FLOWERS' FARM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1499, 23 July 1912, Page 9

FLOWERS' FARM.

SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. ■; The scheme for establishing a self-gov-erning colony for both boys and girls in England, on the lines of the George Ymuii in America, is well on the way to fulfilment, and the first colony will be established at Flowers' Farm, in Dorset. The farm is beautifully situated in wooded and well-watered country, and the architect's dreams go beyond the actual planning of houses, court, offices, etc., to a swimming bath made at the junction of two streams, one of which, called the Wriggle, is sure to entice by its humorous name. The farm is about equi-distant from Yeovil, Dorchester, and Sherborne, and is ideal in every respect for tho work to bo done there. Tho principle of self-government is not new in English school life. Dr. Hill, of Birmingham, end two of his sons—Arthur Hill and Rowland Hill—started a school on these lines at Hazlewood. The success was extraodrdinary. The boys made and administered their own laws, with very little help from their teachers. The discipline was excellent, and tho freedom given to tho boys producd an esprit de corps ([uite unusual even in school life. Jeremy Bentham .considered the Hazlewood School scheme to be tbo most practical scheme over evolved for the education of boys. About 1835, Rowland Hill, who was then the representative of the Hill family in charge of the Hazlewood School, left it to begin his great work at the Post Office, which resulted in the establishment of the penny postage. The success of the school then declined, because those in charge began to infringe the freedom of boys and to Temove the responsibility from them. At Flowors' Farm, in keeping with the' best spirit of social reform to-day, girls are included in the scheme, and will work side by side with the boys, sharing all responsibility and all privileges.