Unsung heroines: Celebrating the woman behind Outward Bound

International Women's Day

At Outward Bound, 20% of our instructional staff are female. This mightn't sound so high, but it’s actually pretty representative when put in the broader context of outdoor industry demographics. Our project to explore our instructor diversity began in 2018 and we're working hard to create a future where females are more equally represented.

Marina was a childhood friend of Kurt Hahn, co-founder of the original Outward Bound Sea School in Aberdovey in 1941. Hahn was an educationalist who also founded the Salem School in Germany in 1920 and the Gordonstoun School in Scotland in 1934. At both of these schools’ expeditions played a prominent role in the education of the students. Both Hahn and Ewald were proponents of the Lietz Country Boarding Schools, founded between 1898 and 1904 and based on a new philosophy of education, orientated towards sociological principles – principles that both Hahn and Ewald took forward in their work.

Marina was a teacher at the Salem School from its inception, and became director of Spetzgart, an expansion of Salem, in 1929. Hahn described Ewald as “a co-founder of Salem. She was a partner in all the major decisions – an educator in her own right…Her contribution is held in high regard.” (1968: 1)

THE FINNISH EXPEDITION

One of Marina’s most notable gifts to the future of Outward Bound came in 1925. Along with another teacher from Salem, she took 20 students on a 4-week expedition to Finland. The idea for the expedition came from Ewald – she was the leader and only woman on the trip, which was a long and hazardous one. It involved travelling by steamer to Finland, and from there buying boats (barges) that could be tied together. The trip started on Lake Saimaa and involved travelling overland by truck and then putting the boats back onto the water on Lake Paijann and sailing down to Lahti in the south. The party camped on remote islands and lived partly by shooting and fishing.

This expedition marked a key turning point in Kurt Hahn’s pedagogical approach. Ewald herself understood the profound impact it had both on the students and on future educational programmes, describing it as:

The success of the Finnish expedition was a key factor behind Hahn’s adoption of strenuous expeditions as an essential part of his educational philosophy. It is perhaps curious, given Hahn’s focus on the development of character in young men as opposed to women, that he didn’t publicly revere Ewald for possessing what might well have been perceived as a quite extraordinary spirit.

REVIVING SALEM

Hahn was Jewish, and his fierce public opposition to the Nazi regime meant he was forced to leave Germany in 1933 and move to Britain. Ewald kept in touch with Hahn and visited him until the outbreak of World War II. Ewald continued to be the driving force at Salem during this time, but in the years of the Nazi regime the school went through the most difficult period in its history.

In 1941 the Nazis took control of the school and eventually shut it down in July of 1945. However, just a few months later, Ewald reopened the school free from Nazi influence. Salem was able to pick up where it left off and thanks to her leadership, the school is still thriving today.

EQUALITY, EQUITY AND GENDER BIAS

So there you have it. The next time you find yourself talking about the history of outdoor education and the inception of the ‘Outward-Bound style expedition’ (and let’s face it – there’s no better dinnertime conversation), you should probably include that the first trip was led by a woman named Marina Ewald. Of those closest to Hahn who had a strong influence on the development of outdoor experiential learning, we’re not sure any can match Marina in having such a defining role. And by the way – all the others were men.

But the fact that Marina’s story is so little known is sadly, not a shock. We know that we still have a long way to go before we have an industry that values and promotes the skills and successes of women as much as men.

How will you help forge a gender equal world?

Celebrate women's achievement.

Raise awareness against bias.

Take action for equality.

References
Ewald, M. (1970). Salem School, 1919–33: Foundation and expansion. In H. Rohrs & H. Tunstall-Behrens (Eds.), Kurt Hahn (pp. 22–38). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
Hahn, K. (1968). Letter to Skidelsky, from 7777 Salem, Baden. Dated 14th August 1968. Available from Gordonstoun School Archive, Gordonstoun School, Elgin, Moray, Scotland.