Child Garden Montessori

Our Story...

Child Garden was founded by Marjorie Johnson in 1963. The small nursery school and daycare center served fourteen children and rented space from Trinity Community Church. Five years later, the building was scheduled to be razed for a parking lot and a search began for a new facility. Marjorie soon discovered that Minneapolis had very prohibitive zoning laws regarding locating childcare environments in residential neighborhoods. Nevertheless, after much perseverance, Marjorie finally gained permission and moved Child Garden into a large mansion on Groveland Terrace. The little school occupied the first level of this very unusual home and Marjorie and her family lived on the second level.

By 1969 enrollment had grown to thirty-five children. Marjorie’s interest in the Montessori Philosophy had grown as well after reading some of Dr. Maria Montessori’s books. However, Montessori education was not very understood or accepted in the United States in the 1960s. Likewise, there were not any resources available locally to help one set up a school.

Coincidentally, and fortunately, the first Montessori training course offered by the Montessori Foundation of Minnesota was beginning in St. Paul. Through their program Marjorie was able to locate two experienced Montessori teachers and was advised on how to obtain Montessori materials from Holland. Child Garden became involved with the training program, serving as a resource site for the Montessori students. The Montessori Foundation was able to use Child Garden’s facility for designing a Montessori classroom environment and Child Garden’s young students benefitted from the partnership as well. By 1970 we were a full-fledged Montessori school and have been ever since.

Life at the little school in the big mansion was good. The children attended class on the first floor, while Marjorie prepared the noon meal in her kitchen on the second level. However, just two years later, the Department of Health insisted that the home must go through a very expensive kitchen renovation in order for the school to remain.

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