mohandas and marie

With MLK Day just behind the corner, here is a touching post from the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute. Many know that Dr. King was deeply influenced by Mohandas Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence. Not as many know, however, about Gandhi's influence on the views of yet another remarkable individual - the educator and physician, Dr. Marie Montessori - who clearly had an effect on the Mahatma, as well.  The two met in London in 1931 where he delivered a speech at the Montessori Training College.  His speech was published in Young India that year.  A short excerpt:

You have very truly remarked that if we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children and if they will grow up in their natural innocence, we won’t have the struggle, we won’t have to pass fruitless idle resolutions, but we shall go from love to love and peace to peace, until at last all the corners of the world are covered with that peace and love for which, consciously or unconsciously, the whole world is hungering.

*Photo credit/Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, Dr. Marie Montessori with a young pupil.