Madame CurieMaria Salomea Sklodowska was born on November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. She is the youngest out of five; Bronislawa, Zosia, Jozef and Helena. Her parents, Wladyslaw and Bronislawa, were educators who persuaded Maria and her siblings to continue their education. Her mother was the headmistress of a local girls' school and her father a physics teacher. In 1876, Bronislawa and Zosia contracted typhoid fever, which caused Zosia's death at the age of 14. In a subsequent death, in May 1878, Maria's mother died. At ten years old, Maria began attending J. Sikorska's boarding school. Maria entered third grade two years younger than her students. However, this did not stop Maria's genius; she graduated on June 12, 1883 first in her class, with a gold medal. After graduating, Maria sought higher education and attending college. However, during this period, women were not allowed to enter the University of Warsaw and, although Maria's family had no money to pay the tuition fees on board, Maria and her sister Bronislawa developed a plan. At 17, Maria left home. as the plan was, and became a governess outside Warsaw. According to the plan, Maria would save her money for about two years, sending it to her sister Bronislawa and for her medical studies in Paris. After these two or three years, Maria will then attend college to pursue a career in chemistry. In her position as governess, she falls in love with the eldest of the family, a student, Kazimierz Zorawski. However, the family opposed their love for each other, Kazimierz listened to his family and rejected Maria. Despite the awkwardness within the family, Maria remained until she fulfilled her commitment until the end of 1891.Mar...... middle of paper ......in the United States in 1921 when President Warren G. Harding gave her a gram of radium collected in the United States. The following year, Marie became a member of the International Commission on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations. In 1923, Marie wrote a biography of her husband; and six years later, in 1929, Marie participated in her second American tour. Finally, in 1930, Marie was elected a member of the International Atomic Weight Committee where she served until her death. Four years later, Marie made her last trip to Poland. On July 4, 1934, Maria Salomea Sklodowska died at Sancellemoz Santorum in Haute-Savoie from aplastic anemia; which is believed to be due to long-term exposure to radiation. Of course, at the time Marie lived, the risk of radiation exposure was not known and no safety measures were taken..