arrangement of a thorough discussion of all pertinent questions at our
convention in 1950.
Please inform me about what you think of this.Summerhill School
Leiston, Suffolk
My dear Reich,
- • •
April 12, 1949This cutting* may mean the beginning of a witch hunt. The
fool of a man has started something that may end badly for others. He
got much publicity recently by inviting a cane merchant to visit the
school, and then at a signal from him, the big boys took the cane from
the man and beat him. We all wonder if S'hill will be next to be enquired
into. I at least have 28 years of work to show, and have a lot of sup
porters, but if you get into the hands of the law, some little judge has
the power to kill your work.
I have just been to a conference of co-ed head teachers. The con
ference depressed me; they are all tied to religion and their morality.
The kids are all home for a month but we have much to do in this
place. And this threat of government inspection tends to make us de
pressed too. To go against the stream of education requires much
courage and anxiety.
Since I stopped smoking I seem to eat more and am getting so fat
that I am worried about it. Your Rangeley belts will hardly meet round
my waist now.
Questions are being asked in the House of Commons about private
schools, and I expect to be enquired into very soon. My fear is that
I MAY BE TEMPTED to compromise so that Zoe can stay in a
school of my making. If I have to shut down I don't know how to live.
You'll say Come to U.S.A. but if my school were closed by authority
here, U.S. authority wouldn't likely give me a visa. And even if I came,
with no capital, how could I set up a school? I may sound pessimistic,
but I am sure that bad times are soon coming. Financially we cannot
make S'hill pay, but that is a minor matter. One question about adoles-
* A newspaper report of an event in a self-styled "free" school.