Gordonstoun School
Gordonstoun School was founded by Dr. Kurt Hahn in 1933 in North East Scotland as an independent boarding school for boys. In the first few decades, the preparatory school only enrolled a handful of boys, who attended classes in two historic 17th-century buildings, Gordonstoun House and Round Square. During World War II, the boys had to evacuate to Llandinam. Upon returning to Goudonstoun, they found that the school was fire-ravaged. For this reason, the school operated on split sites throughout the 1950s, with half of the campus located at Altyre in Forres. The school did not become co-educational until 1972.
Gordonstoun School was founded by Dr. Kurt Hahn in 1933 in North East Scotland as an independent boarding school for boys. In the first few decades, the preparatory school only enrolled a handful of boys, who attended classes in two historic 17th-century buildings, Gordonstoun House and Round Square. During World War II, the boys had to evacuate to Llandinam. Upon returning to Goudonstoun, they found that the school was fire-ravaged. For this reason, the school operated on split sites throughout the 1950s, with half of the campus located at Altyre in Forres. The school did not become co-educational until 1972.
Abbotsholme School
Abbotsholme School was founded in 1889 by Dr Cecil Reddie, who wanted to provide modern, progressive education for boys between the ages of 10 and 19. The school was radically different from traditional boarding schools. Boys studied modern languages instead of classical Latin and Greek. They were also encouraged to cultivate a relationship with nature, growing their own gardens, beekeeping, and having classes suspended for haymaking season. Uniforms were casual and more comfortable than usual boarding school wear. Headmasters that succeeded Dr. Reddie continued to promote his vision for the school, eschewing the rigid conformity enforced by conventional institutions. By the 1950s, music and arts were an integral part of the curriculum. Around this time, the school also began to attract students from abroad. The friendly, non-threatening relationship between staff and pupils attracted students from various cultural and religious backgrounds whose parents supported the privileging of study of the arts and natural science.
Summerhill
Summerhill was founded in 1921 in Hellerau, a suburb of Dresden, by A.S. Neill. The school relocated several times before settling at its present site at Leiston, in Suffolk, in 1927. The school was evacuated during World War II, and pupils were moved to Ffestiniog in Wales. They returned to Summerhill after the war, but the occupying soldiers left the school in need of much repair. Well into the 1950s, much money and resources were still going towards restoring buildings and grounds. Neill had a very casual attitude about academics. He encouraged pupils to work at their own pace and to rest often to enjoy life and leisure. Class attendance was optional. Neill's liberality led to much negative press about what a local newspaper referred to as the "Do As You Please" school. In the late 1950s, pupil intake decreased to 25, and the school faced pressures to close its doors. Neill's wrote a book about his progressive methods of education, "Summerhill --- A Radical Approach to Child Rearing," that was published in 1960 and became a national best seller. It created quite a stir in the U.S. and attracted a great number of new pupils, many of them international, and the school was frequented by many visitors curious about Neill's unusual methods.
Wellesley House
Wellesley House was originally founded in 1866 as Conyngham House in Ramgate. The boys' boarding school relocated several times in the years before 1950. In World War II, the school was evacuated to hunting lodges in Rannoch, while the Army took over the school's campus. In 1946, students returned to campus under the leadership of John Boyce, who remained headmaster throughout the 1950s. The school emphasized traditional subjects, including math, science, history and classical languages.
Abbotsholme School was founded in 1889 by Dr Cecil Reddie, who wanted to provide modern, progressive education for boys between the ages of 10 and 19. The school was radically different from traditional boarding schools. Boys studied modern languages instead of classical Latin and Greek. They were also encouraged to cultivate a relationship with nature, growing their own gardens, beekeeping, and having classes suspended for haymaking season. Uniforms were casual and more comfortable than usual boarding school wear. Headmasters that succeeded Dr. Reddie continued to promote his vision for the school, eschewing the rigid conformity enforced by conventional institutions. By the 1950s, music and arts were an integral part of the curriculum. Around this time, the school also began to attract students from abroad. The friendly, non-threatening relationship between staff and pupils attracted students from various cultural and religious backgrounds whose parents supported the privileging of study of the arts and natural science.
Summerhill
Summerhill was founded in 1921 in Hellerau, a suburb of Dresden, by A.S. Neill. The school relocated several times before settling at its present site at Leiston, in Suffolk, in 1927. The school was evacuated during World War II, and pupils were moved to Ffestiniog in Wales. They returned to Summerhill after the war, but the occupying soldiers left the school in need of much repair. Well into the 1950s, much money and resources were still going towards restoring buildings and grounds. Neill had a very casual attitude about academics. He encouraged pupils to work at their own pace and to rest often to enjoy life and leisure. Class attendance was optional. Neill's liberality led to much negative press about what a local newspaper referred to as the "Do As You Please" school. In the late 1950s, pupil intake decreased to 25, and the school faced pressures to close its doors. Neill's wrote a book about his progressive methods of education, "Summerhill --- A Radical Approach to Child Rearing," that was published in 1960 and became a national best seller. It created quite a stir in the U.S. and attracted a great number of new pupils, many of them international, and the school was frequented by many visitors curious about Neill's unusual methods.
Wellesley House
Wellesley House was originally founded in 1866 as Conyngham House in Ramgate. The boys' boarding school relocated several times in the years before 1950. In World War II, the school was evacuated to hunting lodges in Rannoch, while the Army took over the school's campus. In 1946, students returned to campus under the leadership of John Boyce, who remained headmaster throughout the 1950s. The school emphasized traditional subjects, including math, science, history and classical languages.
