tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post4750702285659177493..comments2024-03-06T09:41:30.532+00:00Comments on Trapped by the Box: Escaping from the Box – The Dartington ExperienceChris Reynoldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04649202643490746910noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-51655339407141658702018-05-06T11:45:51.440+01:002018-05-06T11:45:51.440+01:00Enjoyed this post, Chris. I wonder if you are awar...Enjoyed this post, Chris. I wonder if you are aware of my own Dartington Memoir? It is available thru Amazon and is called:<br />"Elmsworld: My Life At Dartington Hall School 1963 -1971".<br />Steve MacManus Mach_1https://www.blogger.com/profile/17727863800383205276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-19413227302666142322018-01-16T20:48:29.736+00:002018-01-16T20:48:29.736+00:00I have just found a most interesting article "...I have just found a most interesting article "An Experimental Education" by Miriam Gross (http://standpointmag.co.uk/text-may-11-an-experimental-education-miriam-gross-dartington-hall-school-w-b-curry) .<br /><br />Miriam was at Foxhole at the same time was I was and her general description of the place and how it worked is basically similar to mine - except that she has responded to freedom to attend lessons in a very different way, and felt there was not enough motivation to learn. However I feel that whatever the limitations in her case it doesn't seem to have prevented her following a very interesting career. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_GrossChris Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04649202643490746910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-33750772060300408482014-09-23T20:24:44.589+01:002014-09-23T20:24:44.589+01:00Hello Per,
I remember you at Foxhole. I had forgo...Hello Per,<br /><br />I remember you at Foxhole. I had forgotten that you were only with us for one term. It evidently had an impact. I have spent the past 30 years teaching in conventional schools. Reading Chris' blog I recall blissfully happy times, but also have some regrets about time wasted when perhaps a little more 'encouragement' to work harder might have meant I wouldn't have had to resit exams to get into art school. Best wishes, Sebastian ChanceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-52263146042053234022011-09-11T21:37:56.235+01:002011-09-11T21:37:56.235+01:00Commenting on the above on the Dartington Hall Fac...Commenting on the above on the Dartington Hall Facebook site Richard wrote:<br /><br />Having dedicated my life to freeing myself of internal traps (childhood) and avoiding entrapping myself in the external (social, economic) traps I take issue with the assumption that we are trapped. Whilst it may be difficult to recognise, and even more difficult to avoid the many traps, as human beings our birthright is freedom, and we always have choice. We are not hapless victims.<br /><br />I replied:<br /><br />I am interested in Richard's comments – because we are all trapped in many ways. For instance we are all trapped on the surface of the earth, and many people are trapped by poverty, and in some parts of the world by the inability to get enough nourishing food or fresh water. Some traps are easy to get out of – if you want to – while others are hard. <br /><br />Yesterday I was involved in discussions with an evangelical Christian who passionately believed he was free and his mission in life was to free people who were trapped by erroneous beliefs in Allah, or Krishna, or [insert your own choice here] - or no god at all. No doubt those who flew the planes into the World Trade Centre were just as fervently convinced that they were freely doing the will of Allah to destroy the Western infidels who were trapped by the false gods of Christianity and capitalism. I am sure you could chose any religion that ever existed and find people who were equally passionate that their faith gives them freedom and that they want to free others who are trapped by false beliefs. The atheists will of course argue that they are free from all that ridiculous mumbo jumbo.<br /><br />The point is that were are all inside many different boxes of different kinds, and if you are happy in some of the boxes you will not feel trapped by them – and you may call the ability to move within the box “freedom”. Other people - who do not share that box may well see you as hopelessly trapped. In some cases you will be be able to switch boxes to something more desirable, but in other cases you are permanently trapped.Chris Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04649202643490746910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-32250625885025899392011-09-11T18:16:20.243+01:002011-09-11T18:16:20.243+01:00Margo's comment about whether Dartington could...Margo's comment about whether Dartington could ever have fully prepared me for the “rat race” is fair – and bullying would not be the only factor. One must consider the male role model at home. My father clearly had trouble at school and said very little about it apart from a couple of episodes relating to his lack of academic success – and definitely had no long-term school friends. I am sure he would have been diagnosed as dyslexic today – and I strongly suspect that he was bullied. In some ways I now think he had similar problems to those I developed.<br /><br />In addition I was brought up(for the most relevant years) living in the accommodation associated with my father's newsagents shop. Of course I loved working in the shop – and as a child in such a situation the lesson one learns is that one's role is to be a polite and efficient servant, doing nothing that could possibly alienate a customer. <br /><br />Whatever happened after I became an adolescent, the die had already been caste and I can't see myself ever having been either a dynamic leader – or a cut-throat bully who tramples on other people's lives to get nearer to the top.Chris Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04649202643490746910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-61468967613301236262011-09-11T08:44:28.412+01:002011-09-11T08:44:28.412+01:00I have to ask.. Would you have been happier if you...I have to ask.. Would you have been happier if you had joined the 'ray race'? Also consider your experience of not competing... Sounds like you felt it was a choice...I suspect That you could have if you had wanted to; the lack of self esteem that goes with bullying wouldbe more likely to result in a Delong of inability and worthlessness. We should reflect on dartington in terms of what it achieves not on whether in four short years it can entirely heal years of abuse.<br /><br />Those of us who came to dartington for a relatively short time have the benefit of perspective and from what I hear many, like me arrived damaged. It is incredible that so much healing went on. Do we really want to totally buy in to the 'rat race'? Do you feel that your scientific contribution would have been greater without that experience?<br /><br /><br />In other schools there is great conflict about who the client is. It bassi area between the government, employers and parents and rarely considers the student. Dartington is Different.<br /><br />Another problem with education is measuring outcomes. When you go beyond formal paper qualifications it is very qualitative and difficult to prove...<br /><br />I believe I would have had persistent mental health issues if I had not gone to dartington. I have completely erased the two years before from my memory. I have worked in education all my life... And yes that has caused some conflicts I am one of the guerilla army infiltrating the state system with stealth and determination. <br /><br />We are not alone there are others out there working for the libertarian values we learnt at dartington. If any one is interested check out Living Values. The early years curriculum and the Every Child Matters guide lines which all promote aspects we would recognise and support.Margo Fourmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-54520405405694796482011-09-11T06:56:14.997+01:002011-09-11T06:56:14.997+01:00thanks for an interesting blog chris,sorry to hear...thanks for an interesting blog chris,sorry to hear about your bullying and the profound lifelong effect it had on you. i know that feeling having had some of it myself at the state schools i went to after dartington. it's great that you've achieved so much though in spite of all that. keep up the good work.<br />warm thoughts<br />max barnesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00143269086284281691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709452311733751183.post-39942401250228957132011-09-08T21:50:50.253+01:002011-09-08T21:50:50.253+01:00Hi Chris!
It was interesting your text about Darti...Hi Chris!<br />It was interesting your text about Dartington. The re-union reinvented many thoughts and inspire me to further thoughts about it, the Dartington spirit.<br />With best regards, from Per from Sweden who just was ther for a summer term 1968. Thanks!Per Lagercrantznoreply@blogger.com