MARIA SKŁODOWSKA WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER 7 1867 IN WARSAW POLAND YOU MUST STUDY HARD MY CHILDREN NOT JUST FOR YOU BUT ALSO FOR POLAND SHE WAS THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE CHILDREN HER PARENTS BOTH TEACHERS WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AT THE TIME THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE OCCUPIED MUCH OF POLAND RUSSIA FORBADE THE TEACHING OF THE POLISH LANGUAGE AND POLISH CULTURE PRUSSIAN PART RUSSIAN PART AUSTRIAN PART POLAND WE’VE TRIED TO TAKE OUR FREEDOM THROUGH VIOLENCE MANY TIMES BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS THAT’S NOT THE WAY THE TRUE WAY TO MAKE A COUNTRY STRONG AND FREE IS THROUGH CULTURE AND KNOWLEDGE 5
BUT THE RUSSIANS WON’T ALLOW US POLES TO STUDY OUR OWN CULTURE AND SO YOUNG POLES HAVE TO HIDE THEY EVEN SEND INSPECTORS TO CHECK THE SCHOOLS BUT WE HAVE A CLANDESTINE SCHOOL THE FLYING UNIVERSITY WHERE WE CAN PRESERVE OUR TRADITIONS THAT’S WHY MY CHILDREN YOU HAVE TO STUDY HARD NOW LET’S CARRY ON WITH TONIGHT’S READING A TALE OF TWO CITIES BY CHARLES DICKENS 6
MANYA HOWEVER HARD WE STUDY WE WON’T BE ABLE TO GO TO UNIVERSITY WE COULD GO TO THE SORBONNE IN PARIS BUT HOW WOULD WE PAY FOR IT ONE OF US CAN STUDY WHILE THE OTHER STAYS BEHIND WORKING TO PAY FOR THE LESSONS OF COURSE AND THEN THE OTHER WAY AROUND YOU’RE OLDER YOU SHOULD GO FIRST I’LL WORK WE HAVE TO KNOW GREEK AND LATIN BUT HERE THEY DON’T TEACH THOSE TO GIRLS WE’LL HAVE TO STUDY ABROAD YOU’RE RIGHT BRONIA I HEAR THE ZORAWSKIS ARE LOOKING FOR A GOVERNESS 7
1889 WHAT YOU WANT TO TEACH MY CHILDREN AND THE PEASANTS CHILDREN THAT’S RIGHT MR ZORAWSKI BUT IF THE RUSSIANS FIND OUT THE CHILDREN HAVE TO LEARN WE MUST RISK IT IT’S OUR DUTY AS POLES ALL RIGHT BUT DO IT ON YOUR OWN TIME AND DON’T LET ANYONE FIND OUT 8
