Let me describe a typical day in Summerhill. Breakfast is from
8:15 to 9. The staff and pupils carry their breakfast from the
kitchen across to the dining room. Beds are supposed to be made
by 9:30, when lessons begin.

At the beginning of each term, a timetable is posted. Thus,
Derek in the laboratory may have Class I on Monday, Class II
on Tuesday, and so on. I have a similar timetable for English
and mathematics; Maurice for geography and history. The
younger children (aged seven to nine) usually stay with their
own teacher most of the morning, but they also go to Science or
the Art Room.

No pupil is compelled to attend lessons. But if Jimmy comes
to English on Monday and does not make an appearance again
until Friday of the following week, the others quite rightly ob-
ject that he is holding back the work, and they may throw him
out for impeding progress.

Lessons go on until one, but the kindergarteners and juniors
lunch at 12:30. The school has to be fed in two relays. The staff
and seniors sit down to lunch at 1:30.

Afternoons are completely free for everyone. What they all do
in the afternoon I do not know. I garden, and seldom see young-
sters about. I see the juniors playing gangsters. Some of the sen-
iors busy themselves with motors and radios and drawing and
painting. In good weather, seniors play games. Some tinker
about in the workshop, mending their bicycles or making boats
or revolvers.

Tea is served at four. At five, various activities begin. The jun-
iors like to be read to. The middle group likes work in the Art

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