A. S. Neill (1883–1973)

There is a bit of the old man telling stories here, but Neill's unabashed honesty and disarming charm make this a delight to read. The great educator delves into how the punished sex play with his sister stunted his own sexual development and playing the trickster mentor to troubled youths led to innovative, imaginative wisdom that was also imitated. Growing up in Scotland figures in here. After a majority part that is chronological biography, Neill offers a potpourri of short pieces on kids show more - these - days, women, Ibsen, and more. His recollections of Wilhelm Reich are what prompted me to read this, and they are worth the price of admission show less

Neill's idealistic views of education took their toll on the generations of victims who attended - and I believe still attend - his school, my mother and uncle among them. A book that has had a toxic effect on education far outside the confines of his school. Evidence that complete failure of an educational technique is no barrier to it becoming paradigmatic.

Summerhill is not only the story of the school, Summerhill, but also a book of psychology, sociology and biology (human). The author is the manager of Summerhill and describes it and its inhabitants in great detail. However, he seems to have an abnormal preoccupation with masturbation and uses every opportunity to mention it. He devotes one whole chapter to it and implies that the reason people stammer is because the have a guilt complex about masturbating.
Summerhill is in Leiston, Suffolk, show more England. Everybody is awake at eight and lessons begin at 9:30 and go on until one. No-one is forced to attend classes. Afternoon is free for any activities the children desire. Monday and Thursday nights the children attend movies in the nearby town; Tuesday nights Neill gives a talk on psychology; Wednesday night dances are held; Friday night is for rehearsing plays; and Saturday is the night of the General School Meeting. Most of the children are between the ages of four and sixteen.
This book interested me very much because I had been hearing about free schools a great deal and previous to reading this book I had only read a few articles about Everdale. The concept is fascinating and Neill's methods of bringing up children are very interesting. If I ever have children I would want them raised with no inhibitions the Neillian way. This book should be standard highschool reading instead of university. What better time to read abook about proper attitudes towards sex and self-discipline than when students whole lives are governed by wrong sexual attitudes and adult discipline?
I wrote this review when I was in high school (if you didn't guess). I believe my sister had taken the book in university and brought it home. I was always keen to read anything I found in our house and my parents never tried to restrict my reading. So I read a wide variety of literature and non-fiction. Although I probably don't remember most of the books I read back then this book did make an impression on me. I never did have children so I never got to try out the Neillian approach to child-rearing. Probably just as well.! show less

Well I read Inside Summerhill, a Summerhill book, years ago and was fascinated. I have three more on the topic to read and after these three Domine books. Neill seems to me earnest and sincere that I relish in his honestly and passion for his "bairns". I think I really would have enjoyed a conversation with the dominie. This three-in-one set charts his arc from hopeful experimenter in a liberal pedagogy to self-doubts and ultimate dismissal. Neill tried to learn apply then current show more psychological understanding to engender a creative, playful, free environment of self-directed learning from actualized inclinations, even if they be noisy and nontraditional for the classroom. He gives here a list of books on education, "psycho-analysis", and psychology including crowd psychology which he drew upon and I made a list of these books which now I myself hope to read. show less