The Origins of RoundSquare

5th June 2024

Celebrating Kurt Hahn, born on this day in 1886

"There are three ways of trying to win the young. You can preach at them—that is a hook without a worm. You can say, "You must volunteer"—that is of the devil. And you can tell them, "You are needed"—that appeal hardly ever fails." Kurt Hahn

Today, on what would have been his 138th birthday, we celebrate Kurt Hahn, a key figure in the development of experiential education, without whom Round Square would not exist today.

In 1967, eight schools: Schule Schloss Salem in Germany, Gordonstoun in Scotland, Box Hill School in England, Louisenlund in Germany, Anavryta in Greece, Battisborough in England, The Athenian School in America and Aiglon College in Switzerland established the Round Square movement from a meeting held in the Round Square building at Gordonstoun School.

The idea had formed at Hahn's 80th birthday the previous year, in June 1966. During those celebrations, there was a conversation between school heads who followed Hahn's educational approach, and whose students had worked together on an earthquake relief effort in the Ionian Islands. 

They shared similar experiences, that this service expedition had broadened their students' horizons, developed their sense of responsibility, courage, compassion, and international understanding, through working with their peers from other countries and cultures.

The Heads agreed that this type of experience could be repeated, and they planned to meet again the following year to discuss how. In 1967, this conference was officially established as Round Square, named after the building at Gordonstoun in which that first gathering took place.

Today, Round Square has grown to become a network of over 250 like-minded schools across 50 countries over six continents, yet the impact that participating in an international service project, and making a positive change within a community, has on young people is as life changing now as it was nearly 60 years ago.

But in honour of Kurt Hahn’s birthday, we are asking for your help. We need funds to buy tools and materials for our upcoming service projects as well as to provide bursaries for those students who would not otherwise be able to participate.