Summerhill School in Suffolk is considered the birthplace of anti-authoritarian education. Founded over 100 years ago in Suffolk, Great Britain, it still exists today as a charitable trust. Its founder was Alexander Sutherland Neill, whose educational ideas sparked nothing less than a revolution.
The writer Neill was born in 1883 in Forfar, Angus, and was considered a true rebel of his time. In his day, the cane hung in every classroom and was used almost daily, on girls as well as boys. Neill, however, defied the prevailing attitudes and believed that no punishment was necessary for successful learning. After all, children are naturally curious and only need the guidance of a teacher to satisfy this need and learn the things they need for life.
In the 1970s, this „anti-authoritarian“ approach to learning became popular throughout Europe. It fit perfectly with the spirit of the times, which was characterized, among other things, by sexual freedom and general permissiveness. The Flower Power movement was particularly influential at the time, and yesterday’s thinking and values seemed hopelessly outdated.
In many European countries, canes disappeared from classrooms. Teachers were thus stripped of their power and stood more or less disarmed before a class of rebellious teenagers who were no longer accustomed to authority and could no longer be controlled by detention and extra assignments alone. By then, parental authority had also been curtailed, and fathers who hit their children faced criminal charges if they so much as slapped their daughters.
Summerhill proved to be a complete failure after only a short time. But the idea of anti-authoritarian education nevertheless took hold and led an entire generation of educators to believe that successful pedagogy doesn’t require corporal punishment.
Today, there are hardly any countries left in the Western world where corporal punishment is still permitted. In England, the tawse was history. In France, teachers and parents were deprived of the good old martinet. In America, only a few schools were still allowed to use the paddle, and even then, only with explicit parental consent. Entire generations of unruly teenagers grew up without ever experiencing any marks on their bodies.
But neither Germany, nor England, France, nor the USA are the global standard. The leading economies of our time are in Asia, and Asian countries have always been known for their rigorous school systems, which are in no way inferior to their former European counterparts. Whether in Korea, Japan, or China, children and teenagers in these countries have always been prepared for a tough life. And this is only possible with discipline and relentless strictness.
And it requires teachers who can take firm action to prepare boys and girls in the best possible way for their future responsibilities in life. In Japan, a clear distinction is still made between the sexes. Japanese boys learn politeness, respect for their elders, and respect for superiors. The ideals for Japanese girls are humility, subservience, and a willingness to serve their husband or superior without reservation. The situation is not much different in the rest of Asia.
The tried and tested methods for instilling such virtues are ancient and based on cherished traditions that have proven their worth for thousands of years. Their visible symbol is the cane and the paddle. Millions of girls‘ bottoms have been treated with them until thick welts and greenish-red swellings appeared, ensuring that a rebellious spirit, blow by blow, developed a readiness for diligence, humility, and obedience.