Marie Sklodowska Curie The life of Marie Curie contains prodigies in such number that one would like to tell her story like a legend. — Eve Curie Polish childhood and adolescence Marya Sklodowska was born on 7th November 1867 in Warsaw. She was the youngest in a family of five children, composed of four girls: Sophie or Zosia (1862), Bronislava or Bronya (1865), Helena or Hela (1866), Marya (1867), and one boy, Joseph, josio (1863). Little Marya, the favorite child, had many pet names, such as Manya, Manusia, Anupecio, as was often the case in Poland where affectionate names and diminutives are much used. Marya was a very lively child wh

Introduction There are some lives more than others that are marked by destiny and whose extraordinary path is the stuff of which legends are made. Marie Curie, known as one of the greatest scientific geniuses of the century, was also a woman who knew, when needed, how to actively engage herself in the service of science. She entirely devoted herself to scientific research, having made this choice very early in her life and no obstacle could ever divert her from her mission. Yet the obstacles were numerous: Marie was poor, she was born in an occupied country, Poland, under the yoke of Russia, and she was a woman in a world in which studies were reserved for men.

Published by Shubhra Ketu Foundation and The Mother's Institute of Research This monograph is part of a series on Value-oriented Education centered on three values: Illumination, Heroism and Harmony. The centered on there value: Illumination, Heroism and Harmony. The research, preparation and publication of the monographs that from part of this series are the result of the work and cooperation of several research teams of the sir Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER) at Auroville. General Editor: KIREET JOSHI Author and compiler of this monograph: Lala Cover design: Auroville Press Publishers Printed

Preface The task of preparing teaching-learning material for value-oriented education is enormous. There is, first, the idea that value-oriented education should be exploratory rather than prescriptive, and that the teaching-learning material should provide to the learners a growing experience of exploration. Secondly, it is rightly contended that the proper inspiration to turn to value-orientation is provided by biographies, autobiographical accounts, personal anecdotes, epistles, short poems, stories of humour, stories of human interest, brief passages filled with pregnant meanings, reflective short essays written in well-chiselled language, plays, powerful accounts

Appendices 1) The partitions of Poland 1772-1795 The kingdom of Poland had many weaknesses. The nobles elected its kings. The election campaigns to determine who would be king invited domestic and international troubles. Prussia, Austria, France and Russia each repeatedly plotted to put its favorite on the Polish throne. Only nobles were represented in Poland's legislature, the Diet. The Diet rarely accomplished anything because any one member could veto any legislation being considered. Poland contained large minority groups of various nationalities and religions. The Roman Catholic Poles and their leaders often discriminated against and oppressed the minorities, and