Timeline of the Creation Story of AMS (Laurie Stockton-Moreno)

By LuluStockton-Moreno

  • Initial Introduction of Montessori to the U.S.

  • Casa dei Bambini opened in Rome

  • McClure's magazine publishes a series of articles on Montessori Education

  • First American Montessori school opened

    Designed for the fashionable elite families, rather than for underprivileged children.

  • William Kilpatrick published a scathing critique of Montessori Education

    Accused Montessori of poor science and poor philosophical underpinnings.

  • Montessori lectures in the U.S.

    But her movement faced numerous critics in the U.S. by that time.

  • Montessori interest all but died out in the U.S.

  • American public growing discontent with American education

  • Maria Montessori died

    The capacity for her work to be reborn was launched.

  • 10th International Montessori Congress in Paris

    Nancy McCormick Rambusch met Mario Montessori, second in command of the Association Montessori Internationale after Maria, who urged her to take Montessori training and bring it to the U.S.

  • Whitby School Founded

    The first Montessori school to open in the U.S. during this new wave of interest. Rambusch became Head of School.

  • Rambusch appointed as U.S. representative to AMI

  • American Montessori Founded by Nancy McCormick Rambusch

  • Time Magazine Featured Montessori revival

    Time highlighted the revival of Montessori, the founding of Whitby School, and Rambusch's successes, creating greater interest among the public and parents about the Montessori method.

  • Rambusch published the book, "Learning How to Learn"

    About Montessori education, and led to increased growth of Montessori education in the U.S.

  • Rambusch leaves Whitby to focus on AMS efforts

    National interest in the Montessori movement had grown and board work, teacher training efforts, along with running Whitby had become fully absorbing.

  • AMI withdrew recognition of AMS

    Strained relations stemming from differences of opinion regarding authenticity of Montessori Education and adjustments sought in the U.S. to better align with American culture resulted in AMI withdrawing recognition of AMS. AMS became an independent organization. Mario Montessori leaves the AMS Board of Directors.

  • Cleo Monson hired as AMS Executive Secretary

    Monson organized the AMS office and coordinated activites.

  • Rambusch resigned as President of AMS

  • AMS national office relocates from Greenwich, Connecticut to New York City

  • AMS seminar "Montessori for American Children"

    Held in Chicago.

  • U.S. Patent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision

    Ruled that the term "Montessori" has generic significance and may be used freely without guarantee that it refers to authentic Montessori principles.

  • AMS sues AMI over the right to exclusively use the term Montessori in the U.S.

    AMS lost that battle.

  • Cleo Monson named National Director of AMS

    Monson's work was instrumental in the continuation of AMS. She retired in 1978.

  • Cleo Monson retires as AMS National Director

  • AMS first international symposium in Athens

  • AMI-USA was established.

    This move further enflamed the differences between AMS and the European/Mario Montessori factions.

  • Death of Nancy McCormick Rambusch

  • Public Montessori schools begin to pop up in the U.S.

  • Angeline Stoll Lillard publishes "The Science Behind the Genius"

    Describes research that validates the efficacy of Montessori method.

  • Publication of research on Montessori Education in "Science" Magazine

    Indicated significant performance gains by children in Montessori schools.

  • AMS continues to thrive and drive excellence in private and public Montessori education.

  • AMS and AMI collaborate on a Social Justice publication

    Demonstrating ability to work together for the common good in the field of Montessori.