International Women's Day
Saralies van den Briel was born in Amsterdam on July 11th, 1930. She spent much of her early years a sickly child, malnourished due to the deprivation caused by the Nazi occupation of Holland. Even then, according to her mother, she had a fiery spirit and steely determination.
As a young woman, she became a photographer by profession but soon began to look for more meaningful work while at the same time beginning her search for the ideal place to raise her small son. With this goal in mind, she moved to England to join the Camphill Schools where inspiring work was taking place in communities centred around care and schooling for children with special educational needs. Her Camphill life continued in Northern Ireland where she moved with her son to Glencraig Camphill Community where she became a teacher and eventually principal.
At this time, in the early 1970s, at the height of ‘The Troubles’ there was a growing wish by various groups to bring healing to Northern Ireland through education. The Steiner Waldorf model was considered a controversial concept as until then, education was entirely segregated into Protestant state schools and Catholic church-affiliated schools. Saralies was asked to lead this new initiative and she did so with complete enthusiasm and selflessness, giving every moment of her day to enlisting help and support wherever she could find it. It wasn’t long before she had many equally enthusiastic teachers, parents and educators who were inspired by her vision to begin the first Waldorf School in Northern Ireland. It was considered the first integrated school on these shores. Her charismatic and enthusiastic personality helped to draw the attention of parents looking for a new way of education, and her talks and visits to educational establishments and parent groups drew larger and larger audiences. Finally, in 1975, with a handful of families, Holywood Rudolf Steiner School opened its doors in the temporary setting of Glencraig . One and a half years later, the current premises on Croft Road were purchased. Now with an enrolment of more than 140 children, the school continues to nurture curious, compassionate, creative thinkers who are ready to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities within our changing world.
Sadly, Saralies became ill in 1979 and was eventually diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. She died on Easter Saturday, April 4th, 1981. Today, on International Women’s Day, we would like to honour Saralies. She has left behind an incredible legacy that will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched. A dynamic woman, Saralies’s influence and contribution helped institute change across education almost 50 years ago and we continue to reap that benefit every day, at Holywood Steiner School.
