Firmin Marbeau

Jean Firmin Marbeau (1798 – October 10, 1875) was a French philanthropist who pioneered the "crèche" movement, a forerunner of modern day care.

Marbeau was born in Brive-la-Gaillarde, and was by profession a lawyer in Paris.de icon cite encyclopedia | title = Marbeau | encyclopedia = Meyers Konversations-Lexikon | edition = 4th edition | year = 1890 | | volume = 11 | pages = p. 218 | url = http://www.retrobibliothek.de/retrobib/seite.html?id=110915] He is best known for founding the first "crèche", which opened in Paris on November 14, 1844. [cite book | author = U.K. Board of Education | chapter = The Development of Infant Schools and of Separate Nursery Schools from 1905 to the Present Time | title = Early Years Education: Major Themes in Education | editor = Rod Parker-Rees and Jenny Willan | year = 2006 | publisher = Routledge | id = ISBN 0415326699 | pages = p. 94] The "crèche" provided child care to enable working-class mothers to work jobs outside of the home, and spawned a Crèche Movement that led to a number of similar establishments being opened in France; the concept was also influential on the development of day care in North America. [cite book | author = Larry Prochner | chapter = A History of Early Education and Child Care in Canada, 1820-1966 | title = Early Childhood Care and Education in Canada | editor = Larry Prochner and Nina Howe | year = 2000 | publisher = UBC Press | id = ISBN 0774807725 | pages = p. 20] Marbeau wrote a number of books promoting the concept as well, and died in Saint-Cloud in 1875.

Writings

* "Politique des intérêts" (1834)
* "Études sur l'économie sociale" (1844)
* "Des crèches" (1845)
* "Du pauperisme en France" (1847)

References