[ 1950 ]
Summerhill School
Leiston, Suffolk
My dear Reich,
(^274)
February 27, 1950
Your letter gives me a bad conscience for it came at a time
when a special meeting of my parents was setting about raising a fund to
save S'hill, and naturally I couldn't tell them that I might-say, next
year-go to U.S.A. for good, and I say might, for there are so many
factors involved that only long talks with you in August-September will
make the final decision. It isn't going to be easy to decide, and in a
letter I can only suggest a few pros and cons.
Pros. I am learning and doing nothing new dealing with un-self-reg.
kids.
U.S.A. has more self-reg. kids than England has.
To work with and near you would be a great delight and tonic.
Cons. I'd feel bad leaving so many kids here with no one I know
capable of carrying on S'hill as I'd like it carried on. And all
old pupils would feel I had left them in the lurch, for they
assemble here thrice yearly at end of terms.
Here I am known, a man of some importance, acknowledged
to be the leading pioneer in Britain. In U.S.A. I'd begin as a
nobody.
I dunno the snags I'd meet in the way of opposition from
church or state.
I kick myself for giving you the impression in my last letter that I
had finally decided to come over for good ... I was overwhelmed at
the time by the financial mess the school is in. On the other hand I'd
hate to say: Leave us out completely, and I do think my suggestion of
talks in Maine should be left to settle all problems. Note my cowardice
in the matter, for I was really trying to let finance decide the future ...
"I can't make ends meet in S'hill, therefore, it must close and then I start
again in America." Then the parents' meeting and plans took away from
me this cowardly solution.
That is briefly my side, but it leaves you with the unsolved question:
Shall we build the school this summer or wait? It will have to be built,
whoever runs it, so why not start building? But here again questions
arise. Is a school in Orgonon the best place? I think of the comparison
between Leiston and Festiniog. In Wales we were in the mountains,
isolated, away from towns, films, libraries etc. The kids didn't mind
much but the staff got disgruntled at the isolation. And the parents