Kees Boeke

Cornelis Boeke (25 September 1884, Alkmaar – 3 July 1966, Abcoude), usually known as Kees Boeke, was a Dutch reformist educator, Quaker missionary and pacifist. He is best known for his popular essay/book Cosmic View (1957) which presents a seminal view of the universe, from the galactic to the microscopic scale, and which inspired several films. Boeke tried to reform education by allowing the children to contribute their ideas. He called this process sociocracy and regarded schools as workshops, with pupils as workers, and teachers as co-workers. Based on Quaker ideas, he wanted the children to respect democracy. In 1926, he founded a school in Bilthoven, which he led until 1954. As a child, the later Dutch Queen Beatrix attended the school.