Alexander Sutherland Neill
Alexander Sutherland Neill was a Scottish educator and author known for his school, Summerhill, and its philosophy of freedom from adult coercion and community self-governance. Raised in Scotland, Neill taught at several schools before attending the University of Edinburgh in 1908–1912. He took two jobs in journalism before World War I, and taught at Gretna Green Village School in the second year of the war, writing his first book, A Dominie's Log (1915), as a diary of his life there as head teacher. He joined a Dresden school in 1921 and founded Summerhill on returning to England in 1924. Summerhill gained renown in the 1930s and then in the 1960s–1970s, due to progressive and counter-culture interest. Neill wrote 20 books. His top seller was the 1960 Summerhill, read widely in the free school movement from the 1960s.
A Dominie Dismissed
A teacher's unique methods are challenged when he is dismissed and replaced by a strict disciplinarian, forcing him to question his beliefs about childhood education as he returns to the village in a new role.
By Alexander Sutherland Neill
A Dominie in Doubt
Questioning the status quo, a school teacher rethinks education, challenging old-school methods, and sparking a revolution in how youngsters learn.
By Alexander Sutherland Neill
A Dominie's Log
Venture back in time when teaching was riddled with frustration and one Scottish teacher dared to question traditional education methods while seeking understanding and self-discovery among students.
By Alexander Sutherland Neill