Obituaries from page 61
Educating The Gifted
A
The Frankel Jewish Academy community
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62
May 17 • 2012
Obituaries
nnemarie Bondy Roeper,
invited to come to Detroit in 1941 to
educator, author and a
direct a psychoanalytically oriented
founder of the Roeper
nursery school and established a
School, a nationally recognized
grade school as well. Their modern,
independent school for the gifted in
humanistic approach to education
Bloomfield Hills, died May 11, 2012,
was immensely attractive and the
in Oakland, Calif. She
school grew rapidly.
was 93 years old.
In 1946, they purchased
Annemarie and
a campus in Bloomfield
her husband, George
Hills, and in 1981 the
Roeper, who passed
school expanded to
away in 1992, estab-
include a second campus
lished the school in
in Birmingham.
Detroit in 1941 with
Throughout her life,
nine students. Their
Annemarie was a consis-
educational vision
tent voice for the individ-
encompassed a pro-
ual soul of each child.
found respect for
"The school's igloo-
Annemarie Ro eper
the individual and a
shaped classrooms in
commitment to free-
Bloomfield Hills repre-
dom of growth and learning within
sented comfort and security, with
an emotionally and intellectually
rounded sides and no sharp edges
supportive community.
— warm and comforting," said
Today, the school serves 560 stu-
Emery Pence, Roeper alumni coordi-
dents from preschool through high
nator and teacher of a class on lead-
school, and Annemarie is recognized ership and the Roeper philosophy.
as a pioneering figure in the field of
"Annemarie was brilliant, intui-
education.
tive and, in some ways, never lost
"I have always been drawn to
her childish idealism — insisting
people who value curiosity, and I've
that the world could be all it could
never met anyone who embodied
be. She was very idealistic and very
the spirit of inquiry more than
concerned with justice — not a great
Annemarie," said incoming head of
compromiser."
the Roeper School, David Feldman.
Pence noted that Annemarie was
"It is so rare to find someone with
quite active in the psychoanalytic
such a deep and powerful sense of
community.
purpose. Her life's work was an active
"She was very tuned to emotions:'
and strong response to Nazi oppres-
he said. "She believed that emotions
sion, and we are the beneficiaries of
played a large role in life, and they
hers and George's tenacity."
must be accepted not repressed —
As the daughter of educators,
only when people understand and
Annemarie began absorbing edu-
accepted themselves would they be
cational ideas early. She was born
able to grow."
in Vienna on Aug. 27, 1918, toward
After the Holocaust, Pence noted,
the end of the First World War.
"Annemarie had a lot of survivor's
Her mother, Gertrud Bondy, was a
guilt and discovered Jewish roots.
medical doctor and psychoanalyst in
"She created the school to make
training with Sigmund Freud at the
sense of what happened and to help
time.
prevent future holocausts — to teach
After the war, she and her hus-
children to resist evil and speak
band, Max Bondy, embarked on
truth to power.
a career in education, founding a
"Annemarie believed healthy indi-
series of schools based on a psycho-
viduals create healthy communities,
analytic understanding of human
and healthy communities create
development and a desire to edu-
healthy individuals," Pence said.
cate children to build and thrive
As she wrote in her book
in a pluralistic, democratic society.
Educating Children for Life,
Annemarie grew up in her parents'
"Humanity has made two promises
school, and met her - future husband
to its children. The first is to prepare
when he arrived as a student in 1923. a world which accepts them and
The Bondys were Jewish by
provides them with opportunities to
heritage, and when the Nazi Party
live, grow and create in safety. The
ascended to power in the 1930s they
other is to help them develop their
were forced out of their school and
whole beings to the fullest in every
fled first to Switzerland and then, in
respect."
1939, to the United States.
Annemarie's son Tom Roeper
Annemarie and George were
Roeper on page 64