£50
FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR, 8vo, pp. [vi], 226, [6, ads]. Original red cloth, front board blocked in black, spine lettered in black. First and last leaves toned, some spotting to textblock edge. Spine lightly sunned, extremities a little bumped. Signed by Neill and dated 1962 to flyleaf.
An autobiographical novel by radical educator Alexander Sutherland Neill (1883-1973), founder and long-term headmaster of Summerhill School. Prior to its founding, he wrote a series of lightly-fictionalised books about his struggles as an educator, and the struggles he faced attempting to implement his teaching philosophy. 'For him, the important task was to free children from fear, to replace an emphasis on intellect with one on emotion, rather than to teach or instruct. 'No man is good enough to tell another how to live. No man is wise enough to guide another's footsteps.'' (ODNB). Signed copies are rare in trade.
