Based on extensive interviews with former pupils and teachers, this Pulitzer Prize-nominated work is a seminal and important investigation into the potential of educational alternatives. Between 1910 and 1960 anarchists across the United States established more than 20 schools wherein children studied in an atmosphere of freedom and self-reliance. The Modern Schools stood in sharp contrast to the formality and discipline of the traditional classroom and sought to ab… More >>
#1 by Heather Hall on July 2, 2010 - 6:04 pm
Avrich expertly tells the tale of anarchist free schools in the U.S. by focusing on the interesting personalities that propelled the movement. He’s such a good writer that this book feels like a “quick read” even at 400 pages. Anyone interested in radical and anarchist history would appreciate The Modern School Movement. One of its particular strengths is to highlight the constructive and nuturing aspects of a political movement that is popularly associated with bomb-throwing and chaos. Also, any parent or teacher who needs inspiration about alternative education will find a lot to think about. In our age of high-stakes testing and regimented schooling, we need visions of how education could truly serve to create independent and creative human beings. Highly recommended for readers who have enjoyed John Taylor Gatto’s “Dumbing Us Down” or A. S. Neill’s “Summerhill”.
Rating: 4 / 5