15 APRIL 1949, Page 30

The Problem Family. By A. S. Neill. (Herbert Jenkins. 7s.

6d.)

Tins is a chaotic strident sermon on the education of children, saying the same thing again and again, fulminating against present society and traditional school methods. Mr. Neill, founding his theories on his own school, advocates complete freedom, more especially sexual freedom. Although he tends to over-state, and gives sometimes a ludicrous account of the way " anti life " families are brought up, he has a great deal sensible to say—that the bad behaviour in a child is due to the whole psychological situation and cannot be cleared up by superficial changes ; that a rigid system of discipline fosters neuroses and the vices ; that children need love and freedom of development. Some readers who will not go the whole way with Mr. Neill, and dislike his truculent manner of writing, may yet find the book stimulating and, in many directions, wise.