Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 110
In Waldorf schools, ―the elements‖ are earth, air, fire and water. These ancient ―elements‖
are illusions concealing the activity of ―elemental spirits,‖ respectively, gnomes, sylphs,
salamanders, and undines. ―Acknowledging‖ and ―celebrating‖ are acts of worship. We‘re
not talking about ecological science here. The writer is trying to appeal to New Age
spirituality, popular in Marin County where the school is located. I think it‘s good for a
Waldorf school to appeal to New Agers, they are its obvious constituency, but Novato
Charter School is a public school! A grace before meals is suggested:
Earth who gives to us this food, sun who makes it ripe and good, sun above,
earth below, our loving thanks to you we show. (ibid.)
This prayer is by Christian Morgenstern, a friend of Rudolf Steiner, and is used in Waldorf
schools worldwide. Thanks can only be given to a person or a deity. Here the earth and the
sun are personified, as is done in a nature-worshipping religion. All the mentions of the sun
should be seen with the understanding that in Anthroposophy, Christ is a ―sun being.‖
Who should kindergartners thank for their snack? It would be appropriate in a public school
to thank the teacher who gave them the food, the grocer who made it available, the trucker
who brought it to the market, the farm workers who picked it, and the farmer who grew it.
If they did that, they would be learning real gratitude, not a religious relationship to cosmic
bodies.
Waldorf students pray at the opening of every school day. This tradition continues in public
Waldorf schools, despite the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Back in 1919
Steiner knew that praying would be problematic, even in private schools, and told his
teachers to cover it up:
A teacher: Would it be a good thing to let the children speak a kind of
morning prayer?
Dr. Steiner: That is something that can be done. I had also had it in mind. I
will say something about it tomorrow. We will also talk about a prayer. But
there is just one thing I should like to ask you. You know, with these things
the outer form is of the utmost importance. Never call the verse a ―prayer‖
but a ―school opening verse‖. Do see to it that people do not hear the
expression ―prayer‖ used by a teacher. This will go a long way towards
overcoming the prejudice that this is an anthroposophical school.
The biggest mistakes we make are with words. People will not get out of the
habit of using words that are detrimental to us. (Steiner, 1986, p. 45)
Below is an eyewitness report of a traditional opening ritual for the lower grades. The
wording of the prayer will be slightly different in different schools because they are
translations of Steiner‘s original in German:
Clock time registers 8:50. Miss Bronte [2nd grade teacher] sweeps to the
back of the room to turn off the lights and then she says, ―Let‘s have a golden
tone this morning. Who has never done this?‖ A few students raise their
hands. Miss Bronte chooses Ariana to ring the golden tone. With great
enthusiasm and anticipation, acting as though she has never done this before,
Miss Bronte holds the xylophone for Ariana, who with a flick of the wrist
creates the golden tone. The class listens quietly in the darkened room.
Next, Miss Bronte strikes a match against the grey rock on the nature table.
In unison the class says, ―Candle, candle, burning bright, thank you for your
loving light.‖ The students stand and cross their arms in front of their chests
and recite a verse by Rodolf Steiner that I am told is the one verse said, with
some variation, in every Waldorf classroom between first and fourth grades:
In Waldorf schools, ―the elements‖ are earth, air, fire and water. These ancient ―elements‖
are illusions concealing the activity of ―elemental spirits,‖ respectively, gnomes, sylphs,
salamanders, and undines. ―Acknowledging‖ and ―celebrating‖ are acts of worship. We‘re
not talking about ecological science here. The writer is trying to appeal to New Age
spirituality, popular in Marin County where the school is located. I think it‘s good for a
Waldorf school to appeal to New Agers, they are its obvious constituency, but Novato
Charter School is a public school! A grace before meals is suggested:
Earth who gives to us this food, sun who makes it ripe and good, sun above,
earth below, our loving thanks to you we show. (ibid.)
This prayer is by Christian Morgenstern, a friend of Rudolf Steiner, and is used in Waldorf
schools worldwide. Thanks can only be given to a person or a deity. Here the earth and the
sun are personified, as is done in a nature-worshipping religion. All the mentions of the sun
should be seen with the understanding that in Anthroposophy, Christ is a ―sun being.‖
Who should kindergartners thank for their snack? It would be appropriate in a public school
to thank the teacher who gave them the food, the grocer who made it available, the trucker
who brought it to the market, the farm workers who picked it, and the farmer who grew it.
If they did that, they would be learning real gratitude, not a religious relationship to cosmic
bodies.
Waldorf students pray at the opening of every school day. This tradition continues in public
Waldorf schools, despite the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Back in 1919
Steiner knew that praying would be problematic, even in private schools, and told his
teachers to cover it up:
A teacher: Would it be a good thing to let the children speak a kind of
morning prayer?
Dr. Steiner: That is something that can be done. I had also had it in mind. I
will say something about it tomorrow. We will also talk about a prayer. But
there is just one thing I should like to ask you. You know, with these things
the outer form is of the utmost importance. Never call the verse a ―prayer‖
but a ―school opening verse‖. Do see to it that people do not hear the
expression ―prayer‖ used by a teacher. This will go a long way towards
overcoming the prejudice that this is an anthroposophical school.
The biggest mistakes we make are with words. People will not get out of the
habit of using words that are detrimental to us. (Steiner, 1986, p. 45)
Below is an eyewitness report of a traditional opening ritual for the lower grades. The
wording of the prayer will be slightly different in different schools because they are
translations of Steiner‘s original in German:
Clock time registers 8:50. Miss Bronte [2nd grade teacher] sweeps to the
back of the room to turn off the lights and then she says, ―Let‘s have a golden
tone this morning. Who has never done this?‖ A few students raise their
hands. Miss Bronte chooses Ariana to ring the golden tone. With great
enthusiasm and anticipation, acting as though she has never done this before,
Miss Bronte holds the xylophone for Ariana, who with a flick of the wrist
creates the golden tone. The class listens quietly in the darkened room.
Next, Miss Bronte strikes a match against the grey rock on the nature table.
In unison the class says, ―Candle, candle, burning bright, thank you for your
loving light.‖ The students stand and cross their arms in front of their chests
and recite a verse by Rodolf Steiner that I am told is the one verse said, with
some variation, in every Waldorf classroom between first and fourth grades:
