Sixty years ago Round Square began as a collaboration between eight schools whose commitment to character education was partly inspired by some of the best of Kurt Hahn’s ideas, along with many other influences from across the world. Even today, our community’s ethos, principles, and approach to character, and values-based, education are shaped by the diverse views, perspectives and practices of our membership, now 270 schools in 50 countries.
The founding schools included: Gordonstoun in Scotland, Schule Schloss Salem in Germany, Box Hill School in England, Anavryta in Greece, Battisborough in England, the Athenian School in America, Aiglon College in Switzerland and Louisenlund in Germany.
in 1966, group of school heads came together to celebrate Kurt Hahn’s 80th birthday, at the invitation of Prince Max of Baden, and the suggestion of Jocelin Winthrop Young, a former pupil of both Salem and Gordonstoun, and later the Headmaster of Anavryta school.
These schools had previously worked together in 1953. After an earthquake struck the Greek island of Kefalonia, some of the schools had sent students to assist in the recovery efforts.
During the birthday celebration, they discussed the positive impact this service experience had on the students. The experience had broadened their horizons, increased their sense of responsibility, and fostered courage, compassion, and international understanding. Moreover, working with students from other countries and cultures enhanced these values.
Timeline
History of Round Square Conferences
The Heads agreed that similar experiences should continue. They planned to meet again the following year and invite other schools to join the discussion. His Majesty King Constantine, a former Anavryta student, chaired this meeting at Gordonstoun. The meeting aimed to establish a permanent “Hahn Schools Conference.”
In 1967 this conference was officially named Round Square. The name came from the building at Gordonstoun in which that first gathering took place.
In the 1960s, Round Square Conferences were just for the Heads of School. Only a small number of students were occasionally invited to join as guests. It wasn’t until 1974 when the conference at Cobham Hall School in the UK began to establish Round Square Conferences as the student-focused events they are today.
Today, Round Square centres around six IDEALS or learning themes. While traces of Hahn’s Seven Laws of Salem are present, the RS IDEALS acronym did not emerge until the 1990s.
Initially, there were fewer than six IDEALS. Some believe Leadership came later, starting with IDEAS. Others suggest Service was last, creating IDEAL. However, records indicate that, due to student advocacy, Environmental Stewardship was the sixth addition, creating the acronym, IDEALS.
Why the name
Round Square?
We are named after the building in which the first Hahn Schools Conference took place in 1967: The Round Square at Gordonstoun.
Sir Robert Gordon, also known as the Wizard of Gordonstoun, built The Round Square in the second half of the 17th century.
Legend has it that, whilst studying in Italy, Sir Robert sold his soul to the Devil in return for knowledge. He supposedly built Gordonstoun’s Round Square, a perfectly circular building, so that there were “no corners for the Devil to hide behind”, and he could avoid having his soul taken at his death.