CELEBRATING A REMARKABLE 40-YEAR CAREER
“Given Merry Murray’s belief in a child’s active participation in their own learning, being in her classroom was always an adventure. When my daughter was in her class, Merry Murray read aloud Letters from Felix—the story of a little girl who loses her stuffed rabbit at an airport, only to start receiving letters from him as he travels the world. Merry Murray had each student take a stuffed Felix home, and when the rabbit "returned" to class, he’d bring a new travel letter authored by that student. Well, Merry Murray... the time has come. You are officially Felix. For around 40 years, you have stayed firmly rooted in one place so that a thousand little people could feel safe enough to find their own legs and explore the world. You gave them your gravity so they could take flight. But now, it is your turn to take adventures.” – Polly Wagner, Former Colleague
PHOTO GALLERY
“Over these many years, if you walked into her classroom, she was fully engaged with the children, perhaps a child in her lap, or her arm around another, helping them figure out some problem. That problem might have been academic, social-emotional, creative, or physical. No matter, she believed and believes in each child’s capacity to learn and grow, and she has guided them so successfully.” – Connie Henry, Former Colleague
“I know that each and every day I strive to uphold your spirit and your belief in children. We all do. You have made a life of incredible meaning and purpose. I’m reminded of the great American poet Mary Oliver, who famously asks, ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ Merry Murray, more than forty years ago, you came here to Atrium, to these people, and you indelibly shaped Atrium into what it is and what it will always be. There simply is no Atrium without you.” – Marshall Carter, Head of School
THE BUNNY BURROW
Dedicated to Merry Murray Meade
We’re excited to announce that we are dedicating a new Kindergarten and PreK play area to Merry Murray! Following the advice of Merry Murray and her colleagues, we are adding a mud kitchen and water play equipment to Atrium’s newly renovated outdoor campus, along with the necessary landscaping, storage, and safety enhancements. Please consider a donation to honor Merry Murray’s legacy and help us raise the $24,000 needed.
“Children need time to play with friends, get messy, and let the discoveries begin without always having an adult guiding the outcome. My feelings about this come from Bev Bos, an educator who inspired me. Bev said, ‘If it hasn’t been in the hand and the body, it can’t be in the brain.’ When I taught with Victor Bradley, we used her ideas to guide our daily practice.
“It’s so important for Atrium’s youngest students to encounter outdoor facilities specifically designed for their use. These days, I find that there are too many young children who don’t get to explore the world sufficiently with their hands. When they are given the opportunity to play with mud and water and become used to getting their hands dirty, this sets them up well for tactile classroom learning activities.” – Merry Murray Meade
Artwork by Autumn (drawing) & Amaya (diorama).