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Bainbridge/Solon Montessori School was founded by Mrs. Mildred Gunawardena, a foremost pioneer in the Montessori approach to education, whose presence in the United States was by chance. Mrs. G (as she is fondly addressed today) arrived in the USA by invitation during the summer's end of 1967. She was a founder, principal and administrator of three renowned Montessori schools in CEYLON (now Sri Lanka), at the time, with a cumulative enrollment of nearly 350 students. At the age of 52, then, Mrs. G was a well - informed, traveled, and accomplished citizen of the world. Ambitious and adventurous by nature, she was not someone who had second thoughts about visiting the New World of America to extend her humility and love for the children of the world. Mrs. G was a goal-oriented person committed to the developmental principles as envisioned by Dr. Maria Montessori. She was not in any way or form prepared to sacrifice her observations of the method to suit a traditionally oriented educational arena in the United States. After having been a traditional school teacher herself, before her encounter with Dr. Maria Montessori, and having had a long exposure to conventional teaching methods, Mrs. G was deeply inspired by the Montessori approach to imparting knowledge through "reverence to the child -- The Father of Man." Although Mrs. G. first arrived in the USA with the intention of sharing her Montessori expertise with schools that were named after Montessori, soon to her dismay, she learned that the Montessori principles were not fully implemented as expounded by Dr. Maria Montessori. Indeed these schools were unequipped to function in an authentic sense physically. Moreover, they were not set up to be administered to suit the best interests of the child. Needless to say, these were the circumstances that inspired the founding of Mrs. G's own establishment - the name of which was prompted by the geographic location that contributed to the realization of her dream - "Solon Montessori School" an affiliate of the greater entity named The Montessori Visions of Mildred Gunawardena. Solon Montessori School was founded in April of 1970, in the city of Solon, Ohio, USA with the encouragement, guidance and steadfast collaboration of her life's beloved partner - Dionicious Gunawardena. Mrs. G. attributes her success in her Montessori adventure which had its roots in 1943, to her husband's unbending support extended to her all along. Having been raised and inculcated with eastern traditional values, Mildred (as addressed by her husband) never found the occasion to feel inhibited in pursuing her Montessori goals because of the customary demands of a spouse. Dionicious was an extraordinarily loyal, affectionate and considerate husband who was receptive to the desires and sensitivities of a cause-oriented, ambitious woman like his wife. Honest, upright and exceptionally high - principled in his ways, there was never an occasion when he sacrificed his duties both as a husband and a father of three children. Dionicious, no doubt, was a complementary counterpart for Mildred. Together, they worked in unison as husband and wife, father and mother, while treading the path of their life's destiny - first to love, nurture and give direction to three children of their own, Shanthi, Nelunika and Ramesh, the Montessori way... and then to touch the lives of the children of the world not forgetting their grandchildren, Vinodh, Milakshmi, Delani and Devaka. The initiation of Solon Montessori School and its growing success could not have been fully realized if not for the efforts of the Gunawardena siblings who, to this day, continue to be actively involved in the welfare of the school. Each of them take privilege in contributing their unique talents, skills and expertise to suit the needs of an institution that continues to maintain its Montessori tradition while keeping pace with our changing world of Arts and Technology. Needless to say, the planning and preparation required to initiate and maintain a newly established Montessori School was a united effort in this family's heritage and 'no new enterprise' after all - an undertaking they felt comfortable with, having founded and successfully operated three other thriving institutions of learning for children. Moreover, the loyalty and support received from ten families who had been acquainted with Mrs. G and inspired by her devotion to their children (who were already under her tutelage in 1970) can never be discounted. Many thanks and gratitude are owed to all of the contributing parties, including the growing alumni through the years since the school's inception in 1970, that have made it possible for Solon Montessori School to enjoy a well-earned reputation 'in service to the children of the world' today. |
