Summerhill School - Revised and Expanded; Alexander S. Neill; Edited and Introduced by Albert Lamb; Foreword by Robert Gottlieb

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Summerhill School

A New View of Childhood

Revised and Expanded; Alexander S. Neill; Edited and Introduced by Albert Lamb; Foreword by Robert Gottlieb

St. Martin's Griffin, September 1995
ISBN: 978-0-312-14137-0, ISBN10: 0-312-14137-8,
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 304 pages,
Trade Paperback, $16.99

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Originally published in 1960, Summerhill became an instant bestseller—and a must-read on the topic of education for an entire generation. Now, this thoroughly expanded and revised edition reinstates the revolutionary "free school" traditions begun by Summerhill's founder, A. S. Neill

As American education continues to lag behind the rest of the world, this new edition is more timely than ever. Today's children face struggles far greater than any previous generation; educators must now teach them to make choices for themselves, and to learn from the outcome of their decisions.

Summerhill School is a classic work that presents an essential treatise challenging us to rethink our approach to education—and to rethink childhood itself.

Praise

"A. S. Neill is one of the greatest pioneers of modern times in the education of the child . . . Anyone who is in any way concerned with the education of children should make this book required reading."—Ashley Montagu

"I know of no educator in the western world who can compare to A. S. Neill. [This book] is a tiny ray of light in the world of darkness."—Henry Miller

"This update of the 1960 classic Summerhill presents radical educational theorist A. S. Neill, 'looking back in 1971 on fifty years of running his pioneering self-governing free school,' in Suffolk, England. Lamb, who was an American student there in the early 1960s, weaves extracts of Neill's writings in a narrative that details the progressive school's struggles. As an octogenarian, Neill (1884-1973) recalls his advocacy of a then-new psychological approach that pointed to emotions, not intellect, as the primary forces shaping a child's growth. At Summerhill, now run by Neill's daughter, Zoe Readhead, 'kids grow up in their own way and at their own speed' in a self-governing, sympathetic environment. It appears that they are not scanted educationally. Generous in acknowledging his debt to others, including his mentor, psychologist Wilhelm Reich, Neill here freshly details his belief in children's ability to be self-regulating."—Publishers Weekly

About the Author(s)

By A. S. Neill and Albert Lamb

A. S. Neill was born in 1883 in Forfar, Scotland. In addition to establishing the Summerhill School, Neill lectured widely and published over twenty books. He died in 1973. His daughter, Zoë Readhead, now serves as the headmistress of Summerhill.

Editor Albert Lamb, a Summerhill alumnus, worked as a cartoonist and musician before returning to the school to help out on the staff. He now commutes between Summerhill and his home in the Cotswolds, where he lives with his family.