Green Valley School, Orange City, Florida

This is a true story

In Green Valley School, Orange City, Florida: America's Most Unusual School, Jack Dancer delves into the fascinating and tumultuous history of a revolutionary educational experiment that defied the norms of its time. This book is not just a memoir of Dancer's time as a volunteer staff member during the late '60s but a deep dive into the story of America's first "free school"the controversial and trailblazing Summerlane School, which ultimately became Green Valley School in Orange City, Florida.

Founded by the enigmatic Reverend George von Hilsheimer, a man as brilliant as he was unorthodox, the school drew inspiration from A.S. Neill's Summerhill School in England. Reverend George, an ordained preacher at just 14, was a complex figure who balanced between being hailed as a visionary and dismissed as a charlatan. His passionate belief in individual freedom, creative imagination, and human dignity set the foundation for a school that was as unconventional as it was ambitious.

But this story is not just about the school's idealsit's about the relentless opposition it faced. Through meticulous research spanning over 400 sources, including court transcripts, newspaper articles, interviews, and a U.S. Senate investigation, Dancer uncovers how politicians and bureaucrats conspired to dismantle this educational experiment. Despite their efforts, they could not silence the impact of Green Valley. When all else failed, they resorted to a time-honored tactic: a show trial aimed at discrediting the institution and its founder.

Green Valley School is a gripping narrative of rebellion, resilience, and the fight for an education system that dared to be different, offering a rare glimpse into a chapter of American history that many tried to erase.

Dettagli