Natalie Zahle facts for kids
Natalie Zahle (born June 11, 1827 – died August 11, 1913) was a very important Danish educator. She was a pioneer in women's education, meaning she helped create new and better ways for girls and women to learn. In 1851, she started her famous school, N. Zahle's School.
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About Natalie Zahle
Early Life and Education
Natalie Zahle was born in 1827. Her father was a vicar in Roskilde, Denmark. Sadly, both her parents passed away in 1837 when she was just ten years old.
After her parents died, she first lived with her mother's parents. Later, she became a foster child to a professor named Daniel Frederik Eschricht and his wife. She went to a girls' school in Copenhagen called Døtreskolen af 1791. After finishing school, she worked as a governess, teaching children in their homes.
In 1849, Natalie Zahle joined a new school for women teachers. It was called Den højere Dannelsesanstalt for Damer. This was the first school in Denmark to offer women a professional education. She graduated in 1851 and soon after, she opened her own school for girls.
Founding N. Zahle's School
In 1852, Natalie Zahle officially founded N. Zahle's School (N. Zahles Skole). This school quickly became a very famous and important place for learning. Natalie Zahle was known for being very organized. She helped her school grow from just 25 students in 1852 to 200 students by 1862.
She was also very good at choosing teachers. Many famous people taught or studied at her school. She hired both women who had learned through experience and men who had formal education. She believed that a school should feel like a home, where mothers are important teachers. But she also believed in modern ideas, like having highly educated teachers and a disciplined learning environment. She found a great way to combine these different ideas, which made her school very successful.
Her Impact on Education
Natalie Zahle's approach to education was unique. She combined traditional values with new, progressive ideas. For example, she believed girls should learn arts, but also be strong, creative, and hardworking professionals. This balanced way of thinking was called her "double strategy."
She also applied this balanced view to women's rights. She didn't choose between believing women were different from men or exactly equal to men. Instead, she supported both ideas at the same time. Many early women's rights leaders and pioneers in different fields were once her students. These included Anna Hude, Ida Falbe-Hansen, Lis Jacobsen, Ingrid Jespersen, Erna Juel-Hansen, and Theodora Lang.
Natalie Zahle is seen as a pioneer in the women's movement. Even though she didn't publicly protest for women's rights, her work in education changed things a lot. For a long time, the Danish government didn't focus much on educating girls. Natalie Zahle was a major innovator in improving women's education in Denmark during the 1800s.
At her school, girls could get primary education. Then, they could move on to secondary education to prepare for university (which became open to women in 1875). They could also take special courses or train to become teachers.
She started many different programs:
- A school for female teachers in 1851.
- A primary school for children in 1852.
- Free courses in 1861.
- Physical education classes in 1864.
- A music school in 1869.
- A gymnasium (school) (a type of high school needed for university) in 1877.
- Her school was the first girls' school in Denmark to offer the Studentereksamen (a university entrance exam) starting in 1885.
- Health care services in 1880.
- A household school in 1882.
- A government teacher training program in 1894.
Honors and Legacy
In 1891, Natalie Zahle was given the Medal of Merit in gold (Fortjenstmedaljen i guld). This was a very high honor in Denmark.
The Natalie Zahle Memorial is a statue located in Ørsted Park in Copenhagen. It is close to the school she founded. The bronze and granite statue was designed by Ludvig Brandstrup and put up in 1916. It stands as a reminder of her important work.
