Chapters I and II from our Montessori Radmoor Schools' history are documented on this page as a sample of the complete book that has been compiled by Maxine and Jake Ferris (two of our founding Members).  Also included are two pages from the History in Pictures (1960's and 1970's)!

Please feel free to contact the School to purchase a complete, Printed copy of this wonderful book!  All proceeds from the sale of this book will go towards funding library and educational materials for the School.

A special thanks to Maxine and Jake for all the years of hard work, love and effort that they have put forth for the benefit of our children! 

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I:      "Montessori Education Comes to the Lansing Area"

CHAPTER II:     "Growing Pains"

CHAPTER III:     "Having Our Own Building at Last"

CHAPTER IV:     " Ten Years and Counting"

CHAPTER V:       "Another Decade and then Some"

CHAPTER VI:      "The Evolution of Structure and Operations"

CHAPTER VII:     "Assessment -- How Good Are We?"

CHAPTER VIII:    "Where Are We Going?"

CHAPTER IX:       "Reflections"

APPENDICES:

 A.  Time Line of Significant Mile Stones

 B.  "Where Are They Now?  A Summary of the First Class"

 C.  List of stock holders, Board members and Board President

 D.  List and tenure of key staff members      

 E.   Operating Documents of Board and , PGA

 INTRODUCTION

  "... it is not true that I 'invented'  what is called the Montessori method.  I have studied the child;  I have taken what the child has given me and expressed, and that is what is called

the Montessori Method."  -- Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential, 1948

Montessori education came to the Lansing area in the fall of 1968, when seven families, committed to the principles of Maria Montessori and prompted by a shortage of preschool options, incorporated to form Michigan Montessori Internationale, Inc.  That September, eighteen preschoolers enrolled for the first class that met in rented quarters in the Okemos Community Church. To help cover expenses, an afternoon non-Montessori kindergarten was provided for seven youngsters.

 Since that time the school has expanded and prospered.  In 1969 two more preschool classes were organized, and the school moved to larger rented quarters. In 1973 an elementary or junior class was added to the program.  In 1974 the school was licensed by the State of Michigan as an Educational Corporation and that year purchased 8.5 acres of land to build a school.  A bond program by parents and board members and matching grant made construction of the school possible; in January 1976 the doors of the new facility opened for business.  Two later construction projects added additional classrooms, office space and a gymnasium. 

 The 2000-2001 school year found the school enrolling 125 children in three pre-school classes and 20 children in the elementary program. Sixteen children participated in the toddler program, and the before and after school day care program served 45 youngsters.  The school's staff that year included: seven trained directresses including two interns who have recently completed their training in preparation for taking over their own classrooms, 11 aides or assistants and 6 people who contributed as: the school's administrator, secretary and business manager and other support personnel.  Tuition for the half day session in 1968 was $500; in 2001-2002 it was $ 2718.

 Through out its history, the school has been dependent upon the dedication, skills, hard work, ingenuity and community mindedness of the men and women who have served on its Board of Directors -- now called Board of Trustees -- and the countless hours of volunteer service given so generously by parents, grandparents, guardians and friends of Montessori children to enrich school programs, enhance school property and ensure continuation of Lansing's "pioneer" Montessori school.   

 As is often the case, those most intimately involved in the school, its operation and programs have been so busy "doing" that they have not taken the time to document the school's growth and development nor to note the challenges that have been faced and the issues confronted.  Since many of those who played key roles in the school's early history no longer reside in the area or are deceased, now seems the appropriate time to chronicle the school's journey before much of its 33 year  institutional history is lost.

 Times have changed since 1968, and educational programs designed to meet the learning needs of the community  have  also changed, of necessity.  Hopefully, however, the experiences of the past, can be of value to those designing strategies to insure the school's continuing success.  It is toward that end, that this book is directed.  Information contained in this narrative is drawn from a variety of sources: minutes of the board, school records, personal recollections, event programs, newspaper clippings, financial records, official documents, etc.

 The book is organized into nine chapters.  Chapter I, "Montessori Education Comes to the Lansing Area," documents the early efforts to establish the  school in the Lansing area and describes steps taken to increase the community's understanding of the Montessori philosophy.  Chapter II, "Growing Pains," discusses the development of multiple programs, gaining parental involvement and support and meeting the challenges of finances and lack of space.  Chapter III, "Having Our Own Building at Last," tells the story of developing strategies to fund, construct and operate  our own building and provide for the growing needs of an expanding program.  

 Chapter IV, "Ten Years and Counting," documents the evolving nature of the program, the changing role of the parents, fund-raising and new set of challenges and opportunities.  Chapter V, "Another Decade and Then Some," charts the continuing saga of the school as it becomes a mature and stable educational resource in the community. Chapter VI, "The Evolution of Structure and Operations," outlines the legal and fiscal changes that have occurred during the school's history, as well as the role and responsibility changes of those involved in the management and operation of the school.

 Chapter VII, "Assessment -- How Good Are We?"  reviews the school's on-going efforts to enrich, evaluate and improve performance so that goal attainment is achieved  and excellence is a hall-mark of the school.  Chapter VIII, " Where Are We Going?"  looks at the future of the school and discusses strategic plans and visioning that are indicators of the school's intended future.  Chapter IX, "Reflections," provides some thoughts concerning the school's success, the attributes that made its establishment possible and its place in the local educational community.

 An Appendix is included which contains: a time-line of significant mile stones, a listing and the  tenure of stock holders, board members and officers; a list and tenure of selected staff members;  operating documents and financial records. Also included is a summary of what has happened to the 18 pre-schoolers enrolled in September 1968. 

 

The author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of : Susan Hyatt, Pearl Soergel, Alice Hummel, Julie Cavanaugh, Joyce Vince, Amelia Moore, Antoinette Rossi, Jan Mayhew, Jake Ferris, John Gilluly, Bill Ferris, Deborah Wolf and Robert Banks, without whose assistance this history could not have been written.

 

This book is dedicated to the thousands of boys and girls whose intellectual curiosity and zest for learning have been nurtured by Michigan Montessori Internationale, Inc.

  CHAPTER I: Montessori Education Comes to the Lansing Area

  "We must support as much as possible the child's desires for activity; not wait on him, but educate him to be independent"  -- Maria Montessori, The Child in the Family, 1936

  The year was 1967.  Several families of the local area had begun discussing nursery school possibilities for their children when they became three.  The options for three year-olds were not too numerous.  At the time, most of the existing pre-schools were cooperative programs, housed and managed by various churches, primarily conducted for the benefit of children affiliated with their congregations.  Most of them did not enroll three year-olds.  The Michigan State University Laboratory School, an excellent program, enrolled children to fit their research agenda rather than provide a service to the local community.  The one or two co-operative programs that did include three year olds, were perceived to be very permissive "play schools" that appeared to offer little other than a scheduled time for children to get-together.

  A visitor to the campus that summer, who  was familiar with Montessori programs, suggested to several of the interested parents, that they might want to consider organizing a Montessori School since such a program could provide a worthwhile and different kind of pre-school experience for children of the area.  Since Maria Montessori was pretty much an "unknown" to the local families, they decided that a first step would be to learn all they could about this childhood educator and her philosophy and method of instruction.  What they discovered impressed them and seemed to be in line with their own thinking about learning, child development and goals of pre-school education.

  During the winter months of 1967-68, a number of informal meetings of friends and neighbors led to the conclusion that there was interest and a need to establish another pre-school in the East Lansing/Okemos area.  In mid-May of 1968, a group of about 25 parents met to discuss starting a Montessori School, one that hopefully would open that fall. Seven families stepped forward and signaled their participation by each contributing $100 to under-write organizational costs.  It should be noted that several years earlier, there had been an interest in establishing a Montessori program in the area, but the cost and task had seemed so overwhelming that the idea was dropped.

  The school's founders were: Thomas and Barbara Astley, Leroy and Elizabeth Augenstein, John and Maxine Ferris, Samuel and Amelia Moore, Kenneth and Sarah Olsen, Louis and Karen Smith and George and Elizabeth Stranahan.         

  If the school was to open the fall of 1968, a great many tasks had to be completed in record time, and an inordinate amount of luck would be required.  The founders were committed to making the school happen.  Their optimism,  willingness  to work, varied skill sets and networking ability all contributed to making the impossible possible.  An observation trip to the Montessori School in Drayton Plains, Michigan helped the group better understand what they were trying to achieve and reaffirmed their belief that bringing Montessori education to the Lansing area was worth the effort.

Committees were organized and tasks assigned to: produce  and file appropriate incorporation papers, develop a business plan, locate a directress, find a suitable location, obtain the necessary instructional materials from the Netherlands, recruit students and aides and create the necessary infrastructure to accept students, meet state licensing requirements and conduct business. 

Michigan Montessori Internationale, Inc. was incorporated by the following share holders: Thomas Astley, Elizabeth Augenstein, John Ferris, Samuel Moore II, Sarah Olsen, Lewis Smith and George Stranahan.  Ferris served as the first president of the Board of Directors.  Other officers that first year were: Vice-President, Sarah Olsen; Secretary, Amelia Moore; Treasurer, Samuel Moore.  The Astleys, Maxine Ferris, the Smiths and the Stranahans also served on the Board of Directors in 1968-69.  Leroy Augenstein and Kenneth Olsen served as consultants, choosing not to serve officially on the Board due to their roles on the State Board of Education and as Superintendent of the Okemos Schools.  

Alice Hummel, an experienced Montessori directress with public school teaching credentials, was recruited to become the directress of the new school. Miss Hummel was a graduate of Fordham University and had a Master's degree in special education from Columbia University.  A certified international Montessori directress, she had pre-school teaching experience, been a teacher of the handicapped in the state of New York and prior to coming to Michigan had been a Montessori directress with the Nardin Academy in Buffalo, New York. Her insistence that "there are no short cuts in developing a quality program" set the standard that the school has sought to follow since its inception. As Miss Hummel recalled in the summer of 2001, "Our first class was a tiny one, mostly made up of children of board members.  They were such precious children!  It was a joyful start for a wonderful program." 

The school was accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale and licensed by Michigan Social Services as a nursery school.  Subsequently, it was chartered by the State Department of Education to operate as a non-public school for kindergarten through grade eight.  Although originally formed as a for-profit corporation, that status changed in 1973, and since then Michigan Montessori Internationale, Inc. has been a tax exempt educational corporation. For a time, the school switched its affiliation and became part of the American Montessori Society instead of the international association.  The return to international affiliation (AMI) occurred in 1990.    

Finding a suitable location for the school was no easy task.  After contacting numerous churches and inspecting a variety of sites, a contract was signed with the Okemos Community Church as the first "home" of what came to be known as "Children's House."  Likewise, recruiting the requisite number of children -- as least 15 -- with an even mix of ages and gender presented something of a problem.  It was especially difficult to recruit little girls.  The main reason given was that "Five days is too much time spent in school."  Having children attend pre-school five mornings a week was not the common practice; nor was having children as young as 2 ½ in attendance the accepted mode.  Besides, recruiting for a seemingly "different" and "foreign" educational program raised a lot of questions as board members sought to explain the benefits of the Montessori experience and justify what at the time seemed like a big financial investment for pre-school education.  Board members developed lists of families who had young children who were potential recruits for the school.  Pat Moore's assignment was to contact these families by telephone.  She made well over 200 calls. 

As a result,  on September 4, 1968, classes began in the rented quarters for the 18 children who constituted the first class of pre-schoolers, which met from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Miss Hummel taught a kindergarten class for older children in the afternoon.  Children were added during the year so that final enrollment in the morning class was 31 by the time school ended on May 29, 1969.  In the beginning, the school had a $5.00 non-refundable application fee, and the cost of the half-day session was $500 for the school year, tuition which was somewhat higher than that charged at other pre-schools in the area. At the end of the school year, the Stranahans loaned the school $5,000.  Currently, the application fee is $25. 

Enrolled in the morning pre-school class in the fall of 1968 were: Christopher Astley, Michael Astley, David Augenstein, Laird Burnett, Karen Carlson, Jill Cooley, Tom Doyle, Ann Mary Edgar, Bill Ferris, Kent Hay, Charlotte Johnson, David Kementa, Christopher Olson, douglas Peets, Brie Stranahan, Kathryn Votapek, Paul Votapek and Amy Wall.The afternoon kindergarten that first year was made up of: Catherine Edgar, Randall Hay, David Reusch, Davin Shaner, Sanjay Sharna, Jeffrey Stein and Mary Kathleen Tosi.  

Montessori education focuses on the whole child, with emphasis being placed on helping the child grow in self-respect, independence and self-discipline.  Learning is triggered by readiness and self-motivation.  Specially designed equipment provides a prepared environment in which the child is able to grow physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and morally. 

Children generally enter the program between the ages of 2 ½ and 3 years and may remain through grade school years.  New students are introduced into the preschool classes throughout the academic year and participate in the extended day (8:50 - 3:00) when they are "ready", sometime between 4 and 5 years of age.  School age children follow the time schedule of a public school.  

In addition to the financial concerns usually associated with the start-up costs of any new enterprise, a major challenge for the Board was one of public relations.  The community did not know or understand what Montessori education was all about.  The lack of accurate information led to many misconceptions and myths about the nature of the program.  Words such as: "rigid," "non-creative," " too structured," "unnatural" were used by the ill-informed to describe what they thought  went on in the classroom.  Some thought the program was for retarded children or those with a handicap of some sort.  And on more than one occasion, the charge was made that "This is a program for aggressive/pushy  parents who think their kids are smarter than anybody else's children."  In time the children themselves became the best endorsement of the program, as they were integrated into the public school systems in ways that were most positive. 

Faculty members in the College of Education and College of Human Ecology at Michigan State University could have been invaluable in helping to explain "Children's House," but that wasn't the case.  While admitting that some of their most heated discussions at professional meetings were about Montessori education, they showed little interest in observing the school in operation or in any way interacting with it.  Interestingly, that was not the attitude of practicing classroom teachers in the community, who were eager spend in-service days as observers at the school.

As the school grew and became a more familiar part of the community, MSU students sought internships and/or paid positions at Children's House; and on a number of occasions, international student wives added considerably to the enrichment of the school's foreign language and cultural programs. Several of the school's founders : Leroy Augenstein, John and Maxine Ferris, Sam Moore and George Stranahan were Michigan State University faculty members. 

To help parents of children enrolled in the school, those who were considering enrolling their children and other interested citizens better understand the Montessori philosophy and method, the school embarked on an intensive program of educational meetings.  Monthly meetings, held at the Edgewood Elementary School in Okemos,  were scheduled to answer the questions of  parents. A series of  informational meetings, held in the Kinawa School Library in Okemos, under the leadership of the directress and board members provided the public with a better understanding of  such topics as sensitive periods, discipline, self motivation and the prepared environment.  During the year, an informative exhibit about the school was created and displayed at the Okemos Library.

Board members were invited to share information with numerous community groups.  One evening, Pat Moore went to the Okemos library to present a talk to one of the local Child Study groups.  She was introduced as Mrs. Montessori, a title that stuck for the next five years -- much to the dismay of her husband.

CHAPTER II: "Growing Pains" 

"Let the child free and he will reveal himself."  -- Maria Montessori, The Montessori Method

  The time for introducing Montessori education to the greater Lansing area was obviously right.  During the next few years, the growth in enrollment was steady, or some would say "impressive."  Thirty one children were enrolled during the first year.  That number jumped to 65 the following year, and by the end of the 1970 - 1971 school year, enrollment had climbed to 95.  Enrollment for 1971 - 1972 was 105; 100 were enrolled in 1972 - 1973, and 121 attended classes in 1973 - 1974.

  The increase in enrollment meant the school needed to have larger facilities and hire more directresses.  Handling the logistics of day to day operations also increased the need for clerical help to assist board members, Elizabeth Stranahan and Amelia Moore, who served as volunteer part-time administrators, a role that "Pat" Moore continued to fill for an extended period of time.  The first three secretaries of the school were: Andrea Palms, Ardith Lang and Doris Kellerman.

  Because the school was affiliated with the international Montessori program, and American directresses, trained in that program were few and far between at the time, the Board made arrangements to employ two experienced women from Sri Lanka to start the second and third pre-school classes. Dealing with the paper-work involved in bringing Manel de Silva and Shireen Karunaratne to East Lansing was complex and time-consuming.  Although there was some delay in their arrival, they both began work at Children's House in the fall of 1969 and remained on the staff for a number of years.  In 1971 they were joined by Srimanee Bandaratilaka, another of their country women.  Alice Hummel continued as the head directress.

  When the young women arrived in Michigan, they were ill-prepared to face the cold weather, since most of their wearing apparel consisted of lovely saris and sandals.  To remedy the situation, Betsy Stranahan quickly took them shopping for boots and warm coats.  Miss Shireen  was quick to become involved in American culture.  She took driver's education, bought a car and enrolled in classes at Lansing Community College.  It wasn't long before the sari gave way to the mini skirt, which did not prohibit her from sitting on the floor with grace and lady-like demeanor.   The new directresses came to really love the American children they taught and appreciated their lively curiosity and inquisitiveness.  Apparently, the young charges they had taught previously in their home country had been very docile, always sitting quietly with folded hands.  The youngsters at Children House, while being very attentive to their class work, were not known for their placid behavior, something that the directresses appreciated.

 Because of the increasing need for space, the school in the fall of 1969 moved to rented quarters in what was known as St. John's East on Hagadorn Road in East Lansing.  Since other uses were made of the space during the week-ends, all the learning materials, tables and chairs had to be "put away" on Friday afternoon.  Fortunately, the shelf units were designed with hinges, so that two units could be closed, and the materials, which were quite costly, could be secured.  The process had to be reversed on Monday morning before the start of classes. While it was possible to purchase the practical life materials locally, the Montessori materials used for math, music and language arts had to be purchased abroad.  Many of the geography and social science teaching aides were constructed by parent volunteers, and a lot of the books for the library were donated. 

By June of 1970, the school was $11,000 in debt.  A local bank issued a $15,000 line of credit.

Tuition for the 1970- 1971 academic year was $585 for the half-day program and $693 for the extended day.  The starting salary for a new directress was $8,000 for ten months.  Trash removal cost $3.00 per month, and the weekly charge for custodial services and supplies was $48.15. Cash flow was a real problem.  Generally, parents paid for the schooling in two installments; if a family had a second child in the program for at least five months, they were given a $50 reduction per child. Tuition increased to $625 and $850 for the '71 -'72 term, and parents then paid in three installments: September, November and January.   

During 1970, the school established the Leroy Augenstein Memorial Scholarship Fund; and that year a child, recommended by Social Services, attended Children's House on a scholarship.  Later efforts to include scholarship children were not too successful, since transportation costs were about equal to the tuition, and the resources to under-write this kind of expense were not available.   

There was interest in extending the program beyond pre-school and kindergarten, so board members began work to get a license for the 1^st grade with an eye toward being licensed for kindergarten through grade six.  Another idea that took root during the early seventies was to develop a Montessori training center locally.  But to do that would require the assistance of either the MSU College of Education or the College of Human Ecology.  There was not much support for the idea on campus, and at that juncture few departments had an interest in establishing internships at the school. 

The outdoor playground that was available was not too nice.  An old tractor was located and donated to the school as a climbing piece of equipment.  The children loved it, but the staff and Board were less enthusiastic about its value and questioned its safety.  The playground was quite dirty.  On one occasion, a little girl came to school attired in a dainty white dress.  Needless to say, before the session was over, she was anything but clean.  Concerned that the mother would be upset by the child's condition, the staff pondered how they would explain and apologize when she arrived.  Much to their surprise and relief, the child's mother was delighted since previously her daughter had been unwilling to really play and get dirty.

Parent participation was always an important part of the school's program.  Barbara and George Colburn and Virginia Allen coordinated a parent study group in 1970 and arranged for parent coffees to help parents get better acquainted with each other, the staff and the program.  That year parents donated a copy machine and a piano.  The following year parents donated money to buy play ground equipment and books.  The project room was a busy place, as mothers and grandmothers cut up old NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazines and organized geography folders for the countries of the world; others prepared land forms so that the children could gain a sensory perception of what  islands, mountains and continents were like.

Parent Activities became more formalized for the 1971- 1972 school year.  Under the leadership of board member, Maxine Ferris, two committees were organized. The Program Committee (Ferris, Dora Marcus, Ginny Allen, Becky Zeron and Sidney Peets) planned and coordinated a series of orientation meetings, coffees, study mornings and evening meetings.  New parent orientation sessions, under the leadership of the directresses, were held in October and January.

Mothers of each class had  informal coffee mornings  in September and January where they could chat and exchange ideas; four study mornings featured the following topics: "Montessori Transition to Elementary School," "Montessori in the Home," "Montessori and Discipline," and "Montessori and Music."  These programs were led by mothers of children enrolled in the school and who had or had acquired special expertise in the areas discussed (Linda Johnson, Sue Husband, Barbara Olsen, Kathy Nolen, Pat Clifford, Eleanor Gustafson, Ernestine Votapek, and Becky Zeren).  The topic of a well-attended evening meeting was "Math, Language and Geography Materials  -- Use and Progression."

  The Telephone and Activity Committee (Ann Sullivan, Jean Sebastian, Kea Glennon and Jan Pettit) worked in the project room and made regular phone contact with parents to encourage their participation in the various learning or working opportunities.  They were also involved in planning the May family fun activity, which was a picnic.

  By July of 1972, the school's liability amounted to $20,960.87.  It was obvious that the school was not a money making proposition.  Miss Hummel indicated an interest in perhaps buying the school, and the Board, while exploring that option, also began looking into gaining non-profit status for the school as a way to lessen some of the financial constraints.  The following year, George Stranahan resigned from the Board and forgave the $5,000 loan he had made earlier. 

Directress salaries for the 1972 - 1973 school year were: $10,000, $8,800 and  $8, 250. Pearl Soergel, the pre-school aide or assistant, as they later came to be called was given a $.25 cent increase, raising her salary from $2.00 to $2.25 an hour.  In spite of the financial pressures, the Board voted to sponsor Martin Dumke in Bergamo, Italy, where he would receive training as a junior program director, prior to joining the staff of Children's House. 

The elementary class at the beginning of the 1973-1974 school year, when Mr. Dumke returned from Italy, enrolled fourteen children: Laura Altman, Matthew Carter, John Ferris, Kristin Johnson, Kristyn Kozak, Melissa Lucas, Skip Maner, Laura Marcus, Seth Peets, Cindy Pettit, Juan Posada, Laura Russell, Erin Stuart and Curt Winter.

The Board of Directors during the school's first five years were: Barbara Astley, Thomas Astley,

Elizabeth Augenstein, John Ferris, Maxine Ferris, Amelia Moore, Samuel Moore, Sarah Olsen, Karen Smith, Louis Smith, Elizabeth Stranahan, George Stranahan, Sidney Peets, Mary Ann Johnson, Lila Radway, Susan Husband, and Thomas Husband.   Serving as Board Presidents were: John Ferris, Elizabeth Stranahan, Sidney Peets, Mary Ann Johnson and Amelia Moore.

During this time, one doctoral student in the College of Education at MSU enrolled his children in the program, and when he later became Superintendent of the Grand Rapids School System, he started both a pre-school and an elementary Montessori program in one of the buildings in the system.  Over 500 applicants sought entry into the programs, which could accommodate only 50 children.  Pat and Sam Moore served as consultants for this spin-off of the Okemos Montessori School.