Walden—the School Where Freud and Jung Came Together

• In Event: Influential Thinkers and Their Legacy in the History of Education

Abstract

Walden School was a member of the Associated Experimental Schools, serving as a model among early progressive schools. Margaret Naumburg used the analytical psychology of Carl Jung and the psychoanalytic perspective of Sigmund Freud as theoretical bases for the curriculum. The purpose of this historical case study was to explore the educational ramifications of Walden School’s adoption of Jungian psychology and Freudian psychoanalysis. Results indicate that Freudian and Jungian foundations lead to breakthroughs beyond education. Walden School made a lasting contribution to the artistic and political life of New York City and beyond. Graduates of the program went on to become Civil Rights activists, representatives of World OMEP at the United Nations, and members of many professions.

Authors

• Blythe F. Hinitz, The College of New Jersey

• Jerry T Aldridge, The University of Alabama - Birmingham