Chennai, South India. This was the
named the Children's Garden School. Its logo was the ancient
Indian symbol of the all-sheltering banyan tree, and its
motto was a verse by the famous German intellectual, Goethe.
A unique experiment in children's education, this
school aimed at bringing the play-way method of education to
India, but through the novel way of combining western ideas
on pedagogy with the values of an Indian gurukul.
The experiment was begun by Mrs. Ellen Sharma and Dr. V.N.
Sharma, and from a small beginning with 7 children it was
transformed into a family of 3000 children and teachers.
 Dr.V.N.
Sharma, while on a study tour of Europe, was advised to
meet Mrs. Alwina von Keller, who was well known for her
excellent library on indology and her deep love for India.
She was a teacher at a unique school The
Odenwaldschule,
started by educationists Paul and Edith Geheeb. It was here
that he met and fell in love with Alwina's daughter, Ellen,
who shared his interest in children's education. Later Mrs.
Alwina von Keller, studied under
C.G.Jung, and wrote a book on her life and on her dream
analysis (manuscript in process of being edited by
Ms.G.Sharma).
They returned to India in 1937, and began the school, drawing on their combined experience in education.
Adapting western methods to suit local needs, Ellen soon
devised a new and special method of education which could be
easily and cheaply used in schools all over urban and rural
South India.
Novel play-way methods, teaching aids, teacher-training
programs, project-based and hands-on learning methods and
much more, Ellen and Dr. Sharma initiated these for the
first time in South India.
Stunned at the desperate poverty around them, Ellen also
introduced free education, free and subsidised mid-day meals
and health care; and hostel accommodation for numerous
children. She helped poor women educate themselves or
learn a skill and aided countless others.
She was later awarded with the famous Goethe award
from the German government.
Throughout the Sharma's struggled hard to make ends meet,
and Mrs. Sharma taught German to support the school and her
own family of three daughters-Gita, Rukmini and Sakunthala.
Sakunthala
Sharma later took over the reins of the school and ably
assisted by Gita Sharma expanded on the foundations built by
her parents, consolidated the work and initiated the high
school, rural schools and built up the institutions into the
form they are today. Later, Rukmini Pappu, joined her sisters and
today, the third generation is helping in
running these institutions.
Order a copy of
our book |
