UC36 October-November 1979 by Christopher Squire

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Undercurrents 36 October-November 1979 Contents

1 Eddies - News from everywhere 6 What’s When and What’s What 8 Who Are We Kidding? - Stephanie Leland: The folly of single vision 10 Out - Eileen Adams: Outside the classroom there’s a world to win 12 Future Perfect - Simon Nicholson & Ray Lorenzo: Kids can change the world as well as understand it 15 City Jungles - Lyndis Cole: Greening your alley 17 Daughter of Alice - Jo Nesbitt: An everyday story of alternative folk 18 News From Schools - Un Simonon 20 Grass Roots Farming - Sandy Wheeler: City farm State land grab threat 21 Country Shock - Mary McHarg:Town kids’ rural idyll . 22 Extra-ordinary Levels -Norton Taylor & Daphne Brook: Education as it could be 23 Kids’ Supplement: Ma Gaia’s Earth Comic -Judy Close & Un Simonon 27 Competition Kills - John Oxenham: To cram or not to cram 29 Risks and Rewards - Mog & Colin Ball: Community service is good for you 31 Lesson From The People - Nigel Wright: Educating our masters 33 Some Schools: Free and progressive schools speak for themselves 34 Right To Intervene? - Dick Kitto: How to keep the state at bay 36 Cuddle Power - Cris Nickolay: Hugs and hassles in the classroom 37 Reviews and Resources 45 Letters __________________________________________________________________________________________ Published every two months by Undercurrents Ltd., 27 Clerkenwell Close, London EClR OAT. Details of editorial meetings, distribution, etc., are on page 48 . ISSN 0306 2392. ________________________________________________

AS WITH ALL ideas, Children and the Environment began as the smallest spark, which with incredible speed ignited into a project that grew too large to fit into the twenty-eight pages allotted for features inside an issue of Undercurrents. So, we have had to narrow it down to topics related to school and the environment. The theme that has emerged as a result of this process is that schools procreate and manifest our ailing and fragmented society. A healthy, flowing society is one which is integrated without institutions. Education should be the process of living within an environment which in itself is nourishing and creative. The subject is apparently one of enormous interest and concern to many people as indicated by the extraordinary number of excellent contributions which have continued to flow in through the letter box. Sadly, we have had to put aside all the contributions we have received concerning children and health, pollution, nutrition, population, racism and sexism, and many, many more. We have also had to delete over 50 % of the resources and reviews which we had painstakingly collected together. All of this we hope to make available in the future as part of a more comprehensive and extensive publication. Lin and Stephanie

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Movesareafoot to form a new national anti-nuclear mpaigning organisation. An anti-nuclear movement conference in November will be wesented with oropoaals for a British Anti-N Campaign (BAN or ANC?). This will aim to iroaden the base of opposition to nuclear power in Britain, particularly by providing a reference point for the growing - trade union support for the Fil'OyfnQnt.

rha proposal was launched at an Energy 2000 meeting in Sheffield i n August 4:There Arthur Sco-gill (president of Yorkshire rational Union of Mineworkersl tpoke oftha need for a unified Tiovement to "speak with one foice" against the nuclear lobby. 4e proposed an organisation in which all those opposed to vuclear power could sink their jifferences to campaign on the iingle issue, mentioning the 'obvious success" of the AntiMazi League. Speakers in support included he Secretary of the Amal mated Jnion of Engineering Workers tngineering section, the president if Scottith NUM. and four of the +ve.MPs present. National is now formally opposed to mcls.~ waste dumping, while the Scottish end Durham sections are to nuclear power stations. W A E U W i s bringing a motion to Trades Unions Congress calling f ~ ar complete review of energy polilsy'..': There was littlepctual fscussion at the meeting-but it weed (tacitly, w i t were) to go head, with asteering committee Jweloping the proposals and irganising the m t i o r l conference. rhis committee, though largely elf-appointed at the moment, $ m a to represent most shades of ipinion within the presentantinubclearhvament-and that's a wide range, from the Conservative Ecology Group to anarchist direct actionists! One noticeablegap was the strictly 1-1 groups suchas the Orknev Hcritaw Societv. ~iscus~io atnthe moment

centres onwhat exactly "unity" rneansforWti6n which aims to draw in every possible facet of opposition to nuclear' power, and on how it could be structured to support rather than limit the diversity of autonomous groups we have now. There seems to be agreement 'that it would be based on minimum demands of a halt to the nuclear programme, development of alternatives and job guarantees. These might be expanded to include calls for phasing out existing plants and for energy conservation-but these could come into conflict with the policies of some potential supporting organisations. It's suggested that the new organisation could serve as a "banner" under which groups campaigning on specificantinuclear issues would work. It could co-ordinate actions such as mass ralliesgnd provide support to existing (and new) local and regional groups. Thus activities carried out under i t s name might range from parliamentary lobbying to occupations of sites. A wide range of different views could be presented by the various campaigning groups, hopefully in mutual tolerance! The movement conference is planned for November 10 at the 'London School of Economics. Bookings from group representativesc/o Tony Webb, 9 Poland Strut, on don W1. Discussion papers on the objectives and structure of the organisation welcome at the

Mike Holde-

THE LATEST victim of the Contradictions of Capitalism swmu likely t o be-the British nudear Industry, thrown against the ropes in market forces prize fight by the international film industry. Thisepic confrontation for hearts and minds is taking p w over the China Syndrome, which opened in London on 9 August. This film, as star-struck UC readers may know, is the product of Jane Fonda's latest crude, against nuclear power, and had the good fortune t o be premiered in the US,9 days before theThree Mile Island disaster (or "incident" if you rmd the nudmr industry's PRI. One line in the film, by great coincidence, says that a nuclear accidmt could devastate "an area tha size of Pennsylvania".

Suspense The film is set in California, where Jane Fonda, playinga TV presenter whose public image makes Esther Rantzen look like Einstein and whosedesire to get on to hard news is thwarted by the TVauthorities' stereotypingof women broadcasters, is filming a public relations exercise for the nuclear industry at a power station when there's an emergency which, though it only lasts a few minutes, seems to go on almost as long as this sentence. After this, the TV presenter and her cameraman fight the nuclear industry's attempted cover-up, finally aided by the power station's supervisor (Jack Lemmon a t his best). The suspense i s well built up, after a slowstart-ye yon'tspoilJhe end, except to &eat that California only nearly melts through the earth t o China

The question is, will the film help the anti-nuclear movement here as much as it's helped campaigners in the US? It could do,providing the UK movement keeps off the crass tactics adopted in the film by environmentalists, who blindfold themselves, stand in silence and moraiise, American style. This raised only laughter in the London audience, which did however seem m get the point about the dangers, and the irony of a TV for microwaveovens next to a monitor showing the emergency atthe plant. And Alexander Walker, film critic of the London EveningStandard, explained to his readers how improbable the Three Mile Island incident had shown the film to be. After all, the reactor hadn't melted down had it, so what was Jane Fonda worrying about?

* The Socialist Environment and ResourcesAssociation and Friends of the Earth have produced an excellent hardhitting leaflat specifiwlly for handing out to cinema-goers to the film. According t o American contacts, the cinema queues going into the film era not interested in any anti-nuclear literature, but this is reversal when the crowdscome out of the film; tho- giving out the leaflet! have been stampadad b y tlw demand for more information Should you with to h d p in Imflatting c i n ~ i w - g o mor with conies of the SERA-FOE lĂ&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;41* which isavailableat bulk rplea- contact SERA at 01-439 3749 or FOE at 01-434 1684.

Undercurrents 36

THE poor weather, tha

The CATSwei-populu Qetan windmill loss of at leastÂ£l,OOO The Comtek orgariisers have put out a desperate please for donations. gifts, or any Ã§orof cash to help them pay their creditors.,You can also help by buying the Comtek Directory of Exhibitors; Who's Hers, excellent guide to the AT movement, price 1%. Please Send orders, together with

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donations to: Comtek, c/o ATG, Open university, Milton Keynes, Bucks. The Cointek issue as well as back numbers of Undercurrents are also available. Of ell theactivitks going-on, including dynamic"New Garnet" for ki& and m t s , Punch and Judy, a mimeshow, music, films, &iscussion-including details of an Eco-Houw, manage, cycling mrkshops; paper recycling and other marvels within the tent from Laurleiton Hall; perhaps ~ o o like b St Peter (GluiYslulo.: , . the most exciting thing that hu dipped a bit happened was the d~ergenceof .:. . 'i a cdhesive group intent upon . forming the first co-operative village. As well as interested individuals, the TCPA have been active behind it. All concerned have our warmeit wishes for to CHIWREN on London'houiinf . , : success. Credit must also go t o w t a t Ã ‘ r making tho* +redidF. : all the people involved with proflranmm, Â¥ouof which we' putting food together, especially broadcast on BBC Ridip LoaSoB. -, Bath Civil Aid, largely using Thb htnt m~perhnwitinÂ wood stoves; and the Vegan stalls. r d i & I r i n g (un by Intu-Actit Thanks also to ell those who the North London-bud attended the Undercurrent's community a m trurt, who Readers Meeting, we hope to employing their " M i a V k . ,Ãˆ continue the debate on our *a PurpoM. direction a* well as that of the A number of estate>,ih wid& AT movement generally. differing areas, havenow bwn visited, usually at the request of the local cotincils, tenants! ' , 4 associations, teachers or youth' workers, and the results (we. . , been encouraging, accordingto! the Inter-Action workers inv<j)v.Ãˆ<^;g 'Young people, attracted byth~<:,Â¥^. pesticides are not only necessary loudspeaker announcements,.ari able to talk about anvthing thau butbeneficial as well. The title* of the stripsare: 1Eat What I l i k e like," said one organ Regardlass; Food f a d e Y w Bet covered have ranged Your Ufa; IsNatural Healthy? issues, such as the lac and Is there a Perfect Diet? We facilities onestates, t o thoughts and problems, to 'T .< -always k n w Mickey was the weetest thino tints sllced bread. considaretion of nation*) Inut.

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following its second conference ,:.! W d in Milton Kevnes in August Men reconstituted as an umbrella iraanimion to promote AT Jwelopnnnt nationally. It alms to seek official support for small -10 P r 0 i ~ B at local level and x w i d e a "clearing house" for nformation so as t o avoid Juplication of effort. It also dens to produce critical , -ants of "officipl" AT w o p m m m and projects and, pnmlly,to promote the ational development of socially md environmentally sound AT n the UK. Individual membership costs E l ~group/aganisationsÂ£0 innually-for which you will KJlvea newlmer end any ~UIcatiom.NATTA is being io-ordlmtad by the Alternative rectinology Group at the Open Milton Keynes.

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One blind mouse MICKEY MOUSE is once again beina exoloited as the reactionsuv - - --. - ' ./heroof the age. This time he's fighting for white bread, white sugar. chemical additives, preservatives and pesticides. Walt Disney Educational Media Company have released a series of filmstrips in the US starring the venerable Mouse end acting as propaganda against health foods and in favour of p r o d u c t s f r k major refined food processors. such as General Mills and Plllsbury. The filmstrips aim to teach schoolkid* ihÃ§"truth about, nutritioWMickey tells his young audiencethat there'sno such.'. ~

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idercurrents 36 ,

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L:LF~+;& First, the changing position*(Ãˆ the big battalions within the* as described above, and "xo@ the fact of Margaret Tha-i sudden embrace of her mw = virility symbol-nudear p o Ã ‘ Union Congress Maggie's conversion to nu* All eyes now are on this year's power and the planned Trades Union Congress, where construction of the Harri$W# TGWU has tabled a motion calling type pressurhed water r-k < for a major review of energy Britain will no doubt becOnMtt policy, nuclear waste reprocessing powerful reason for causing h W a end the further development of i n the Labour movement who , nudear power. were previously uncornmitmfl to- , doubt nudear power. Anvthin~s~ for PWR Maggie likes that much, nWStb*-: It is doubtful whether the TUC's wong. pro-nuclar policy will survive in FÃ‡w ." It* preunt form for two reason6. are both still very much in favour of nudear power, to the extent of acting as bosses' lackeys in trying to sell nukes to therest of the union movement.

VIRTUALLY UNNOTICED by the p m , a number of large trade unloro have bwn changing their policies on nudear power. The p r f n t TUC policy (u(tatad at its 1977 Congrad favours the expansion of the nuclear programme end, alone amongst European union confederations, supports the f a t brÃ‘d and the development of reprocessingfacilities, but thlÃwill be wminad at the next Congrec at Blackpool during the flnt in September. & Technicians end the National Britain's largest wade Union of Mineworkem. However, 'union, the Transport and the General & Municipal Workers ..sQeneralWorkers' Union at Union end the Electricians Union Itl Biennial Delegate . Conference in July overwhdmingly passed a cnolution calling for a rwiew of the further dwiooment of nuclear

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ASBESTOS: KILLER DUST is a

At the Conference the TGWUs

Deoutv General Secretary, Harry *n&ed that there was ehMlous public mncern about the q f t y and hmlth quastions of n u c k r power following tbrriifaucg, but that Britain still had to maintain its nuclear option. , Nwmheleis any nuclear programme would have to consist of UM mint reactors there aremd thne would be our AGRs and not the American PWRs. Since W u I n MS wall endowed with e l and oil reserves we had time < t ~ Â ¥ x m i these n questions and nÃ‘ not be rushed into a massive ,f#0mlopment of nucleaf power as occurrad in other countries. r3

and Hi ulxtkutu, written by Alan Dalton and publiJud by BSSRS ( 2 8 7 ~it ) C2.26 port f r n from t h m it 8 Poland St. London W1. It's w i i l y tha molt dbturbing, wan frightanlng, pÃ§mphiit o coma our way for a long tima Asbestosdisables by scarring the innermost eirsecb of the

when thay do prosecute is only Â£18 and no-one has ever been sent to prison. An 'Advisory Committee' has been set up by the government to alley public alarm; press leaks indicate that it will recomm nd 'more research' and not mu& else. Faced with this threat and th indifference of those appointed by the State to protect them, the workers have been fighting back, refusingto work with albestos;

munity groups have been ' agitating to have it ramwad f r o m fletÃ and schools. The asbeitcx companies respond with thn uwt blackmail: if we stop you'll bÃ out of work (while we'll set US plant in the Third World whirl people aren't so picky). In Sweden, where asbestos manufacturing is banned, the makers responded by selling t M r , machines to China; sodalist ' asbestos Is presumably harmtea. Dalton argues that o n l y m n c u f d international action will prevent this lethal work being exported. An excellent piece'of radical scientific agitation, and a good augury for B'SSRS's future m it* tenth birthday comes round.

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NALG~ U resolution followed heeb of the decision of the second target union-the Amalgamated Union of EngineeringWorkers (engineering section1,aIt nuclear power. Its top policymakiog National Commickb expressed concern that t h e w w e d expansion of nuclear power end plutonium ~on>rfl<ui?ils~Â£ ASBÂ£STO reprocessingh i d inherent dangers effecting the health of w o r k lungs (asbestosis) end kiUs by and the public. Similiarlv in April causing lung cancer and mesothelioma (cancer of the the Scottish TUCpassed a lining of the chest, a particularly resolution callhg for a review painfulway to go); because of the and Wmta d $mrgy policy. long delay between exposure to While thÃ§ union raolutions do LA THATCHER'Scommitment the dust end the reiultingcancer, not tall tor @ halt to our nuclear t o free competition end market nd the huge expansion in oroarammu. thav8till mark a forces does not ~xtend,it teems, use in recent years It Is significant q h & e f r o m the to the sale of fruit. The tale of that half a million people p r w ~ o u ~ ~ l lof c lther m Uaiom. 'small' (lea than65mm diemetwl The T G l p a n d AUE*) join will die from a s b e s t o s r e d d i w over next irty V ~ S . Cox Omwe Pippins has been three other ufilms byhichJhwe banned until SÃˆptÃ§mb16 under SafÃ§t regulation for the expressadcon&n about f6QCtt/ an EEC regulation which allow industry look tough b u t a r e q l y of nuclear p o w , including thesize limitst0 bevaried to maiwIl, National end LocalSwÃˆ.nipÂ¥Btlaxly enforced by the 'market stability'. This follows o f the Health and Safety' Officers Association, the Union intensive lobbying by the newly of Construction and Allied Trades Commission; the average fine

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*BSSRS Is the British Society tor Social Responsibility in Schncf

Small cox banned

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formed Apple and Pear Development Council, a front organisation tar growers and wholesalers, who wish to (voids repeat of last yew's disaitrow price collapw. suggestion tbt small apples tmtd much betfr than theinflatE&baHt of cotton ~wool~Ã§ter~Ã§*produce arc61 Course untrlie'

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;#@ain.%r&tened by 'widening'f ~" . 'Â¥nmÃ‘PwIiMwnte SKnUrymtha -,of TremwC K Ã ‘ i t t Ctarka (nothing to do MM) @vilmon) told a fthma 3owGroupniÃ‘tingttuth iindwstoodthat tha 1 ~ public t Inquiry into the propoci had bÃ‘ndHruDf by hoollgirwtha b looking the -ah of b l d l m a MW .~ inqiiry tha h gio a lins kept ogt (FACT: the tan Inquiry Ã Â¥bando by tha DÃ§partm8II HMtf IMCMn n r t f d to pubii* $ti% computw f o r u s t s on which tIrnMlwuplui&mdwhich th* inquiry bcpMtor had or&to produc*). Among options being studied by DTp juggwnuts is a full-scale 6 toner from the East Cross Route at Hacknay-Wick. through Hackney, Highbury, Hollowav,

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76 6~

Urban Threat Meanwhile, in another part of the urban jungle, Tory bulldozen await the darting signal. Sir Horace "Lord" Cutler, GLC leader, has dotreed that the 1988 Olympicsshell be in Docklands, and that roads >h*ll be built to the site. So the County Hall sufs and slavti,eager to please their

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t n o w the bill BETTER RURAL bus-rvici. Â¥crgy~ingaidagrowthInth 'frÃ nurlrt' a n th* thrn a i m of tfr T o r i Ã propond Tmmport BMI. T W -8 -8 IlWy to & i f ttr oppoÃ‘t Bus regulation will, together with the traffic commitioners. largely be scrapped as a boost t o rural ~rvicn. The theory runs that if you open up the bus routes to competition the existing operatore-largdy the state owned National Bus Company outside the aonurbttiont-Mil haw t o become more efficient and therefore row) smaller subsidies from local authorities So much for theory, the practice is likely t o be different. 'Any competition likely to emerge will go-with true profit making enterpriw~tothe currently profitable routes. This will force NBC to cut their profit margins on theso r o u t e t h e profits that currently go t o crow iibsidise lost making dMp rural routes. Remit: either counties will have to give more money t o the bus operators (most likely in a time' of draconian cum) or the unprofitable mutes will be scrapped. The energy saving part of the package, drawn from American experience, i s w i l l o w unrettncted advertising of 'non-commerciaf car sharing scheme*. While car sbring itwif has merit its unrestricted advertising i n this country will tuve its greatest effect o n the people waiting iihe rainy but qume for a cancriled. but. The and product is likely t o be a whole win of cheap and u d b b l a pseudo-bus d c n leading t o a strong 'tfmm and us' f w l i n g b Ã § t w o r owners and non-car o w w s while ordinary

I 1111111111 I litohgate and Hampstead Garden Suburb to the M I at Hendon, and all the way to Hell (but does the DTp have good intentions to pave it with?). Of course, areas south of Archway (Highgatel don't matter; they all voted Labour. But Hampstead Garden Suburb, is rich 'n Tory, and also in the mnstituencv of Finchley (prop. M. Thatcher). Residents there, ind elsewhere on route, fed up with being lower than the lorry, ire banding together to fight the l i e n t h r b t Will Maggie's smack of firm government with an iron finbe softened with a velvet i1ov.e for her own voters? Watch thisspace..

motorway).

master's whim, have produced originally decided t o go for the Dockluids Northern and Parliamentary powers, tout soon , p m e up against people who were Southern Relief roads. The -%u(herITon* is npoc1ally . old-fashioned and believed i n wonderful; It mkes in an acr* of democracy. He is now, like others Southwork Park, has two r i v u in his party (we above) looking , crossings in tunnel 80 as to byfpr other ways of driving rback pus Greenwich land wpid ton through people's homes and jotr of middle-class conservationist without than baing able to protest), and would use up all of protest. His boldness of vision is the availible uriun aid and inner- fully supported by Transport Minister Norman Fowler, whr city partnership funds for three approved the Docklands road; years. and the EÃˆ London river To avoid mischievous , sulwersives h Iding up the crossing (yes, a third new road tunnel). Sackingof Mr. F o w k completion the greatest monurirnt since the Pyramids for not cutting down on ~ ~ t o f u t publicaxpendlturÃ h Â¥xp*cf by objectingat expensive public inquiries, the ~ l o r i o m Monarch hourly. ' .

itage m i c e * will suffer. But one must give the Department of Transport its due credit-it's hard to we how they could have thought of another plan which would ostensibly m e energy while damaging public transport at the same time. But will it save energy overall? Most unlikely. Comoared to these orooosals the third section-selling off shares in the state owned National Freight Corporation-berely

causes a railed eyebrow, NFC, one of the British Road Federation's backers, is largely dominated by road freight, . having the largest lorry fleet in the country. How much of i t s mandate to support integratac freight transport,Â¥usin rail and water as well as road-already uffering from a sadlv tarnished public image-will survive the fierce light its shareholders will shed is most uncertain. Nick L i a r

Campaign coffee CAMPAIGN Co-op h Ã ˆ imported So much for our so called frep moth- mreignmmt of coffn market society. The Campaign from TanzÃ§nito do a rerun of coffee finally did get its coffee their m f f n eunmign of 1976. packed burthe packers still The purpose b t o my thegrowers refused t o touch the ~ a htahu uric*, allow local accompanying leaflet and prosking and bymultiapparently it k s packadsobadlV ' national middlamanthusdoing that it had to be sent luck. Ttia our bit towrds a n w story is now over and the coff&!", infrnatioinIÂ¥conomicorder is just about ready for distrlbutld" Life. h o m e r , is not always aithouah m n v of the viiholdtxxl-:. quite straightforward; having gone through the complexities of the importation, Campaign Co-op it seems that extreme purityÂ¥(if'f%,had tied up a contract with a the food is more importipt% small packing company t o pack the purity of the condi* . %.>.:, the coffee into 402 pickets and the workers who produtu,4t&3 insert a leaflet which explained the 'polities'. Or so they thought until 24 hours before the coffee was due to be delivered to the packers when they refused to do the job, 'political dynamite', they called Or else to f i n d ' o u t d & ~ l i ~ . ~ ~ : it. "Wa do picking for Brooke

Undercurrents 36

SubNormal). The construction WBS almost perfect, yet the lad had never dohe ertvthino similar before. ~lsewhere,aderelict site underneath a railway viaduct has been landscaped, and an old railway station converted into en urban studies centre.

Training THE EFFECTS of cuts i m p d In KM Budget hwm mlrudy bmm p u b l i c i d but one major area t h ? u f d Ã‘n to h u e MCkmd oubllc mttmtion; tic cuts in the Manpower Sovicn Commission's progremmms Thmn havm ilrmdy bmmn trlmmmd, but pÃ§pmrlmakmd t o thm Morning Star suggnt tint funhw cuts arm being cowidmmd which would wipe out t h m pmgrmmmn dtogothmr. Would this matter? Many groups and people, including nveral unconnected with Tony Bonn, think that i t would. They point to the useful work being done under the programmes, work that involves young people in improving their environment and so, they hope, appreciating i t more. Examples of such projects: 1 Bristol City Land Use Project: This has been going since 1976, end has now cleared half a dozen sitas in Bristol, turning them into allotments. Although this has been immediately useful, in making good use of waste space

(and also of the wood from dead elms), the project has broader horizons, aiming to break down the divisions between city and country, so that urban young people learning country skills can apply them in either. The most spectacular element in this project has beÃ§the construction of a replica 12th century tithe barn, using mainly the dead elms as building material. The project has proved, among other things, that urban people can be attracted to farming work. 2 Townscape, Newcastle: This project, set up by Task Force North, has an architect on the staff, who designs landscaping for small areas of wasteland, and uses for old buildings. The sites we nominated by the local authority in Newcastle, which has hired the "Townscape" service. Many of the local projects, though done with unskilled young peofile, have been executed to a high standard; one site had a wall built by a kid categorised as ESN (Educationally

Happy families . '

ruling-class families in the NorthTHE HOME OFFICE'S East end comes from Benwell anibJrraenmnt i t to imbllity t o CDP in Newcastle. They found wppra~ the Community that inner area deprivation was D m b p n r n t Projmcts which it inseperabla from the people Â¥up in thm lit* 19608, to profiting from it; not just Inmeigatm Innu city problmm, multinational corporations but m y b* coming to en mnd. Thm old, rich families. gettingricher C D b w h i c h w r m smt up to for at least a century in some study in- city WNS in London, cases. The report costs Â£1.8 the Midland*. Mwcysidm, thm from Benwell COP, 87 Adelaide North-Eant id mlmwhare-wum Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne 4; funded by thm Home Off if but while you have your pen out, quickly bummm lpoliticmi drop a note to the Home Office, mmbamammnt, bwausm they Whitehall, London SW1 (prop. f r t m d to conclude thmt p t t y m m u r n lib dwmbpmmnt grant# W Whitelaw) about its crude and rmdwmlopmmntsKhmmis w r m attempts to supbress dissident opinion, particularly dissidence unlikdy t o h m any mpprmeiablm paid for by the taxpayer, who &met. For t h i lait eight months might at l u s t be allowed a look no COP rtports havm bmmn at the results. ivailablm from thm Homm Officm. The Home Office has now, The Home Office's latest wheeze with a view to suppressing apparently, decided that no more CDP material will beallowed to the CDPs is t o refuse to offer appear, but other plans are being normal trade terms-a discount hatchad by CDPactivists. Still and payment in arrears--to the iveilable, incidentally, in some Publications Distribution Coihops is the CDPs main report, operative, CDPs distributor. Thi The Costs of Industrial Chinm. has orevented the latest COP a classicaccount of soma less study, Thehaking of t Ruling cheering aspects of modern Class, from appeasing in bookindustrial Britain. shoos. The reoort is a study of

There are many other projects operating all over Britain which help young people to be trained and to improve their area. They have included archaeological digs,

A COUNCIL i n Birkmnhd is t o bmwnr the f i r e local authority In Britain to demolish tow blocks. And thm demolition, on SeptmmbÃ§30, will bmviwnd by qsumtors and TV contpmnii who will b* chargad for thÃ 'privilqa But behind thm mlmoe holiday mtmoqhfm of thm wmt will lim crious quntionc Liim who pay. Yo, you g u d ; timnts not ratmpmyrn inpaying for Willborough council's . miltako, 11storey blocks known SI Oak and Eldon Gudmnt. The blocks were built in 1957 as part of Birkenhead inner city redevelopment plans. with money borrowed from the government. Willborough Council are still paying interest charges of Â£50,00per annum on that loan. But the flats deteriorated rapidly, and were also badly hit by vandalism. By the early 1970s it became impossible t o persuade families to live there.. and olans . to lease the flats to Liverpool Polytechnic for studant

conservation work, restoration 91 ~ historic buildings, end the brinoing back into use of old railways and canals (the Kennet & Avon Canal is an mxamplel. Unfortunately, useful work is rather out of fashion with this Government; i f the projects aren't teaching young people hov to operate nuclear power station! build roads, or use micropr(or how to join dole queues) thci evidently have noplace in Maggie' brave new Britain.

accommodation fell through. Th damp in the flats now reachm th 9th floor. The Council decided t demolish the two blocks in 1976

Private

The site is t o be sold for private development. The Council maintains that there is enough council housing in Birkenhead inner city arm, and my that thm went to "ensure there is a good mix of tenants." A l o u t print comments, "What they seÃ§ to be saying is that 'We don't went that sort of personaround here" ' The Council's policy also raises questions about what will happen to the area adjacent to the flats. A quarter of a mile square of Victorian terraces we being cleared under Compulsory Purchase Orders and demolished Although the clearance programr is well advanced a council spokesman says "redevelopment plans have not yet been arrived at ' Peoples News SOTkl

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are to be Included in the training Â¥.THBEGINNING of the rwival' programme, which aims to give , Of tho Rhondde Valley is fore each young school-leaver in the in the opening next workshop a wide range of skills. -mall youth training ^Imrluho~thf.That's at anv villa.rc .auf-, a '&** k i Ã § f o the workshop But that's only the first stage. ornanm-i,'Rhond* Enterpri-s', puture plans of , , ~ h ~ ~ d d ~ pethe Enterprises" envisage the trained of a mtwork of youngsters setting un CO-ODS wina 1 opt. the i a n y disusGbuildings in the Mr. Angus MacGaughey, local Rhondda (chapels etc.). The Porth Community Development Officer workshop would initially act as , end secretary of Rhondda the hub of the network, adivising Enterprises, thought of the the co-ops on management and original workshop idea when finance. Theaim is nothing less &ling with young, mostly than a locally generated ,unemployed offenders (Rhonnda revitalisation of the valleys, and unemployment is over 10%and Rhondda Enterprises is already growing with the disappearance looking at other community traditional industries such as projects such as a city farm. &I). Local notables (councillors. 'bank manager, surveyor, wades Teifi council reps) were bcought These plans may be just dreams; together to form an active, the workshop has to prove itself dedicated management committee. first. But theconcept of small -heparation has been thorough;a workshops run by the local Job Creation Project team community could have increasing examined the 16-18 age group's appeal a+ relevance t o other unemployment problem, and declining areas such as inner cities possible solutions;from this a and regions which are being diiectory of the products and condemned to the scrap heap by skills needed by Rhondda the Tory Government's free industries was compiled. Now, I market economics. Even now, a using money from the Manpower similar project is being started in Services Commission, Urban Aid, the Teifi Valley near Swansea, and the base of an old school in where "Antur Teifi", a local Perth, a workshopteaching metal- economic development agency, working and woodworking skills has just employed an 'Employmen whlie making locally demanded Resources Officer' t o promote products has been set up. Social -new enterprises and so reverse the facilities and further education decline of the area.

Pressure on stewards Mike Cooley and Ernie Scarbrow, two shop stewards at Lucas, Willden, areegain being put under pressure by Lucas management. Cooley has been warned that action would be taken against him if he persisted in working on the alternative corporate plan, even i f on an unpaid basis. Cooley has been closely involved with the special CSUE Committee who recently produced the second draft of the 'Corporate Plan'-which is 'currently baing reviewed by a joint CSUE-Lucas "New products Appraisal Team" (see UC33). ' Ernie Scarbrow, the Combine Committee Secretary, received a letter putting pressure on him to move from the Willasden plant to Hemel Hempstead. The letter

Lucas management are clearly determined to get Cooley or Scarbrow-and the other activists involved in the corporate plan campaign-off their backs. Whether they succeed or not will depend on the extent of internal and external support. Contact: CAITS, NELP, Longbridge Road, Dagenham, Essex. arrived the day after his wife was cremated and suggested that a move might be appropriate given "recent events". This callous ao~roachhas led to an immediate response from the trade union side-including a commitment from stewards at other Lucas sites-to fight any further harrassment or victimisation of Cooley or Scarbrow.

what's on LIBERTY H A L L Ã walternative to commercial clubs in Liverpool. They meet every Sunday at 8pm at the Everyman Bistro in Hope Street with events like: The Secret State andcivilliberties (introduction by EP Thompson), on September 23; Uapperdaw present Ben Hur (a cast of milliom*ell the women left out of history) on September 30; Mutiny (disagreement among the rank and file of the British Army during WW11 on October 7; Jonah will be 25 in thf ymr 2000 (film about the 1968 generation. 10 years on). Women's sexualityon Octobu 21;and Bologna: Holy. fat and red on October 28, a discussion on the achievements of theonly communist city in Italy. Details from Liberty Hall. top flat, 7 Grove Park Road, Liverpool 8. Tel: 051-708 7270 (daytime). On Septmbu 28there is a one day conference entitled Rural Life: What k i n d o f Future? At St. Devids University College, Lampeter, Dyfed. Tickets Â£3.5 (Â£6.0 inc. lunch). Further information from E. Phillips, Tel: Llendeilo 2521. It's rumoured that on October 1 at mound 8pm a lot of naughty cyclists are going to gather at Shepherd's Bush Roundabout, W11, before going off to focus attention (and cameras) on a train carrying nuclear wastes along the local railway line. This sort of behaviour is quite intolerable, bringing the nuclear industry into disrepute and causingalarm among the local population. No respectable magazine could possibly condone this sort of thing. On ~aturday,Octobu 6 at 3 pm, the SOUTH LONDON ANTINUCLEAR GROUP is running mother film show at the Ritzy Cinema (50 yards left of Brixton tube). This time it's Sentenced to Success-a film made for the FCDT Union of Atomic Workers it Cap La Hague reprocessing plant. More details from Richard an 01-274 7684.

analysis of the 20 commercial panels on display at the centre. Solar Energy 2 f o h up with practical tricks of the trade, D m customising panels and so on, ov the weekend of October 19-21. ( November 9-11you can be learn about Food from gardens and smallholdings, including n d i g intensive beds, pest control b y creditors and safe oesticides and how to store the surplus you're bound to get from your plot. November 1648 is devoted to Philosophyofa'ternativf-1lfsst) technology and work in a lowenergy future. Cost isX25 single, Â£4double (the double'price applies to individuds, sponsored bv commercial organisation,). Details from Jill Whitehead at the CAT (Telephoi Machynlleth 2400). This year's SCHUMACHER LECTURES will be given by John Michell and Fritjof Capra at the Victoria Rooms, Bristol, on October 13 at 2pm. Tickets ' cost Â£1.5@Â£3.5details from Schumacher Society, Ford House Hartland, Devon. Tel: 02374 293

FOEand GREENPEACE ar organising a whole week of events in Glasgow to advance their campaign to spread awareness of the plight of ~ h d e lend s bisa funds to continue it). The fun starts on Octobw 16; events include a Disco at Tiffany's on Thursday (18). Detailsfrom Fo.E, 16 Newton Terrace. Glasgow 3 Alternatively phone Dave (Balmore 477) or Drew (04 334 7030).

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COUNTRY COLLEGE (not . Outage as it came out i n our last issue-sorry1 1 is having e one day seminar on Wood resource i n conjunction with the fourth Welwyn Woodsmve-Show at the Campus West Exhibition Centre, Welwvn Garden City, Herts. The show is from l o a m t o 5pm on * 19-20 October, admission BOP. The seminar ison the 18th andcosts The CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY, Â£3.5 (including admission to the show). Country College are at 11 Machynlleth, Powys, Wales, has a Harmer Ween Lane, Digswell, season of weekend courses Wefwyp, Herts. (Subscribers may beginning on October 12-14with Sohr Enfray 1-Introduction to just get this issue in time to gat to the theory and design of tpÃ§cend 'the Festival of organic growing on, mater halting tyttems and an 21-22 Swifmbl-1.

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idercwents 36

CE (ADVISORY CENTRE for DUCATIONI is organising a inference on children's rights at e City University, St John Street indon EC1, on Octobw 20-21. 'here will be an aportunity to discuss the ickgroqnd papers p t h the ithors, bookstalls, filmsand a eche. Details from: ACE 18 i m r i a Park Square, Bethnal b n . London E2 9PB.

11(Gottlieb Duttweillf Imtitutl holding an international iferenca on The Futureof our i4Ã§Ã‘experimen in urban nnhg, architecture end designs livinglon October 22-24. Details m the Institute, Green Meadow k.CH-8803 Rushchlikon, rich. Tel: 01-724 0020.

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lobw 29-31 the first World

WÃ~lfarnstivesand the

i h n m e n t willbe held in Vienna of the f irst p W i w i n the world t o ban *!fission and the congress I<dwlwith all aspects of e t l v a energy. Their address is @Graben, A-1010 Vienna 1.

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!0043-2?2-52-8900.

LU~IESTONHALL& holding ~hekend coursw, N o v Ã ‘ n b I.& @&tIllsive Eating Workshop j a t9,erapy intebivecourse on ifRÃ§Â¥chlsnBrsaand Bodyword )hoped t o co-ordinate the two w p .Thefollowing week, m e r 6-11 there is another &.Only' course on Women &%@7ual Trades. Learn how to

rhe BRITISH TRUST for VOLUNTEERS laveadded another handbook to heir Practical Conservation series: !bastlands. Thisdives oractical luidance and advice on the irotaction - ....- and . - maintenance of and-dunesandother coastal tabitats. Other books in the series ire: Dry stone walling. Hedging, Vaterw9ys and Wetlands and ^ouw chain saw. Further details rom: Publications Oept. BTCV, 10-14 Duke Street, Reading RG1 ÃˆRU Tel: 0734-596171I2

ÃˆNSERVATIO

Waste materials for Plav-Fresfllay is a national competition launched by the NATIONAL PLAYING FIELDS ASSOCIATION to find the most imaginative use of waste materials on playgrounds and play areas. The prize money total is Â£1,00 and any group (voluntary or statutory) that makes no charge for the use of its facilities may enter. For full details, send sa.e. to the

The LEGALISE CANNABIS CAMPAIGN have recently published Trash Rehashed, their, reply to the Report of the Advisory Council o n the Misuse of Dm Rice 95p from 2 Blenheim Crescent. London W11 2 Tel: 01.727 8805.

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report called Transport, Politics and the Environment. It seeks t o relate transport with the political, social and environmental issues which are in practice its becknrniinrl -- -.

ApT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT are specialists' ?1clwrponer-no thanks is a new in the field of Appropriate and updated version of Cambridge 0 Technology conducive to FOE'Spopular and readablebooklet decentralisation, cornpatable on the nudear issue. Get vour m p v with the laws of ecology, gentle For the last year COUNTERACT. ,-a socialist fringe group, have beenfrom FOE, The Bath House, on its use of energy and s&ce touring the muntrv with a show of work Gwvdir Street. Cambridge CB1 reiourcet. T v ~ i c aareas l about Industrial pollution and ~ L Wprice , W p inc. p & P (more include smallscale waste heat nuclear power. reclamation and material than 30 copies, 30p inc. P & PI. Muck 'ndBress is about industrial More details 'phone 0223312800. recycling processes. ADT are society and what's wrong with it. located at ~ h a c k m o o ~ ~ s h , ' Ranwick. Penrith. Cumbria. It doesn't preach. it simply shows how asbestosis, &eumoconiosis, Tel: ~azonby(076883i 665. ASS may sound silly but they're the S&so tragedy and nuclear deadly serious. (It stands for power are related. It shows why It, Advisory Service for Squatters). The NATIONAL YOUTH -is i@yitab,le the nuclear dream will Their Squatters Handbook covers BUREAU have published a booklet t u r n intad nightmare. Other a l l aspects of squatting and provides called under 18,a guide to the law productions include Little hefpers, a comprehensive guide for squatters affecting young people. Working a play about women, both as, and homeless people. Particular under the headings-School Life, workers and as patients within the sections deal with the law which Sickness and Health, Sex, Work National Health Service. deals with the Housing (homeless and Money, The Police, Young i s b u t unemployment and persons) Act as well as the legal People in trouble, Home and away Bt^q#umsois looks at the sickness situation for squatters. Available and 'Restricted Activities'. The ~?b~ifroua&. from ASS, 2 St Paul's Road, NYB have worked with the COUNTERACT mav be National Association of Citizen London N1.lO1-359 8814) price 30p plus 12pp & i . ~dvice Bureaux to producea s l i m encounteredat 27 derkenwell volume which gives agood guide t o Close, London EC1. . . ' the law. The booklet is useful not Tel: 01-251 4977. SERA (Socialist Environmental Qnlyfor young people under 18 and Resources Association) need , but parents, youth workers, and voluntaers t o keÃ§their office teachers. Avaiiablefrom the going. They can offer only Imited ~ a t i o n aYouth l Bureau, 17-23 A newrePQrt-Wiy Lock U p Our expenses, but the SERA office Albion Street, Leicester L E I 6GD. Schao/s?Ã‘present the Ã§asfor collective is the focus of a lively community use of schools outside social and political scene. Anyone CREATIVE MIND is en eclectic hoursand-encoureges interested should either call Education Authorities to develop 01-439 3749 or drop into their alternative radical magazine, e positive policy on this issue. office at 9 Poland St. London, which mmbinesert politics, h also gives W'l psychology, music etc. 30p details of the policies of various quarterly, obtainable from 39local authorities, government 41 Manestvs Lane, Liverpool. departments end other The RADICAL STATISTICS organisations, such as teacher end Gioup,a BSSRS offshoot, will be The RURAL RESETTLEMENT organisiw a series of meetinas on caretaker unions, as well as case studies of areas where experiments topical st&stical issues i n London -GROUP have just published a this autumn. Thevalso offer a Fire second edition of their handbook. have met with considerable s u o 5 230 h a s packed with useful Why Lock U p Our Schools? a Brigade service t o local activists information about finding a place, available from FAIR PLAY FOR who either have their own data in need of statistical treatment or who how to work it, training, planning, CHI LOR EN, 248 Kentish Town parish politics, organisations, etc. Road, London NW5 (price Â£1.0 r e being mystified by official and personal accountsfrom some statistics. Membership, including incl. postage). ~ c t i o Rogramny, n who have already made it.Â£1.8 their Bulletin) is Â£ p.a. Deuih for Voluntary Groups, available pent free from RRG at tJw Manor from the above addreu (price 35p from9 Poland S t r p , London Hguse, Thalnwham, Diss. Norfolk. incl. postage). WlV3DG.

oled drum:

her courses from Lauriaston Hall, stla DougIar ""'icudbrightshire, otiand. . . ~

PO International Natural Fair is ling held at the Floraliapalaca lent from 36 Novtmbw. (hibitors include stands on soft chnology and alternative energy -urcm. More information fror" Leopoldlaan 26,8420 Dehaan, Belgium. Tel: 059-233688.

CHILDHOOD ISa comparatively new concept. Age classification: childhood, adulthood, o l d age is a modern invention. The category t o which an individual belongs is defined according t o the laws and customs o f the particular society i n which the individual lives. Rights, duties and status are imposed according t o age, without taking very little account o f the varying states o f being o f each individual. Once classified, categorised, childhood can be allotted its specific role within the social hierarchy. Children are necessary to procreate the species. They are the potential cogs o f the future. Children grow into adults, and we need adults to keep the industrial wheels turning. As increasing technology is fast alienating humankind from the earth and i t s life source, so i t is also alienating human beings from each other. The word caring is now linked with governmentfunded programmes and institutions which simply serve t o an even greater extent to diminish the responsibility o f the individual. 'The government (the mythical they) is handling the problem, I don't have to.' Much easier, less involving to let someone else do it, even if badly. To be 'in care' means to be somewhere safely out o f the machine's way. I t once meant to be loved. And so with the newborn members o f our species, or children, as we now refer to them. Nothing in the environment o f our present day Western society shows any caring, in the old-fashioned sense o f the word, for our younger members. Before the age o f 5 they are supposed to be the concern o f their parents. Halfhearted attempts are made to provide facilities such as playgroups, play centres, playgrounds. But these are really facilities for the parents anyway, not for the children. If children were consulted, as they should be, as to their needs would they ask for a cement patch with a handful o f sterile metal structures? I think not. They have the capacity for far more energetic imagination than us adults. Our society is one in which motherhood, childhood, and the caring o f children is debased and devalued. Supporting more day-care facilities only contributes to the male-dominated economic system, in which working for the system is more important than caring for another human being. I n which nurturing and playing an important part in the unfolding o f a newborn spirit is considered boring and less interesting than playing a part in the commercial jungle. In which the status o f what is the most difficult, most exhausting, and most productive job in the world, is valued so low that mothers are heard to say with embarrassment: I'm just a mother. This prevailing attitude towards mothers and children is made apparent by the environment which we have created. Nothing in our adult environment is

geared tor small people. Almost everyth is out o f reach o f little fingers, out of sight o f inquiring eyes. Everything, that is, except for the sweets and crisps placed purposefully in reach near the till in most shops. Museums, art galleries, (adult) libraries, areall off-bounds, i f not blatantly, certainly it is insinuated by the signs: 'do not touch' 'no pushchairs' 'silence' 'keep off, and by the disapproving scowl on the face o f the curator. Many mothers, many parents, stay couped up at home with their children, isolated within their nuclear families, because going out can be so exhaustingly difficult and so hazardous. Even a walk to the shops is dominated by hazards and barriers, when it could provide an exciting opportunity for the child to learn about and interrelate with his environment. And what about from age 5 upwards? School. It is expected that a child attend a, in most cases, large institution where s/he i s expected for the majority o f the time to sit 6-7 hours per day passively receiving information which has been chosen by some 'expert' adults as fit and necessary for her/him to receive. Information geared t o producing another unit in the industrial system. Information which in actual fact has little or nothing to do with life and the practicalities o f survival. "People, even children, are educated much more by the whole society around them and the general quality o f life in it than they are by what happens in schools. "l Are we not in actual fact shutting our children away from the life around them? In the name o f education we offer our children an environment which serves to deaden the spontaneous interest in learning which is inherent in all children, whose principal function is that of spirit-breaking through indoctrination and brainwashing. We deliver our children into the hands o f people who are consciously or unconsciously working to propagate an unjust, hierarchical, authoritarian, and decaying civilisation. Without a change in our general attitude towards children, I see very little hope for any drastic improvement in the environment within which they are to grow. And a change in our attitude towards children requires a complete transposition o f our current priorities and values which have been determined by our present industrial society. Perhaps sometime in the future, when people matter more than machines, when the quality o f life is based on loving relationships with each other and with our Mother the Earth rather than on power and possession, perhaps then we can hope for a world for our children in which the full growth o f the human potential is allowed to flourish. Where the spirit, the vision, and the dream prevail. Stephanie Leland 1 , John Holt, Freedom and Beyond, Pelican.

techniques well established in act education has enabled us to explore ways of knowing the environment that differ from the more traditional academic approaches, based on scientific or sociological surveys, historical or geographical study. We have not had to rely on the collection of facts and figures to gain information about the environment, nor rely for reference on any outside authority but ourselves. Studies have been based on subjective, emotional responses to the environment, and our aim has been to communicate our feelings about our environment. "The city as we know it, the soft city of myth, illusion and nightmare is as real, maybe more real than the hard city one can locate in maps, in statistics in monographs on urban sociology and architect~re."~ Perception is dependent not only on visual acuity, but i s influenced by memory, imagination, the ideas and feelings we project onto the environment as much as the messages we receive from it.

Although it may not have been apparent during the Great Debate last year, education in this country is still firrtlly rooted in the three Rs. Intellectual and numerical modes of understanding are stressed, while other ways of knowing or thinking are devalued. Feeling is not usually admitted to the school curriculum, except for writing the odd poem or letting rip in a movement class. The education of the emotions is not considered a respectable area of attention in most schools. However, our perception of the environment and our attitudes and behaviour towards it are dominated by our feelings towards it. Everyone's particular life experience means that our personal response and understanding will be different from everyone else. This is not necessarily recognised in much teaching about the environment, where

CHILDREN AND TEACHERS are rarely given the the ultimate goal is deemedmore important than the child's starting point. 0pp0rtunity 10 expiore the world outside the S C ~ O ~However, I ' S unless new learning is related walls. Ejleen Adams describes how two projects made t s m . a l r e a d y know- it is not easily - The transmission of a body of this possible. NEW SOCIETY'S review of Colin Ward's to fill gaps in the child's knowledge, book, The Child In t@ City asked "who assuming they know what the child

should ultimately come to learn. are the real enemies of the city's Environmental education suggests other children? Time and again, they are not the forces of urban chnge nor ~~pitolisrnpossibilities. The most effective is based on children's direct experience of the nor some mysterious inhumanity of environment and seeks to build on the cltydwellers towards their fellow men. The villains are those who impose rather perceptions and knowledge a child has already. than observe. For the past few years, my main Much of the schooling imposed on children is based on their relative interest as an art teacher has been to ignorance and partial understandingof observe children's response to their lif The starting point i s what the environment, and to encourage a deeper chi dren do not know, and teachers aim understanding of it. on="*

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knowledge about the physical world Is. not sufficient as a basis for environmental education. Our knowledge and view of our surroundings i s continually changing, and environmental education should be as much concerned with future action upon the environment as well as past history about it. UNESCO has stated that one of the goals of environmental education is "toprovidei every person with the opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment and skills needed tImprove the environment." Inspectorate go -.i

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on the 'soft' architecture of shops urther i n defining the goals as "by the Council were doing something about it, ye o f sixteen, pupilsmightreason~bly shop fronts change frequently, because but a ten-year-old boy might feel very of change of owner, change of use, or be expected t o view their surroundings differently. fashion - they are indicators o f change with an eye both appreciative and in the locality. We were interested in the Art and 6ldR Environment ritjcal;show developingattitudes o f ;oncern towards their environmentand . message? shops sent out t o prospective .: ., . Project h e environment o f others, in so far as.,. . customers - how do they attract people '".:.. .,:.?-, ?nvironmentalissuesareconcerned have" . .how do they encourage them-to buy. ,<:'$ \. In arecent working party report on .. . r basis on whichto@velop the 0bj1ity.~ ;+.?wy do we choose one shop rather than, ien6ironmental.education prepared for o make informeddecisions affecting . ;Â¥::Â¥.anotheThe pupils tried to analyse'shbp<tHe Department o f the Environment, the first"recom6endation; was that there hemsdves and yciety-and the interest. :'frontsin terms o f the elements they ' . do so;"3 ... ' ., . ,., ..: .... .., . . ;k used tosell goods or services, and whom shouldb'e a~imprpvementin visual and .. . . they might attract. design educationin schools i n relation to ';b Thetraditional barber's shop with ~?theenvironment..This jn fact is the Front Door striped pole (red and white. revresenting concern o f a-current Schools Council Learning throughexperience is a bas?& Mood and bandaees. from the time wh&,-~roiect.<~$and the hiit Environment' .~,. :. part of art iducation.'~heFront door,.^; barbers were surgeons, the barber told ;.which seeks to,ienliige students'environProject, a pilot scheme at Pimlico School , us) cut out figure o f the barber i n white mental perception,arid help them develop in London, related techniques familiarin,coat and.a large advert for Vaseline hair '3feel f o r the.bciilt.environment; and to art education to a study of the ..,S/.tonic across the window was for 'the war .enhancetheircapacity.for discrimination environment. Art teachers and architects' ,,i6tkrans and shortback and sides . ' and.-their competence inthe visual . . worked together t o develop courses f o q b r i g a d e ' > B ~ R B ~ R Aa' sladies1-hair-. '-appraisal of- the. built environment. pupils 11 and 1.8. Architects, teachers dresser; changed overnight from a cornT h e work has been mainly with older fortably 'dowdy.discreet establishment! ~chtldren,.butit is.obvious that it should and pupils were allAinterdependent, members of the Project; the architects, Â¥i-..-',for.pernis.-aririnses to a swinging=Ã£Â¥::{. be part o f the.childls educational e c i a l blow7.' i s i n g f: experience from an early age. We need t o offered a specialised knowledge a n d : ~ ~ y , ~ ~ ~ - " ~ $ ~ ~ ~ , ~ ~ . sinptrendy view of the environnjent; teachers,:*'?.$ d@ing:,The.establishment had not <:,:s'" b u i l d o p a sufficiently rich experiential and develop the vocabuliry learning skills, studytechniques and &$., ihinged; tfie-hair styles probably- di$'n&t'r background ability t o organise learning experiences$:>-change,but the management we<e.tr$ing a n d critical capiiitiis t o enable people. and pupils had a local knowledge - of the:' to attract a new clientele. I t i s riot^'Â¥+: ' :to make informeddecisions about their - always easy for children to explain their ,$environment. The ultimate aim is that tudy area. The spread o f pupils involved in the ' responses, but nevertheless, they are". :.<>j8j'people should be more prepared t o Proiect enabled us t o comoare differences well aware o f messages - .from the. 2 " i^-, "';become involved i n shaping their in perception of various age groups. The;', environment.* . , :..,>.-;? ' ;. . ,..; r+;;j{<nvironment , .. , t o thqir liking I f i s not only ., .'. , .. , , ' . childrenwho are victims of their eleven vear of -.. - ~ . dlds' work had a aualitv ,~ , ,:.:.. >,. ,, intricacy and attention todetail not. !?". r first '

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reasons things other people i ^positive stance, and assumes that if teachers are successful in raising levels 'of awareness, interest and concern for movement, conflict and c . -the built environment, people will more We explored their jou l i k e l y want t o be involved ig,,iffecting made trails o f thearea, ol decisions about it-.T o promote partici. . .. . ipgs, spaces, peopJe, sounds. We tried to'> pation i n planning, weimustbegin at the . <--*; . . . , . . .. , . , level o f our own p.erceptualprocesser, find out why Pimlico - mainly a Victor... ian area - looked the way it did, and: . .. : ,... . " ,. ,. . .. . and exploreboth our own~(~ationship visited museums t o find out more . . The fourteen year oldswere much and that ofoth6r's'Gith'th&environment. about that era., We then compared i t . . more socially aware thinthe younger ~~f.~olin The ~ u a ~ d i a n . ' s ~ r ~ ~ i 6Ward's book '.TheChug.inthe City'siid that with our own neighbourhoods and our.ichildren. They.preferred t o consider . homes, and considered how things other veoole's exoerience and verceotions "what the'bobk transmits most ,~ oer- :. might change in the future. .* o f th'e'environment as well as their own. suasG/Y./s~thatchildrenhave become With the twelve-year-olds, we concen5 What was it like forthe old people living ,idisfranchisfd,-<ind e a t t h e y must gain . . i n Lillington Gardens, what provision ,. . ,,control and.pbwerover their-environment: trated on the sensory qualities of the '..' environment, and discovered hundreds , was there for children's play in Pimlico? Teachers should give seriousconsideration of interesting shapes, textures and . Their studies suggested that there are.no ..' to the development o f experiential, ideas which enhanced our enjoyment right or wrong answers to human and , 'perceptual and critical skills necessary t o of the place. Something as ordinary : understand the environment, and we design problems, but that decisions are' ; probably based on compromise or .^should all seek t o develop the tommunicas the ground we walk on contains many different textures, tones and flicting interests. For instance, the play ,!." atory and political skills necessary to colours we normally do not see; the explain our particular viewpointand area in a thirties estate was 'improved' shape of tiles under the water in the by the Council, which meant that effect action. ' + swimming pool; the excitement of rubbish like old furniture was cleared .' Eileen Adam! away, old wire netting was replaced with finding a new pattern i n coal hole Child in City. new wire netting and three trees planted covers; the variety o f Victorian ornaArchitectural PrÃ§, 19m. in the football.pitch. A n old-age mental design based on flowers, leaves. 2. Jonathan Raban: Soft Citv. 3. DES: ~urriculurn11-16.HMSO. pensioner living on the g r o ~ n ~ f l o o r fruit and animals. 4. Wood - date unknown. (Sw BEE 66) might feel relieved that at last the -rhe thirteen-year-oldsconcentrated

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encounters of the Chfh?ren's Participation Futures, ProjetEione del Future de parte dei Bambini (now called the Gruppo' Future) in Napoli and Oxford (with affiliated schools in Glasgow and Toronto) during 1978-9. Our intention was to try to create a procedure (process)in which children &Id actively 'experiment with as many media as possible in order to ~

The drawings for t h i s article are by Tuula Nicholson (age 15) and are part of a forthcoming publication

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Undercurrents 36

Napoli city administration after discover- creative change as those made by ing at a meeting that they could neither "normal" children. participate i n the conference nor decide These projects serve t o dismantle the layout o f their work. myths which are8c0mm0nly Control o f expression and action in cerning the capacities o f "privileged" or "special schools" (e.g. ESN) appears t o "disadvantaged" children. Most "futures be even greater than in schools in general. projects" with children tend to select I n the U.K. the children identified as "gifted children" as participants (seen as "sub-normal" are largely segregated into potential leaders, only these children are these places and taught to be passive and allowed t o alternatives). This thus find a "place i n society". On the practice, like the segregation of "subfirst day o f the Futures Project i n one normal" children into "special schools" such school it was realized that after a is the antithesis of participation in half-hour no drawing had begun, since ,, -. futures, which should be continuous, packages o f crayons and paper hadsimply integrated into real-life situations and been left on the tables: the children were inclusive of everyone, not just an "elite". unaccustomed t o choosing the colours themselves and awaited our distribution o f coldurs. (The children were also A New World expected t o drink their own milk on If children's participation in altercue, that is, all at once). native futures could be a Part of life and Change or variety were considered dangerous for these children-the hymn not confined t o projects like ''Gruppo Our Great Unchanging Friend was sung Future" and similar interventions, then often-yet their images and ideas . what transformations would occur expressed capacity t o understand change, politically-socially-culturally? and cope with it. Throughout the. First,.in an atmosphere o f greater duration o f thegruppo futuro and the free expression and cooperation, work o f a parallel group entitled "Cochildren's ideas and images o f futures are operativa Monte Olimpino" i n Northern, rad)cally different than those o f adults, Italy-films, slide-tapes, videota'pes,: Children in "Gruppo future" have poems etc. made by "sub-normalY,or :.:: proposed, discussed, designed, pro" ~ i f f i c u l t " children revealed the same.'.. jected with slideltape such vroiects as: ~

'instead o f TV, a theatre 50 km wide i n which everyone acts: thepossibility of civilwar and the subsequent destruction o f all food sources except the roots.we should go into the country to talk with farmers today abou ;+. a *,

the (rural areas); children and old people working togetht hot air balloons, pocket size (rechargeable) flying saucers, horses, cable as wanvort; communication by multi-way T V or drums". These futures are at present limited, that is, they are ideas that most adults :think "cute" and unrealizable. Nevertheless, the extension of futures participation i n space andtime implies a great change in adult's erception of children. Children become? cultural innovators and protagonists in a society i n which their voices, words and images are as valid as those o f adults. Learning and cultural flow become no longer one-way from adult t o child but instead are multidirectional: the young can 'teach' the middle aged, the very old the young, an( forth in infinite directions and combinations. The outward nature o f children's participation in futures seems t o indicate the slow dissolution of the school as the 'undarnental centre for learning and 'information", and its replacement by he community. Learning thus becomes ntegrgted with living and theory with ractice. Finally the process o f participation ir utures expands critical consciousness, wareness and (subsequently) real choici ind changes. Changes are seen as possibl~ hrough working Gether: everyone articipates in envisioning and building iew futures, utopias which are desirei ind worked towards and which themelves transform continually i n the rocess. This supposes a new conception if politics (i.e: political consciousness) vhich is contrary to all the present Ă&#x201A;ÂĽroposalby major political parties in taly and the U.K. That is, their nanifestos are out of date. Would children invent a Harrisburg? "Utopia-non subire ilricatto del'datc del n o n realistico, slargare ilconcerto di possibile fino a1 limite del nostro desiderio dl esistere". (Utopia-not submitting t o the blackmail o f a 'given; o r a non-reality, expand the concept o f the possible to the very limit o f our wish to exist). (Valeria Frescurq

Simon Nicholson and Raymond Lorenzo

v 1/24

questioned whether man need have direct contactwith nature. But are the surprises of the mechanized world sufficient to revive the flagging -- - spirit, to kindle the imagination, to easethe stresses of modem life? Unlikely. Nature is our heritage. It is an essential ingredient and sensitive indicator of a healthy environment. It is part of our folklore. How many of us, as children have sat idly pulling petals off a daisy counting 'he/she loves me, loves me not'? Apart from anything else nature is fun. Who can resist the temptation of jumping into a pile of dead leaves? Many of our recreational activities have their roots in nature, from the quiet country walk to the ingenuity of childrensplay. As pointed out by Richard Mabey in his book 'The Unofficial Countryside' many of our wild flowers have provided the basis for childrens games 'dandelion seedheads for telling the time, daisies for chaplets; buttercups to shine under the chin; couch grass to wind into sisters hair as a Chinese torture; mtstail plantains for guns; lady's slipper and clovers to suck for nectar'. In the past it has been through these very games that children have built up their knowledge of the natural world. As 85% of the British population now, live in urban areas it i s time to question whether nature should be confined to the countryside, as the prerogative of country dwellers and visitors. researchers and TV camera crews. And let's not forget the fuel crisis and the effect this is having on personal mobility. If we are to avoid becoming a society dissociated from the natural world, a society oblivious of its dependenceon natural resources, we must make every effort to encourage wildlife in our urban areas so that everybody, be they an urban or rural dweller, has the opportunity toexperience, enjoy and learn about nature at first hand, as part of everyday life. The opportunities for encouraging

I f -T

GREENSPA&S inthe city do not haveto bemanicured the nature in urban areas are enormous. ~t small scale there is the immediate dvte parks. It possibleforthemtobeexciting natural challenge of the local derelict plot. The cost of urban land usuall~precludes the Â¥pacein which flora, fauna, and people can grow purchase of sites as permanent nature reserves, but, as pointed out by MU together. Lyndis Cole reports. 'A childin thestreets

. ,. nevertouches our urban parks-man's

anything which has not bebn scientifically developed, engineered, planned andsoid to someone. Even the trees are put there because the parks department decided to put them there. He can experience the poetic surprise o f the unplannedonly through his encounter with dirt, blunder and failure 'Perhaps this is a depressing view of urban America as presented by Ivan Illich in his book 'Deschooiing Society'but is the British scene that different? To many, the wonders of the natural world are a rarely perceived luxury. Even

...

idealization of nature, the emblems of civic pride-with their serried rows of bedding-out plants and short cut grass, only reaffirm man's wish to subjugate the natural world. In this situation of contrived orderliness and overriding human imprint, not mention 'Keep Off'notices, little incentive remains for enquiry, inquisitiveness and exploration. Not surprisingly therefore, the inner city child turns to the relative wilderness of the local derelict plot for play-a freedom zone, a place where the imagination can run riot for a few hours. In the silicon chip society it might be

Wonwn **wn by Chi00 (.Â¥ten Trn dnwn by Ctein Wiggins

Nicholson, a more opportunist, even nomadic tenure can be devisedto permit interim use of vacant sites for the , enjoyment and study of nature. Obviously such interim use should match the expected 'open life1 of the site and as a guide, a few which are taken from a forthcoming NCC publication, are below.

"Short Life" P b Interim Use of Vacant plots for Nature

1) Open Life o f 6 months t o 2 years Interpret the existing wildlife interest of

the site, get a local school or art college' to paint and name murds of wildlife

I n January 1977, this two-acre site lying cm @ bwth bank of the Thame

respect all wildlife and then learn to respect your own environment". They have found a peaceful retreat and a welcome sense of freedom on their site"/ feel free as a bird when I 'mthere". HOWmany other kids long for that Lyndis Cole

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USING URBAN WASTELAND to bringthe country to the city provides a vital opportunity for children to learn about life down on the farm. However, Sandy IWweIer warns of the dangers of too much government intervention.

Keeping farm animals in the city also presents its own special problems. There large cities for kids to care for, handle, are more obvious signs of stress in and observe is fairly obvious i n an environment where even the keeping of a animals being kept onconcrete and being subjected to hordes of poking kids day in pet is positively discouraged, where the opportunity forcountry .visitsis virtually and day out. Also, there is the lack of grazing, the early detection and containn i l , , d where exists little orno insight into simple things such as the sources of ment of disease on a public place, and the fairly abysmal response by most city vets food. Where the' predominant adult ,attitude towardsany animal bigger than a in dealing with large animals. Most vets poodle is "Don't touch, it'// bite". Birth, are in the city as a conscious decision to deal with small animals, and are either reproduction, death can be grasped in a untrained or unfamiliar with dealing with real way and perhaps the dehumanising farm animals. Of course there are vets . effect o f the so-called 'concrete jungle' a n in some small way becounteracted., who aresupportive and enthusiastic well The idea of keeping animals as part of beyond the call of duty, but they are few adventure playgrounds is actually about and far between. There i s an obvious nee& 30 years old, only the label 'City'Farm' is for an alternative vet system, and a more, reasonably new as. i s their 'grant aidability'effective way of educating both workers and kids in animal health and welfare, by local councils. The forerunnersof While on the one hand city farms show what has now become a developing trend were Freightliners Farm and Interaction a noticeable influence on the lowering of City Farm both of whom started in North incidences of vandalism, on the other, vandalism directed towards the city farm . London in 1972. c a n become a problem. One city farm at Frelghtliners and Interaction Farm Spitalfields was totally destroyed, animals existed originally under 'umbrella' community organisations, and "Freight", and all. As with any other well-run .,, community venture, a farm's success or in particular, receivedno grant aM.for failure depends upon the people who the farm as suchfor5years.The farms work there, and the community which were seen very much as 'something for supports it. nothing' projects originally, and were Schools, nurseries, hospitals and handiproven successful ventures by the time capped organisations have been quick to they applied for grant aid.They were see the potential of a city farm and very much logal projects, with the 'visits' have become a thriving business. schools, local childre* adults and community. organisations taking an active With the growing publicity and even .~ > ' national interest the farms began to role. change - almost becoming part of the The runningofa city farm i s a very demanding, time-consumingactivity. The entertainment industry. Soon to follow was criticism in terms of suitability for farm workers are expected to beplay leader, social worker, teacher, counsellor, public use. The natural creative chaos was farmer, nurse, midwife, feeder, mucker- criticised as hazardous to the public and .. out, maintenance worker and general so had to be tidied up. The farm became public property, no longer belonging to dogsbody. It tends to become a lifeconsuming activity, i n d as few people are Larry or Paul or Kathy. They were prepared tosacrifice all, the turnover of invaded and conquered. Many of the kids who used to proudly demonstrate the staff is rapid.This results in a lack of continuity, which i s vital in working with greed of Jaws (the nig) disappeared. The response of agencies such as children and animals. Co-ordination Ministry of Agriculture to City Farms has between the workers themselves is also vital and in this sort of situation difficult been quite favourable. As long as a few to achieve. Few community workers who 'commonsense' regulations are satisfied such as: keeping a 'movement of animals' are aware of the problems facing inner city kids have thenecessary background book, getting permits and movement certificates where necessary, dipping, skills for working' with animals.

THE VALUE OF keeping farm animals in

bucellosis testing, non-feeding of swill, and keeping Your eye out for foot and. mouth diseaseithey seem quite happy. The Department of the Environment has offered encouragement and financial assistance;in the form of a Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ15,00grant to Interaction to set up a 'City Farms Advisory Service'.'No doubt this will be followed by a City *ms Inspectorand a Ministry of Silly Farms. .All in all, city farms appear to be the current thing in which to put your ' ~ m m u n i t y ' m o n eand ~ have arespec& ability arid grant earning potential unheard of and unnecessary in 1972. However, the result of this trend is that theyare in danger of becoming part of the thriving new industry of community work - with Yer actual professionals, advisors,solicitors, etc. - an alternative bureaucracy. A city farm movement. The original spontaneous community spirit has been formalised, centralised, advised, funded, and killed stone dead. The benefits of city farms are obvious. The benefits of anything human or real or natural in the city are obvious. But do we now have to have agovernment grant to watch an egg being laid or to enjoy the pleasures of growing things to eat? Maybe it would be better if the funding were to come totally from the farm itself and the support of the community. The animals working for their keep, and the local community working to keep the animals, rather than being kept in a concrete minizoo on council money. Maybe city farms should stay closer to their original idea - a project basedo n use of city waste, answering to theneeds of city people, and supported by the people.

* * *

This general moan on. the fate of City Farms i s based almost entirely on my experience running Freightliners from 1972-79, and I'd like it to be seen more as a warning o f the pitfalls o f so-called successful pity farming, and an expression. of my perdonaldisillusionme~t,rather than a criticism of city farms generally. It i s also a plea to other city farms tothink twice before being advised, grant-; and made permanent. , Sandy Wheeler :

Undercurrents 36 -

allegiances and sweats broke out 'again. Sleeoine soaces were foutht over. And who was going to sleep next to whom. With no warning, the kitchen knives "lost in the grass" were out from socks, jackets

. -.

TRANSPORTING CITY kids into idyllic ruralsurroundings to soothe urban ills, is more difficult in practice than it would seem in theory. Here is a first-hand account from Man/ McHara. -~" -

vicious and anyeleven hideyhole. year olds, Two who of the were most constantlv at loeeerheads. were about to go for each 0the-r- with "0 experience of knives in a real situation, none of the adults made a move. i n a flash the eldest boy was in there, knocking out theone who wasn't his brother, and seizing the knife. The younger brother got a truly heavy reprimand about fighting in public. where other people could get hurt only marred by the mental boot put in him b his elder brother to prove that he ruled the show. We confiscated all knives, and lay down,toan uneasy sleep.

A SHORT WHILE ago, Iwas one of boiled the water, what was in the store twelve "staff' to take 27 kids from Bow tent, and how one actually could fry an and Stepney camping. Ifyou think that egg on an open wood fire. sounds like a high adult/child ratio, It was a fight all the time, imagine enough te say that we all aged ten years being faced with ah axeat neck level/by and learnt more in those fourteen days a fourteen year old black kid who wanted Day 14 than many learn in years of teaching. We to takeout on you the aggression thrown werecamping under canvas, cooking on on him by life in general. He was so I n two weeks we had learnt that livin' open wood fires, and boiling water for overcome by the apparentliberty of the out in the country may not be all the drinking out of a stream in the "home "set up" and the feeling of being able to escape our town lives led us to counties" countryside of Surrey. take his life into his own hands, but .romanticise, but more important, we sti: The kids arrived in a coach from having to convince him that killing green Bad a lot to learn from our smaller frien~ London, noisy, bewildered, impulsive and trees was not the right way was not only The last, day was a great success. The ill equipped. Assigning tents to try and a four hour talk but a continuing saga. idea of a fair a ~ d ~ r n i v a l w hardly as ou achieve girls together, boys together, When gong sounded for supper, we of our mouths before each kid, either toughly of the same age, and not more noticed all the children walked around separately or in pairs, had devised a stall than two to a tent, was difficult and the outside of the field, along the hedges, game or trick to entice people into their friendships were made or broken in the although thepath across the centre of the environs,'to&atch, win or lose any first few.minutes of camp, that wereto wide open space was much shorter. number of beans and smarties that were last for the fortnight! Food for a long time was a problem as the currency of barter., Fancy dress, We "staff' were all youn'g, in our salads, stew soup and cheese, didn't horror tents, stalls with any old bit of . twenties, idealistic and luckily full of fit the bill. angers and chips were garbage, real or imagined was brought 01 energy. We had experience of dossing in acceptable to some but most either didn't and put on display. Old socks and shoes lecture halls, living rooms and hitching, eat at all, or ate half a loaf of bread with ~. toothpaste, skirts lay next to bits of wa but we didn't know what it was like to be scoopfyls of marge and jam. When we looking like eagles, wool, feathers tlP three cooped up in a shed at the bottom asked what they did eat and where they could be bartered to decorate a hat. of a yard; waiting for someone, anyone had been during an afternoon, it turned Theremusthave been something to come back from somewhere. To live out they had walked five miles to the forthem and us, one family in parti under the motorways, roaming the streets, nearest shop to get a packet of crisps and 1 have kept coming back each summer an1 looking for the shop with the unwatched chewing gum, something "real" to eat. the eldest boy who stopped the fight no counter, or waiting desperately at home, Wide open green spaces were alien to comes as "staff. The idea has grown an night after night, with no fire, nor food. them, and therefore frightening, they i s currently still going under the banner Waiting for mum to come off the job, found the silence at night disturbing, their Flysheet Camps. with whatever she had for the kids. bodies almost revolted at the vegetables For further info ring Steve Bond, The first supper, a lot of stew was left put in front of them as their minds reeled Flysheet camps, C/O Forest School &mi but the bread and jam went, and long with the thought of eating "useless" fwd. Smtion Avenue, Walibn-on-~~.im&. sui after nightfall, when we were sitting . Taking clothes off to meet the sun, was Mary McHarg down to discuss the day's settling in, met with "Don't want to look like a screams chilled us as we sat round the fire. darkie do I". ButNthe spirit when it shone, Aggression amongst the children had was intense. started, they had dragged one of the 13 We organised a "Night Walk". Through year old girls into the stream without any the wood, across a stream by three logs clothes on. Not surprisingly she didn't cunningly placed in a V, up the hill, swim. We learnt that she had been stabbed through the bracken into another wood, where lo and behold! there was a large a number of times by her mother. So shelter tent. Food and FeelingsAfter getting through the wood with I its rustling leaves and spidery webs, the ~ o r n i n we ~ s tried to inculcate a little youngest eight year olds screamed with cohesion within each tent, or lessons on how to use an axe safely, while others terror at the sight of water. The eldest boys ran back and forth across the logs were asked to help with the food and carrying sleeping bags, holding hands, , f'cooking clan". Comments of "What's guiding feet and generally quietening the the point of helping", ' ~ o n ' like t your , furore. bloody food anyway", gave way after a When we got to the big tent 'few days to curiosity, about why we ~

voluntary and state funded. These could appear t o the authorities i n the schools as a zood wav o f keeoine the noisv children and noisy kachersquiet. ~ i s r u ~ t l vUnits e are being set up i n many areas t o contain kids who would otherwise be suspended, Intermediate Treatment is an experimental alternative to taking kids into care (jointly run by Education and Social in some areas) and Truancy c e n are ~ for those who drop out of scnooi. What it is possible to teach in such

Norton Taylorand Daphne Rockwere teachers in a London comprehensive school until last year and are at present working on a report for the ~ulbenkianFoundation on Alternatives in Education. Here are some of ~ i ; ~ g their ideas. time must be spent in providing basic A CHILD i n the inner city picks up

alternatives, mainly outside the inner certain knowledge of its environment by cities, that have deliberately cast kicking around the streets, seeing how its themselves in the role o f a community family behaves, and by going t o school. resource. They have actively, sometimes Schools could do a great deal t o give a too self-consciously, tried to influence the broad picture of what is happening i n the community surrounding them into a local community, the city, the country higher level of community consciousness. and the world, and bring t o the child's Practically, though, it seems a worthwhile attention some o f the contentious issues idea that buildings and facilities should be o f the day. It might also stimulate the utilized to their fullest by the people who imaginative powers and optimism o f live near them. Sutton Centre, built i n growing children in order t o encourage the centre of town without playgrounds, alternative ways o f dealing with their shares i t s facilities with the Youth Service environment. and Adult Education Institute. The The schools are not like t h a t organization has had t o change t o Consciously or not schools see fixed accommodate the community in the outcomes for their students-higher school during the day and the children in education, further education, jobs-or the school i n the evening. As with many truancy and disruption. Those that drop experiments or alternatives in education, out have decided that the limitations are the dedication and commitment of the such that they had better learn the lore o f staff seems t o be a vital component. the streets rather than that o f the middle class teacher. ' --Life - - Skills -- -- - There are various alternatives which I n many o f the schools, particularly in are available t o education, and these range from the whole experimental schools t o the urban areas, where crises in education strike first, deliberate social and life skills outside voluntary organizations which courses are devised seeking t o explain the could be made use o f if teachers knew child's environment t o it. This type o f about theirexistence. Unfortunately it course is most successful when assisted by seems that the availability o f such organizations outside the school. The alternatives is limited by political and social exigencies. There is little the average Gulbenkian Foundation helped the Wandsworth School Foundation Course teacher can do about these. for 14-year olds, the Centre for Urban Educational Studies helped the South Community schools Hackney Field Course for 4th year Social There are some schools set up as Studies pupils, the Schools Council is at complete alternatives to the educational and social mainstream. Places like Tvind present behind the Industry Project. While the Industry Project aims at a i n Denmark, or the Wooiey Project i n development throughout the year group, Northumberland are dedicated to an the other schemes were aimed at specific, alternative life style, and while being less able children in the schools. This educational establishments are unfortunately seems t o be the most experimenting in the use o f alternative practical so far as the schools are technology, like solar and wind power. concerned, and does not interefere with They also have a communal base. The its main business o f providing 0 levels. drawback -.-..---..teems -- -...- t-n- he -- t-.h.a-t- such -- -.. experiments need t o be set up in the Deviance countryside. Free schools may provide of thedeeply committed teachers ideal alternatives t o the mainstream in and youth workers find themselves inner cities but they cannot make an working with small groups of deviant kids alternative social environment for the child t o inhabit. i n Disruptive Units, Intermediate Treatment and Truancy Centres,some schools are state ~h~ community

skills missed by the children while i n mainstream education, which together with activities, crafts, group games etc. in other parts o f the day will help t o provide confidence in the ability t o learn.

In the street The Urban Studies Centre at Netting Dale, privately run but funded by the ILEA t o work with school children, has a clear ideology. "If you are beginning to look at housing i n your own patch then, in fact, what you are looking at is your own life-chances and those of your neighbours and friends." Schemes run by the Centre under the Urban Programme become raw material for the children and "representa different kind o f 'knowledge' than they would be involved with inside the school syllabus". Socially useful organizations provide a service t o kids and the community in giving them valuable outlets for their energy. Community Service Volunteer encourage community service for all k ranging from those going on t o higher education t o those in special units orcare. They try t o get the school teachers involved too. Outset organizes groups o f children t o spend part o f the summer holiday clearing and refurbishing the environment. There are plenty o f others. The children involved in these schemes do seem t o benefit personally from them. From the work that we have done looking at the alternatives that teachers could become involved in it is clear that though teachers can do some good work within their own alternatives these alternatives all have restrictions. Those like the Wooley Project are restricted t o the countryside and will pursue their alternative goals i n isolation from the mainstream; the curriculum alternatives are carefully monitored by the schools involved; the alternative units aredoing the institutions' dirtv work for them. The mainstream o f education, aided in this way, continues to cope, and what Nottlng Dale describes as "a radical shift i n what we define, in conventional terms, as knowledge", affects it very little at present. Ă&#x201A;ÂĽtoTaylor and ~ a ~ h Rock ne

*7^

MANY ATTEMPTS have been made to create community schools in the Third Ãˆv."i-~q Worid. Some have succeeded, some have failed. John Oxenham discusses .. % pmaIMe causes and soiutions. ~tfe., .. *-g c .

Â¥-

AN ATTRACTIVE WAY t o begin this piece is to go straight to the Third World. There is a village, Omdum, about ten mile* south-east o f Khartoum in The Sudan. Like many villages it has primary schools. Its Islamic culture separates the im the girls. The schools for the 1 achieved some fame. Last year, 1978, an episode in its tory was published in a paper of only en pages, 'Pupils'cOnmil, Omdum luge Prlmary School' by Mubarak Idris mod.' I shall paraphrase directly from paper.

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"Their work met with appreciation from in India from the 1940s to the 1960s a n d the village people, who participated many of the Barrio community schools willingly and enthusiastically in the job. in the Philippines during the 1950s and The local council o f the village directed 60s. the work and the medicalassistanthelped T.R. Batten Harold Houghton and by bringinga rubbish-car from the Margaret ~inclair' Peter ~re~ear,~'and Ministry o f Health to take away the dlh have successively reviewed efforts to collected in each campaign. " create community schools. Their The General Repair Society took on conclusions are broadly in tune: where various maintenance improvement community schools have succeeded, their projects, such as: installing a telephone outcomes have been so worthwhile, service to the headmaster's office, an that more should be encouraged. A t the electric bell for the school, and improving same time, success is so elusive and rare the lighting systems in the classrooms that ventures into community schools which was a boon to the adult illiteracy need to be planned with great care, Change classes which met in the evenings. cunning and sensitivity. Traditionally, a village school had Members ofthe ~enevolenceand Butjust why should success be so little to do with the comhunity:Its sole Charity Society participated in various elusive?The results listed at Omdum purpose was to see that as many of its forms of voluntary action such as: help would gladden the soul of any educator pupils as possible passed the examination with harvesting, clearing farms of concerned with aneducation which is at and secured places in the junior secondary destructive insects and pests, planting once all-round, immediately relevant to school. Parents were not involved except trees, cleaning mosques, helping with the community and relevant in the longer to enrol their youngsters at the beginning road-building. term to the adult lives of its pupils. How of the year and to receive the results of The result of involving the school and does it come about that they can be so the competitive entrance examination at the pupils in the life of the community easily lost, even knowingly foregone and was to change the school into a civic the end. surrendered? However, 1973 marked the beginning centre. Village people, parents, and pupils The answers suggested for Omdum met together to exchange ideas and of a radical change in the history of are echoed by Batten and Sinclair. Partly Omdum village school. The headmaster discuss problems relating to both the it is indeed a question of the quality school and the community. The pupils called a general assembly which was to of the teachers involved* A second, rather learned to love and respect manual work more minor part, not even mentioned at include the parents' council and the school-masters as well the pupils. and this was encouraged by the parents. Omdum, i s the quality of the support in During the assembly, th headmaster communications and administration, Failure talked to them about the important role which the educational system affords the that the school, pupils and parents should community school. The third, perhaps However, the success of this scheme play within the community. dominant, factor is the whole questioq slowlybegan to deteriorate. First, the The headmaster's plan for action why children are sent to school in the headmaster was transferred to another consisted of setting UP seven societies, school, and those that took over his job first place. Examining that leads into the such as: Gardening Society, Health ,,questionof how a society decides who lacked.the qualities and enthusiasm to Society, General Repair Society, and the continue the work. ,should be chosen for the better regarded, Benevolence and Charity Society. Each Second, the competitive examination better paid, more secure, more influential society had six members from the older remained the only criterion for selection posts in a total national state - not students, who were expected to include of pupils to the junior school. Therefore merely in a tiny village. and train interested Younger pupils. Each parents would insistthat their children Community spirit member was expected to spend at least spend most of their time preparing one month working in each society. Before we take up that question, we academically for the exam, even though Each society had its own projects should look just a little more closely at they were well aware of the usefulness and activities, all interrelated to the and importance of the activities involving what i s meant by a community school. Broadly, the idea i s a school which activities of the community. The Garden- community work. - = ing Society obtained and took on the relates a good deal of its teaching and The experience of the school 2nd responsibility for farming five acres of learning to the cir~~mstances of i t s loca headmaster at Omdum is not unique, the agricultural scheme land o f the unhappily. Similar tales have a fairly long community; which draws on that village. community for support and active history, goingtack perhaps a century. The members of the Health Society involvement in making this relation Among the more prominent examples assisted at the village health centre and dynamic and 'doing'; which involves are the rural school movement in organised a campaign to clean UP the Mexico during the 1920s and 30s, many itself in-promoting the improvement of village once every two or three months. of the Ghandian basic education schools the community; and which encourages

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COMMUNITY SERVICE is low on the list of school priorities. It could be a central part of the curriculum. Mog and Colin Ball explore the challenge. IT'S ALWAYS SAD to see the way the institution-based education system swallows up radical proposals and regurgitates them as i t s own offspring, sucked dry of their potential, youcould say the process is paralleled by what school does

to young people! But anyone who has ever spoken of new and different ways to treat Young people at one of those conferences where administrators and teachers gather to 'learn about new ideas' will remember the sinking feeling when a

member o f the audience stands up and says, "We're doing this already ". What educationists have done to community service is a case in point. Borne out o f the early sixties growth of voluntarism among young people

undercurrents a i (together with VSO and CSV); closely they do not treat young people as school related t o Victorian philanthropy and the teachers do. They may treat them more university settlements o f the early as adults, they may treat them more as twentieth century, and reared with gusto children, but either way this experience is a real one, which has to be faced by by certain public schools - the roots o f school community service were all about young people starting work anyway. And 'do-gooding'. And there was nothing the best community service offers work wrong with that. experience - a job that has to be done, However, it became clear, as with people depending on you t o do it, 'evaluation' of the experience became a and appreciating what YOU have done. fruitful field for research, that the good NO( all school community service was was being done as much to the Young that good, because to set up that kind of people who were sewing as t o the old experience everybody - teachers, school, ladies they were visiting, or the African and institutions and services boys they were teaching t o read. Evidence young people - had to have some kind of for this came from the young people vision of h a twas possible. ~ uit tdid themselves. They said that the experience happen. had-made them more confident; that they understood other people better; that they Emotional Risks had experienced work for the first time, A t the same time - and this i s an and had felt useful. For us, the evidence ingredient missing from most of school alsocanle from simply looking at the a good community service offered risks. young people: the had grown up. These were different from the Outward (.kme R0Sf-A (Raising of the School Bound, physical variety. They were Leaving; Age), community service was emotional risks, the sort that you'd taken Up by all sorts of S~hoolsas a good rather turn away from, and most of us do. way t o OCCUPY the reluctant stayers-on. This young man described his first visit t o 1't was toeing extolled by the Newsom a hospital for the mentally subnormal: Report, by the Schools Council, and by "There was o horrible feeling - I die Duke of Edinburgh. It was also a steppedinto the playground area and h i n d way ~ t o remove difficult Young they all came round me and quite d!OPle: from the school premises. Such a honestly I really felt like being sick, to good thing was it, that for some ROSLA start with . . Then you reolisedthat they puipils-it appeared on the school timetable aren't like the patients at the psychiatric andl some spent whole days, even weeks, hospital, who con communicate with you out of school. some of the time. I settled down. " 'The contentof what they did was For some schools it is the risk element oftqin pretty unimaginative. They would that is the most worrying part of commuvisijt the elderly, dig gardens, help i n play- nity service. After all, institutionalised groups. And some of them w ~ u l dget a schooling is about protecting the young real charge out of the experience, making from all these nasties, not about throwing relationships with people they'd never them i n at the deep end. And the have: met otherwise, discovering they were organisation of challenging work, explorgood with small children or lawnmowers, ing all the potential of community that academic subjects didn't matter at all service, is a big job, usually given to some when' You were trying to understand member o f staff with a full teaching and somebody only s~eakingrunts.pastoral programme, who manages to fix something up with a local playgroup on F RS C~~ O Oto~ the 'phone during the lunch hour. So it isn't surprising that the development o f B U ~the realchallenge: to incorporate this experience into a brooder pattern of community service is low on the l i s t o f school priorities, and reserved for those t e a ~ h i n ~to ] , build on it and make it the who aren't going in for many examinbasis of1 an alternative curriculum - that ations. was rarely recognised let alone met. The ingredients o f a community . From Communitytoschool service experience for an individual are somethidig like this: almost always And there i s another poorly developed wmmunl'ty service goes on outside the aspect o f community service which school building. This is a healthy thing in requires thought and organisation. If itself, and especially attractive t o young going out of school and mixing with nonpeople whlo find the institution oppress- teaching adults i s a fruitful experience for and that's probably more than the young people, why not call on the who admit t o skipping it i n their services o f those adults far more in sixteenth year). Then it often brings a schools? After all, if young people are young person into contact with adults being challenged by.the experience at the who are not school teachers. They may hospital for the mentally ill, wouldn't it be the peop Ie who are being 'helped' be stimulating to have staff from the mentally sub-normal, handicapped or hospital visiting the school, to discuss elderly, or they may be staff i n homes, various types o f psychiatric illness? And schools or hiaspitals. Generally speaking, perhaps this could be related t o some

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more formal study - a reading o f One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, maybe? A lesson on Richard Dadd or John Clare? And wouldn't such lessons also appeal t o older volunteers at the hospital for the mentally ill?And wouldn't their experiences help t o expand the whole subject? We have suggested, i n the past, that the community service experience can be a key t o opening up the school institution by offering, at its core, subject matter which school cannot provide. YOUcannot do it in the classroom, from a book. It needs other people. And we have hoped that this would provoke schools to open up to outsiders a little more, t o encourage the use o f facilities and plant which are so often unavailable for public use.

Breaking down the barriers "We're doing i t already '; they told us, pointing to C 9 m m u n i t ~Colleges, Purposebuilt t o welcome i n the community, with adult education prospectuses and squash courts all over the place. And people do use these facilities, it must be admitted. But they are the same people who always use facilities: professional middle-class people who liked schools when they went to them and did well out o f them. Old ladies who would like a cup o f tea and a bit of a chat don't got there, even when there is a purpose-built snack bar, because it's big, and unfriendly, and too far away. And that welcome t o the community wears a bit thin, when the community's gym is filled up with desks in the summer months for examinations, and when the community can't use the tennis courts after school, because the staff must have their privileges'. . All the most radical ideas about the ways in which young people, schools and communities could develop relationships and learn from one another come up against the brick wall of education as institution. 'Outsidws' are threatening t o the school - not least because they may well show up the inadequacies o f what goes on in there. And these inadequacies are pointed up most clearly by the need to move outside school t o find a real curriculum, one that offers young peoples a role, risk, reality - 3 Rs, in fact. For schools to admit that your people need these 3 Rs would be 1 schools to admit that young people neea to grow up. The essence o f institutionbased education is that young people are children, to be provided for, kept safe and played with. And t o provide the reason for a very large professional group to-look after them. Good community service opportunities are not games, they are a deadly serious contribution by the young to the network o f care i n their community. And few schools are deadly serious about community service. By Mog andColin Ball

unaercurrents

Nigel wright A s FREE SCHOOLS as a way of perpetuatingthe early tradition of collective self-education. But where do they stand within the political spectrum? Power

TODAY'SFREE SCHOOLS sprung, like, many other radical alternatives, from the heady days o f 1968. Buitheir origins can traced further back, at least as far as <$&l'when A.S. Neil1 established ,!;*$&qkhil. And their philosophyowes much t o Rousseau, the 18th Century author of EmTle. It is perhaps too much t o talk o f a free schools 'movement', because free schools i n England have been more ' like twinkling stars, shining one moment, tone the next. The most famous, or, i n some people's view, infamous, was Scotland Road i n Liverpool, and o f the free (non fee-paying) free schools, White Lion Street i n London is the oldest survivor. There are two simple reasons why ree-schools have not had much impact n Britain: power and money. There i s to shortage o f people who would like o set up free schools, no shortage o f children who would like to go to them, and n o shortage o f parents who would like one for their children. Nor is there a .+it of literature expounding their virtues and explaining how t o set them

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~ n cyet j only a handful exist.

The trouble is that the free school movement is not located within any significant power grouping. capitalism andIts supporting agencies like the conservative party clearly have no interest in schools which set out implicitly or explicitly t o challenge the established order. A mild, if sceptical, interest has been shown by liberals, and it is from such quarters that most of the support for free schools has come. The left has given little support, despite the persisting belief that it i s the left'which supports radical ventures. History can explain why. The early history o f working-class education was a story o f self education. * Organisations like the Corresponding Societies sprang up i n the 17905, bringing together ordinary people who pooled theTr knowledge and learned. from each other. Learning was a collective enterprise. Radical texts would be read together, expounded and expanded by democratic discussion. Such an education was politically highly char ed and met with vigorous

" I h veto thank Ken Worple for the important ooint made in this DaraaraDh.

repression from the ruling class. But then, as now, the powers-that-be recognised that co-option is cleverer than repression. Thus i n the early 19th Century a crucial transformation started taking place. Organisations like the Mechanics ' Institutes started taking over workingclass education, and they differed from what had gone before i n two crucial ways. First, they introduced the idea that education was something you got from an expert, an outside authority: the teacher. Education became a passive process - something you had done t o you. A t the same time the subject matter o f legitimate education was narrowed so that 'useful' knowledge , (such as bible-study or engineering) was OK but controversial things like politics were definitely not. Education was education and politics was politics. The introduction o f state schooling in 1870 marked the culmination o f this transformation. Henceforth education would be given t o the masses b y teachers, and it was t o be compulsory. The Labour movement fell for it hook, line and sinker, quite happily subscribing to the slogan 'keeo oolitic?

more, these special units will take some control would bring with it many o f the o u t of education'. Even Marxists have o f the pressure o f f ordinary schools, forgotten Marx's injunction not t o let ,things that free schools try t o escape making them even less likely t o rethe state get its hands on the education from: hierarchy, a chain of command, appraise their own practices. of children. The people, he wrote, are i n division o f labour, individual responsibility, deference t o convention, a horror no need o f education from the state; on Do-it-yourself the contrary, the state is i n need o f a stern of the unorthodox, censorship, confidenEducation, if it is t o be liberating lesson from the people. tiality, manipulation That is why the free school movement and not enslaving, is something which Today the left demands more and people do for themselves. This is the more compulsory schooling, never needs the wholehearted support o f a lesson the labour movement has forgotten questioning the belief that education significant power group. The alternative and in doing so has allowed the education must be a good thing. But the seeds o f network - of which Undercurrents is system to become the great bastion o f doubt were sown, for my generation at representative - may be vociferous but the ideological status quo. And yet the least, by Paul Goodman's book it is not a power group for the simple reason that it can not command resources. idea o f 'doing it yourself must not be Compulsory Miseducotion (originally taken beyond the realms of reality. published i n 1962). Subsequently a series A t best it is a pressure group which can Similarly, de-schooling, which neglects persuade a power group (such as the o f writers - notably Holt, Reimer and the unpleasant but unavoidable fact that Illich -pointed out just how iniquitous Labour Party) to release resources when a primary function o f schools is childit suits its vested interests to do so. compulsory schooling is. But because minding, can only be a fantasynone o f these writers employed the The decision this year by the Labour Forces with real power must be rhetoric o f class struggle, they had no controlled Islington Council t o give a Persuaded to break out of the dead-end impact on the organised left in Britain. substantial grant t o White Lion Street clamour for 'more of the same' and The Free Schools could become the Free School i s o f major importance, inheritor o f that early tradition o f because it marks the first real recognition start demanding something m m ~ l e k l ~ collective self-education and so put radical by the Labour Party that education does different - andpot just for the lucky few, but for everyone. What this somepolitics back into education. Free school not necessarily have to be given i n thing might be i s indicated in an assert the belief that compulsory orthodox schools using orthodox impressive variety of ways. The women's, curriculum is nothing but an instrument methods. It is all the more significant movement, which is the greatest mass o f social control'. By abolishing the power because the Labour controlled Inner self-education movement of this century, o f teachers over learners, they minimise London Education Authority (of which will be a major model. Writers like John Islington is part) is patting itself on the the risk o f being places o f repression Molt (Insteadof Education) provides back for spending money (Â£1.million) where young people learn t o be docile enormous insights, while experiments on 'alternative' education, namely the acceptors of the status-quo. like Countesthorpe College in Leicesterspecial units for truants and 'disruptiver Money shire or the Sutton Centre i n Nottinghampupils. But youngsters cannot choose t o The second, much more mundane, shire, show just how much can be go there, nor can t h e choose not t o go achieved within the state system. reason for the weakness of the free school there. T h y are thoroughly hierarchical We need more free schools; with tnovement i s money. Running a full-time and t h y have the declared aim of getting School is a c o s t l ~business, even when energy and persistence they can be kids back into 'normal' schools as soon costs are pared tea minimum (White as possible. I n other words, the kids who established and sustained. They need t o Lion Street costs well over Â£50 a Year go there are deemed 'abnormal' and have look beyond the charitable foundations Per child). Many groups who have plannec t o be -curedt 50 that they can go back t o and seek support from the labour movefree schools have failed at this first merit. And i n the long Fun, perhaps we the blameless schools they came from. the USA hurdle. his is in contrast can campaign for the removal of such units are o n 1 'alternative1inthe where money grows on trees)-.. People with money (ie rich peep' t tend to recognise ( i n a blinkered sor way) that education should serve their . own needs, which is why the independ schools including the fee-paying and school meals. I n April of this year the progressive schools like Bedales and Kin school gained a three year grant from Alfred's continue t o flourish. But th Islington Council as part o f the Urban rich people have no need for radical Partnership scheme i n recognition o f the education. role the school plays in neighbourhood I n my view free schools ought t o be White Lion support. This will help t o cover most people and lhey WLSFS, an independent non-fee-paying basic running costs, but additional money not t o charge fees. community school i n Islington, London, will have to be raised if urgent improveIn - like Denmark Or has been open since September 1972 and ments to the building are t o be carried Canada - it is possible for groups t o has over 50 children on i t s roll, between out and the wide range o f activities con- Iwithdraw' their share the the ages o f 3 and 16 years. The eight full- tinued. budget to finance their own educational time and one part-time workers share, Although there i s a sigh of relief at this ventures. This December a conference, t o with volunteers parents and kids, all the new source of income, the struggle t o be held under the auspices o f the tasks. Decisions are made at weekly gain acceptance by the ILEA must not be ~ d v i s o r yCentre for Education (ACE) meetings open t o all and at which every- neglected and already the negotiationsfor will plan practical strategies for gaining one has a voice. The school's facilities are 1980 are under way. The Free School local authority support for educational also available to the community. believes as strongly now as i n 1972 that alternatives.* A major problem will be Funding has previously been through there must be provision within state that o f control: not surprisingly, Islington Social Services and private education for full collaboration between authorities will want t o control projects trusts; i n addition the Inner London children, parents and teachers on an equal they are asked to finance. But such Education Authority (ILEA) has given footing, t o decide for themsleves how 8 December 1979. Details from: ACE, grants for youth activities i n the evenings learning should happen. Anthea Baillie 18 Victoria Park Square, London E2 9PB.

...

3 helpers - children are able t o work Carl and Eleanor died i n the 60s.Their with the teacher they relate to most school could not be judged by narrow readily - and a good family atmosphere. educational criteria. It should be viewed i VISITOR, interested in Leeds Eree Ages range from 3% t o 13. The school as an educational commune. It was still a School, is taken into a through-terrace strong patriarchal family, led with lives i n a large Victorian house with half inspiration and a big heart by Carl, but house, up the stairs and into a large room an acre of garden. The garden is a very made by knocking down some o f the wall important place; it has sandpits, paddling nonetheless tightly structured b y him. Only a while after their deaths did the between two ordinary bedroom-sized pools an aerial runway, treehouses, rooms.The people i n there are between obstacle courses and plenty o f hide-outs. rest o f the teaching s t a f f realise that they 11 and 18. Four are talking around cups We take the children out regularly, both were not interested i n having an 'acting headmaster' but were actually working as o f coffee, one has just come back from a on day trips and camping expeditions. a teaching co-operative and could well regular 9-5 job and two are plastering a Basic skills are taught on an individual basis. Their moods are taken into account admit this. wall. "Is this the Free School?" the visitor asks, confused. "No, this is the and the day progresses accordingly. There are 50 pupils, aged 9-18, wi ' building the Free School rents. It changes more boys than girls. They come fro i t is our view that, given appropriate a lot. Eighteen months ago it was mainly support and advice, children are capable widely different backgrounds. Many got a playgroup for 3 to 7 year olds. Eighteen of making real decisions from a very early some financial help from their LEA. months before that it was a school where age and should be encouraged t o do so. Their referrals were all for different children were expected t o attend from Self-motivation is central t o our prinreasons - educational, social or emotion9.30-3.30 five days a week although al. We attempt t o present problems as ciples. adults could choose for themselves when natural occurrences with a potential for We are currently undergoing a lot o f i be there. learning and growth, instead o f pretendchange - part o f the front garden has "What sort of adults-are involved?" been sold t o Lewisham Borough Council ing that 'problew people' are the 'others', Mostly the usual collection of unusual for their redevelopment next door and in absolute cases isolated into special schools eople, ranging from marxist through the autumn more fences will go up as our etc. anarchist t o hippy, who descend on perhaps the biggest difference between landlords - London & Quadrant Housing decimated inner-city areas t o set up Association - will begin their own build- us and a school is that our whole strucexciting projects. Many are called 'whole- ing programme. We haven't been asked t o ture is part of the learning: there is an m e a h ' by the children who are a mixgo - yet - but it is becoming increasingly attempt at openness and many more ture of their sons and daughters and local difficult to run the school in these con- questions are asked than at most schools. working-class children who are sick of noisy and djtions; the machinery is te school." dangerous, and so we have t o work very Hillside A t the June alternative education con- hard t o find an alternative building. The irence I was impressed by the Support HI started in 1975 with one pupil school has no money of its own so is and now has 40. I n the autumn it is t o lat the group gave to its members. If the dependent on renting a premises at the authority picks on one Person there is a lowest possible rate. Our only other hope move from its present premises - a house group response. They insist that the local is ifenough parents got together to buy a - into a converted church. authority meets with everyone - adults property jointly - but this is unlikely. A t present the age range is 4-20; the and children. A t one stage drinks and Our local council, Lewisham, is not in our atmosphere has been described by one of biscuits were provided and everyone Sat favour as we are an independent school, the students as being "like a sort of i n a circle. When an educational adviser family". The day isfairly structured t o Which reminds me - if we get a house wanted t o meet without the kids, this that's big enough, we could think about allow for the maximum use o f the wide range of part-time specialists brought into contact broke down and communication extending the school for secondary age the school. Children go to these workers ontinued by letter. kids. Ifyou can help in any way please On another O C $ & S ~ O ~ a girl Was taken contact us at; 186 Kirkdale, Sydenham, at set times if they have chosen t o learn 3 court for not attending school. This the skills on offer - at other times they London SE26, phone 01 778 0149. 'as carried out under the magistratehave periods o f free choice. There is a weekly meeting o f everyone; although the dministered adjournment proceedings Monkton Wyld 'hereby a decision about the child's younger kids' involvement is often at the THE SCHOOL began during the war, in level o f "Can we have Bounty in the tuck :hool attendance i s deferred again and shop, please?". The meeting are an gain -sometimes for as long as two 1940. It was started by Carl Urban, a ears. Through counsel employed for the German, and his American wife, Eleanor. important part o f the life of the school. irl by the Free School there was a three- They had no family and devoted themMoney, as ever, is a problem. Hillside our pleading about her rights to attend selves t o this project. Their definition o f has set up a bursary fund as the previousree School tutorial groups. The case was education was very different from what ly used educational trusts no longer have 'on. tax exemption. They have developed the was generally accepted. Questions o f experience and relevance kept appearing use o f covenants, at, for example, Â£ a - the first school work included estate month for 7 years, or loan covenants KirkdaleSchool work. Practical activities have always been interest free loans paid back over 7 years. Other money is raised via donations to Â¥IRKDALSCHOOL is a happy school! considered an important part o f the enable some children to attend free o f t was started 14 years ago by a group-of school - equal to the traditional, charge - other students pay as much as arents looking for an alternative to state examinable subjects. Carl and Eleanor Â£20 per term. :hools. It is a registered charity, were also behind the strong sense o f riginally conceived as an urban adaptWhen asked about problems i n culture t o be found in the school, making tion of A.S. Neill's Summerhill. I t has choosing preferences for learning-one all the books, records and spiritual student replied that, "justseeing other rolved into a parent-owned co-operative striving not so much abstract study but here parents and teachers work together. more the other end o f human activity - people doing what they are doinghelps fe have 35 kids, 5 full-time staff with sweeping the floor and seeking fulfilment. me t o choose."

s Free School and Community Thist

WHAT HAPPENS when the law no longer serves to prevent a wrong but supports one? This question is raised by the Education Act as discussed by Dick Kitto. ,someone in uniform, for example a policeman. That i s what policemen are for, to make sure that people do not commit a wrong, t o enforce the law, t o protect society, so naturally people turn

,UPPOSE YOU are walking down a street nd you see a parent beating a child. ,upposeyou think the isbeing eaten unreasonably hard. youpause and disturbed. You hesitate. Should ou stop and remonstrate?should you be repared t o intervene? Immediately all sorts of doubts assail rou: not just fear o f retaliation, or of )eing made to look foolish, but genuine loubts about the right of parents to beat heir children, and the right of a private iitizen to intervene in what the Parents nay regard as a legitimate part of their ;hildrenls upbringing. The longer YOU resitate the more complicated the issue eems, and as you stand irresolute the ' ;hild is dragged away howling. You move )ff in a different direction, relieved that he incident is over, but also vaguely ineasy that your part in it has not been fery creditable. It would be interesting to know how many people have ever personally intervened to prevent a wrong or a crime. I uspect that it would be quite a small lumber. Most people's reaction i n such :ircumstances is to look round for help, )referably from someone in authority,

I think there is fairly wide agreement that in most circumstances it is right t o intervene t o prevent a serious wrong bein] commited. Many would also argue that where there is a right there must also be a duty, that the one implies the other. But i n practice a whole host o f questions arise to throw doubt and confusion on this right or duty. Who should exercise i t ? The ordinary citizen, the community as a whole, special people delegated by the community? How should they exercise it? By persuasion, by threats, by force - and if so how much force is justified? When should they exercise it - before the wrong i s committed when there is reasonable evidence to infer that it i s about t o be, while it is being committed when to interfere might be t o aggravate it, or afterwards when it is too late? And, most complex of all, how should one decide whether a wrong is serious enough to and society that made it, and it reflects justify intervention, or even whether a their needs, desires and prejudices. T o be wrong 1s being committed at all? The issue of right and wrong is not a clear-cut specific, i n this country i t has been made over a period of three or four hundred one, for it involves a value judgement, years, by well-to-do, property-owning, e s ~ e c i a liln~ cases such as this where white males who whatever their private family relationships are concerned. By what criteria do we judge when and how idiosyncracies presented to the world a hard a child ought to be beaten? By what facade of respectable, heterosexual, faircriteria do we decide what is right or minded, Christian righteousness, from wrong for a child? By what criteria do we which they derived their law-making propensities - while at the same time taking assess whether a child is receiving an efficient education? care to protect and perpetuate their Historically the parents have been the privileged positions. It's hardly surprising sole arbiters, they have exercised their that the law is a little tarnished in places. rights over their children as their And even in these more egalitarian possession. But over the last hundred days, the bureaucrats who administer it years the state has increasingly intervened have an arrogant belief i n their infallible and a number o f education and children's superiority over the individuals they are acts have placed restrictions on parents there to serve, and a vested interest i n and on society in an attempt t o protect preserving and increasing their field o f the child from maltreatment or neglect. influence. They are part of the system, This sounds fine, children should not be and inevitably come to identify with i t s maltreated, so we should thoroughly assumptions (even if privately they may approve a law that protests them. But i t i s be sceptical of them). Even when the not quite so simple as it seems, for often system is evidently not delivering the the law seems not to be on the children's goods they feel that a little up-dating, side: i t is not, we feel, so much preventing tinkering here and there, will somehow a wrong as supporting one. do the trick: a new exam t o replace the The law is not irrefutable, unchanging, old one, a central curriculum, raising the God-given, it is as fallible as the people school leaving age. &

But they do not question the inviolable I which the authorities misuse clarified, hen, after all, there is a saving rightnessof a system that herds children: clause; Education i s compulsory, but and the rights of families spelled out together i n instituti0.n~in groups of 50 schooling is not- there is'a loophole. The more explicitly. The danger here is that or 500, or 2000; subjects $em to a Education Act (l944) states (Section 36): wemight lose more than we gain. I s any 'stereotyped series of #minute jabs of government, right or left, likely to convt hallbe the duty oftheparentsof knowledge many of which are irrelevant every child ofcompulsory cede to the ordinary citizen (he right ti to and boring, which aredesigned and opt out of one of its major institutions cause him to receive efficient full-time administered by academics who may educat,o,, to his age, and without a struggle? Far more likely th2 never since the age of 5 have strayed far aptitude, either by regular attendanceat . any pressure for such a concession will i d the confines of the classroom a or otherwise. . ., provoke a reaction and a whittling away the common room, and, as a result, have . . of such freedom as already exists. Perhaps ' an unacknowledged subservience t o . . Those two words, -"or otherwise"are i t i s more.realistic to aim to extend the authority and conformity anda deep the basis for the great majority of present- freedoms i n the present Act so thatthey t rooted fear of originality and creativity. ' day alternative education schemes. Taken become realitiesfor the growing number. on their own they represent probably a . M o s t adults, i f given the choice, will of people of all classes and races who are t for a life that is moreor less private .greater degree of educational freedom disillusioned with the inadequaciesof than is enjoyed by any other Western d autonomous amidst asmall social orthodox schooling. The Feasibility~ . circle. So how do we justify the assump- country except Denmark. Even the Study for a Children's Legal Rights ,. , . @ t that children prefer otherwise, or if qualifying words "efficient", "full-time". Centre, which is one of the most hopeful and "suitab1e"are more bark than b i t e ' .initiatives to come out of International,,.. *:they'don't prefer it should anyway be legally compelled to accept it willynilly? because they are nowhere defined, Year of the Child; makes this a real " ; How in these libertarian times can we ' But alas, the loophole is not so possibility. ., Justify that children are never consulted straightforward as it seems. For it i s just Whether to campaign for changes in ahd are given no choice in the matter? left to the parents, it is not enough to say the law is a question for debate, but in theeducation acts divide the responthat they have aduty, we must ensure one respect as a matter of principle it sibility firmly between the parents and that they carry it out. So the Education must be revised -the right of the child* t h e education authority, nowhere is any Authorities have a duty also - a duty to be h b r d must be recognised and "' reference made to the expressed needs ensure that the parents carry out their entrenched. The Children's Act, 1975,~ L.^ndwishes o f the children who are the duty: was the first piece of legislation to . willing or "nwilling consumerspf this acknowledge the existence of childrenas Section 37 of the A C states: ~ yfjt &l$ous pottage. autonomous Persons in the section that appears to a local education authority $0 have we come full circle - a law relates to care and custody.lt states: the parentofany fa/ling to @at originated in a harsher age of perform the duty it shall be the duty "The court. shallso far as practicable capitalist exploitation and which salved authority to serve upon theparent ascertain the wishes and feelings of the,^. of , tfie liberal conscience by protecting a notice requiring him to satisfy the child regarding the decision and give due .children and ensuring that their right to consideration to them, having regard to that the ,-h//diSreceiving .h&cp,tion was met, i s now under attack his age andunderstanding. " , efficient full-time education, etc. etcy t Not much of a concession, perhaps, because it condemns them to a process of: Still no satisfactory clue about the words +titutionalisatiqn that may notat all . but a similar acknowledgement in respect "efficient; "fu//-t/me"and "suitable", . wit their needs, and which i s certainly' of education i s something everyone conAnd then that phrase "lf it appears. harmfuland distressing for many, and cerned with the rights of citizens and . , How does it appear? What sokt of :lyhikh in any case reflects and Perpetuates ,detective work, snooping and backbiting with the welfare of-children should be ,(<lfafel:ishmentvalues of Social conformity precedes this sudden what committed to. conservatism. sort of evidence is required to justify the . . Dick Kitto authority's intervention, and bywhat means is i t acquired? What tends to happen is that the local authority, secure in its role as the "educational expert" decides upon the criteria and requires the parents to fulfil them with an implicit, and often explicit, threat of court action if they don't. The attitude of LEASover this i s arbitrary and unpredictable, it varies between authorities from permissiveness and co-operation (generally more evident in the South and West) to an unconcealed hostility in some parts of the East. But even within one authority the attitude can vary from district to district, and also with who you are and how you present yourself. There is no doubt that the well-groomed, wellspoken family well set up with paddocks, ponies and 3-litre Rovers, gets a more sympathetic hearing than the workingclass family on a council estate or some well-whiskered communard living on social security. So, many people think that the law ought to be changed, these vague areas , ,

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demands to be listened to - they are problems to be overcome. Parents actuallv think thev are being kind to exposechildren to this sortof pain. Each day new kids would lose a little more of their liveliness. I recall the of two 7-year-old boys to a - response 5-year-old boy pushing his head onto the tummy of a friend, wriggling and giggling and falling about $11 the time. They put CAN CHANGE be effective by working within the SyS- up their hands and asked, "can we do that?''. Chris Nickolay discoverswhat happenswhenThe denial of anger i s another part of feelings are let out in the open insidethe the absorption process. Teachers control kids' anger because they are unclear about environment. their own. They say, "Don't do that!" Generally the status of British infant or "Why didyou do that?", in a threaten* I HAVE BEEN inclined to think of my ing instead of caring way. To reply i s to education in the world i s high. I t s techtime'as an infant teacher as exceptional as very different from most other people's niques and style are frequently taken up be cheeky, it challenges the status which Iwas a man working in a traditionally in other levels of education here and over- the teacher needs to feel secure, to avoid feeling exposed. female environment doing 'unusual' work seas. The infant classroom i s often an I was afraid in the face of children's exciting, attractive and interestingplace for a man. It was a time full of anguish anger, my first response was always to but from conversations with other people a treasure house for most kids. Most d encourage the *nvolved in teaching and child-care Ihave children going into them do acquire basic control it. ~ e teachers earnt that many have had similar times, skills (numeracy, literacy, writing, use of kids' power by allowing them to say "Heh! Idon 't like that, you 're hurting hat Iam right to draw some general con- a variety of art materials etc). Many me, Ihate you, go away, leave me alone." schools are fun to be in for a lot of the lusions from.it -other people at I remember the times I allowed and lifferent moments have been there with time. encouraged kids t o be angry with me, But the deeper environment of the ne. I came to an infant school (for which I classroom is one which develops conform- with someone in the class or with sow"ity to a liberal, apparently participatory one who wasn't present but who had was trained) after an exhausting time in but insidiously repressive power system. upset the child (sister, parent, grandan ESN school to regain my confidence mother etc) - they said what they didn't to 'deal' with a class of kids - for a long It encourages distorted self-images in time I could only work with a small group everyone who is part of it by restricting like or what they didn't want to happen although I eventually came to be respon- the right to be angry, to cry, to resist, to any more and got support and underlove, to decide, to question, to be silent, standing from the rest of us. They worked* sible for a full class of 5-7 year olds. I worked in & modern infant school in to be sensuous, to play, to make friend- through their anger. One girl was being bullied by her elder sister; Ann whispered a new town. Each class had a wonderful ships, to make enemies and follow it through. Put another way the classroom this to me after I noticed that she kept collection of toys and equipment - the stopping in her work. I called the class same basic range for literacy, numeracy, serves as a place for the teacher to art, construction etc. It was all good pro- reinforce histher expectations of what i s together. Ann stood next to me and told normaLemotional behaviour. In fact the the class very quietly what was happening gressive stuff in that there wasn't a emotional life in infant classrooms creates -she was frightened and angry. I asked traditional 'drumming i t an in' motive behind it. There was an emphasis on the confusion, pain, self-doubt, lack of con- her if she would like the class to tell her child taking some responsibility for his/ 'fidence and deep containment of feelings sister to leave her alone, she said she would. Everyone shouted,""Go away -all the roots of future stress. her learning. The child is not encouraged to have an Susan!" several times. Ann grew taller integrated ~ersonalitv.Permission has to and returned to her painting only to come be obtained todo anything that deviates back a few seconds later tothank every- . EducationalTUcks one for being nice to her. To make her ,: from the established choices o f work or ' However, the air of responsibility and behaviour. If changes are won by an feel even better a few people came forchoice was an elaborate trick. In this ward to give her some cuddles. individual they become part of the particular school each child had a book About the same time I got very angry dominant dynamic because permission (made by the teacher) which contained a has had to be gained. From the very first with a boy who was repeatedly bullying l i s t of work to be done. Each piece of day at school children continue the pro- smaller children. I shouted at him about work completed would be ticked off. The cess, begun with their parents, of losing other people not wanting to play with aim of the teacher was to see that each him and how would it be if I bullied him. control of their lives -their absorption child completed a balanced range of work at the lowest point of the decision-making He cried until he was breathing in sobs. each day; this in turn became the aim of hierarchy is speedy and frightening. sat by him on the carpet and waited for the older children who tearned to operate his crying to stop. I asked him what he within the system. Examples was feeling about me, he s know. I asked him if hew To be more specific. Iremember If a child feeds in ideas (which i s children starting school. They would get a me, he smiled and shook his he encouraged in infant teaching) the place to hang their coats, a drawer for teacher feeds them back in an enriched as he was angry with me was th books, their name on a folder, a place and noise that went with his anger. form, drawing out the breadth of to growl and then from a quiet a partner in the queue for playtime and potential in any part of that young their name in a register. Even if they had the back of his throat it turne person's contribution. But, it's the roar lasting about 30 seconds. been for visits before this was the real teacher who i s in charge of this process thing. The expression of fear and pain on a picture of me as a roaring b and the teacher who maintains the A t the last parents' evening bi being left are not seen by teachers as control.

tern? suppressed classroom

I talked about what I had been doing ffth the kids i n terms o f our feelings. The arents o f this particular boy said they tondered what had been h a ~, ~ e n i n e . because when his granny had told him t o eat his greens he had said no and ..-. called her 'four-eyes'. N o one had spoken like that t o granny before. :ft

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~hatdidyoulearnkschooltoday? The strong are admired, That was the truth.1 learned

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EEQ &mDDOKl@* who Cares? Penelope Leach. Penguin 1979.75~. A refreshing look at the attitudes o f contemporary society t o parents and young children. Includes positive, practical suggestions for change. A well- . written and extremely readable little book. Freedom and Beyond. John Holt. Pelici 1Q7t Instead of Education. John Holt. Pelica 1977 All o f John Holt's books are invalual reading. Both the above are concerned with the ills o f the present educational system, its worst i s that it is compulsor! Suggests positive channels for change. Compulsory Miseducation. Paul Goodm Penguin. 1977 One o f the best known and most popular books on the subject o f the negative influence o f institutionalised learning on children and society. The Way of a Child. A.C. Harwood. Rudolf Steiner Press. 1974 A good introduction to Rudolf Steiner's ideas on children and educatic Beginnings o f Learning. Krishnamurti. Penguin. 1978 Conversations between ~rishnamurt and students, parents, and teachers on the nature o f education in relationship to living. From Intellect to Intuition. Alice Baile Lucis Press Ltd. 1974 9 Contains an excellent chapter on 'TI Purpose o f Education' in relation to spi;itual consciousness and the search for truth. The Children on the Hill. Michael Deak - Quartet. 1975 A fascinating story about a family who developed their own process for brought educating their children in the home w in the remarkable results. Illustrates how muc faster ankbetter children can learn out S.L. o f school than in. * S.L.

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Fhe Centuries o f Childhood. Philippe Aries. Penguin. Traces history o f childhood. Puts forth argument that childhoo d i s a modern invention. Entertaining but academic. Changing Childhood. ed. by Martin Hoyles. Writers and Readers. Â£3.25 Collection o f essays, articles and poems about the origins, history and political framework o f childhood. Emphasises contemporary issues such as child rearing practices, the relation 3f children to the family, the world o f work, and to the community, and the Fluctuating status o f children within society.

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Getting Out en it came t o leaving (as part o f ployment cutbacks), I spent a long explaining t o kids why I had chosen 1go. I talked about my unhappiness at o t being able t o work in my own way, at eing expected t o 'control'. The process f leaving came t o a head with an argulent on the phone with the Divisional ducation Officer. When I argued with im, his response was to retreat behind is power, saying, "I'll have you know tat I'm the Divisional Officer and you're 1st a teacher". Wham. I came back t o my lassroom, sat down and cried. The whole lass just stopped and sat quiet. When I ad finished I asked for a cuddle. About 0 bodies rushed and piled all over and round me, touching, holding, squeezing, miling and laughing. I said thankyou and hey all sat down. I asked if anyone had uestions. One boy asked why I was rying. I explained. At.this point an inner witch went i n me and I stopped being traight and started feeding o f f the good selings. I asked if anyone else had a uestion - I was enjoying the attention; 0 people all listening, just to me. A girl n t h e r hand up and said, "Gun we have ur milk now?? It was completed; there was no more o talk about. I felt very clear and happy. Lastly, on the occasion of a school luting to a park I sat down with a group if 6-7 year-olds t o talk some more about my leaving. I said I didn't like making hem do things they didn't want to do. A irl, Ann, looked at me in a puzzled way nd said, "There is something I don 't underrand. I f you say you don't like doing hat to us why do you still do it?" . , .. ..,,.a:-'.,. .: .,.-" ' ,.-..:. ',....,;;.,,>. :...'.:::.:.~* .

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Resources Reviews

BullMIn of EnvlmnmmulEduetion Education Unit. Town and Prtiintru ~-~~~ ~. - - -.... Manning Assotiation, .' . : Annual tubtiriotion(11 iuun1Â£6.5 a year. Extn wphs Â£5.8a y ~ r . Tha tÃ‘cher' ouidfttdma thmw and predict of 6n&onmenml d k i o n , with emphasis on the urban xcaru and ~ n fecolwicd l problimi.BEE' % . indudas articlesand study:idgas from wXiw teach's and &~tiw'anviron%' ~

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to historic buildinas a n d ~ ~ k n i . l.t' i brought tofthf in Bristol for'tha Avon Schools Environmantai Pmitct: Plus books listed in FIwi&+xi.on~~.. ,' Ado at 17 Culton.~ourffÃ§rrÃ§c 'Â¥Â¥'.:. Lo*n,SW 1:; x.;, :. ..,.

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next, it is as i f the scales of years are shed, one wjth each page, until one fil onwelf looking at thecity with totall' rerl :,new eyes,@o,+;o~,~child..The & k photographs byAnnGolzen,mai 'of.them t a k ~ n i n s o u t h London,are.a beiutifu'l ~ m p l i r n e n t t o ~ e t e x t.-', illustrating the way childre coloni~e~ c q n thehost hostile.environ(nentsaii d learn to use the city in what is, for thleir purposes, a constructive fashion.

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Futures A game for 2-4 players. Devised b y Gill Collins, Craig Fletcher & Clive Jones. College Press. Â£2.50 / This game is definitely not for children except for those who possess far greater intellectual capabilities than I do. It must be played by people who are familiar and adept with such terms as: State Infrastructure, Private Monopoly, etc. But for those who are it is an interesting and challenging game designing scenarios o f the future which one mustbe prepared to defend against disaster. European Environment 1975-2000. Michael Bassey. Conservation Trust.

Th* N C Â co ur^¥ 'u n M t"!ciI Interpretive Branch Attinghem Park Shrewbury Salop SY4 4TW. The Civic Trust 17 Carlton House Terrace London SW1 and The Town and Country Planning Association at the same address will give help on identifying and using waste space for the use of the community.

Make Waste Space Play Space, an Action Handbook by Fair Play for Children, 50p Includes details on identifying waste EMOPEAN space, where to get help, insurance, and organising petitions, lobbying, etc . Urban Wasteland, a book by Timothy that . -is. Cantell, describes successful projects -In excellent, if a '^".'mi which local residents have beaten the littk for considsimplistiÂ¥ problem of urban decay through self help. (Â£2.4 inc p&p). Available from eration o f , the Civic Trust, L.S. environmental Meanwhile Gardens by Jamie McClough, The story o f one site, told at a breathless pace with all the excitement and disappointments. The second half of the book i s a practical guide to involving the community, fund raising, working with the local authority. etc. Ask the Kids. Council and Education From ~ublication's~istributiorrs Co-op, Press 10 Queen Anne St W1 M94. or Gulbenkian, 98 Portland Place, A useful study o f children's ideas and attitudes about the lay-out o f their school W1 N 4ET (75p). Unused urban land for community grounds carried out in conjunction with Watch, the childrens' environmental club. purposes published by The London Either get the book or talk t o the children Celebrations Committee for the Queen's around you. L.S: Jubilee. From 26 Old Queen St., London SW1, price 60p. Some"futures" novels that might act as Investigator's Handbook, Community a basis for discussions with 6th formers Action, 30p. 23 Clerkenwell Close, EC1. 'might be-Ecotopia. Ernest Callanback. Pluto books. News from Nowhere. WilliamI A project in Newcastle called Town Teacher, at 25 Queen Street, Newcastle 'Morris. 'I upon Tyne, have produced a Wasteland Others could be: Plants booklet, looking at wildlife o n Zen and the A r t o f Motor-cycle derelict sites. Maintenance. Robert Pirsig. Corgi. Richard Mabeys book Street Flowers, Memoirs o f a Survivor. Doris Lessing. Kestrel Books, is a classic. Future Environments in Britain, Bryan The Unofficial Countryside again by Waites (Editor). Cassell, 1979. Mabey published by Fontana Richard A series which explores the use of shows where and what wildlife exists Britain's natural resources, intended for in the cities. CSE and GCE '0' level pupils in The Endless Village by W G Teagle , Geography and Environmental Studies. published by the Nature Conservancy Titles include: Council is a useful study o f Birmingham Future Transport. Roger Thomas. Â£1.65 wildlife, also well worth getting. Future Water. Bryan Waites. Â£1.65 Future Energy. Michael Devereux. Â£1.65 The RSPCA have published a City Wildlife Pack it is a fairly comprehensive tuture Landscapes, Roger Thomas. Â£1.65 .. guide to the wildlife t o be found in the city, plenty o f follow-up work for Utopia Human Space Series. Colin Ward. pupils included. From RSPCA The Penguin Education. Causeway Horsham Sussex. The book talks about "one million The Nature Conservancy Council private dreams" and then goes on to recently brought out a wide range of 'explore ideas o f Utopia in the past and well-produced material aimed t o make now. Ample material for the teacher t o people and authorities aware of the ' devise their own similar games. L.S. wildlife around them.

The Ecological Parks Trust has produced a first and secondAnnua1 Repor? o n the William Curtis Ecological Park. Obtainable from the Ecological Parks ,, Trust, c/o The Linnear Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1V OLQ. S.J.

For a full report on the project at Pocklington see the CSV kit on Appropriate Technology (listed in the reviews section). Also a paper wesgiven by John Jeffery at the 'Conference on A.T. and Institutional Change' at Newcastle University. Send to U.C.. c/o Children end the Environment. A film called " D i n o ~ u r sin the Playground", which describes how David and Rodger worked with Leycock school to build their playground, is available from Concord Films 201 Felixtowa Road lpawich Suffolk IP3 3BJ A'video-tape is in the proceas of being made, about the playground at Arbourfield. Contact Drake Education A m c i t e s 212 Whitchurch R d Cardiff Wales. A tapeslide show on the Waihington environmental yard if available from Childs Play Francis House Francis S t r u t London SW1. Juniper Hill School is well worth a visit-contact Alex Fergison Juniper Hill Combined School Churchill Clou Fleckwell Heath Bucks.

I Making Playgrounds. Lin Simonon. CSV Publications237 Pentonville Rd London N1 9NI. The examples o f schools that have used their school playgrounds,to make educational spaces-and as a link between school and neighbourhood, are takenfrom Making Playgrounds. The Pack takes the planning, designing and building of a school playground and makes it a school activity,linked to the ordinary curricular activities. The Pafck has a Iresource book, posters, stencilled work sheets for duplication and three sections Ion 'Play', 'Planning' and 'Doing It'! There are also 30 slides o f good practice 1that can be used for discussion in the Iplanning stage. L.S.

Infr-Action's City Famu e & r y S w v i i will glva help in letting up city bnns, they d m offer help and advice on grmts, &signs, gitting nuterials in fit Â¥wythinone would need to know when starting a city farm. Inter-Action wiil play no greater role thin the group requests. City Fwm N e w is available from' Inw-Action Centre. 15 Wilkin Street, London NWS. It is a very u n f u l quTfrly mag~~ine. Issue number four hie lilt of all tha citv farms in the A well set i t and produced

Ttr h i t t l o n of Airicultum 16-20 Strutton Ground. London SWlP 2HP publish lregular calendar of farm open day. Thm Animobil*, again from Inter-Action, b a w c i a l l y constructed 3 ton lorry. Its putpow is to bring city children Into conwith Minuls. ThÃ Animobiie a n nrv as a usdul catalyst to m r k off children's intarnt wh*rÃ It is not mssible for Ã§cho0lt o 1c thnn out. The mnw of i n t e ' m nloped could be very wid* animal i Â¥colony ,other pÃ§opla' lifutvln Ã§nother pi-, as mil as conwwation, Tic minuli ere pmsonted in a t h u t r l a l story-telling context, by "Sir . NÃ§villPmtt", using music, drÃ§m and Inter-Action gums. Write to Inwr-Action. 15 Wllkin St. for details.

uarthdee Form: the form In the city. Chris Simpson and Jake Williams. Garthdee Writers' Co-op. 1979.60~. This book is about a farm outside a city. A little girl goes to visit the farm and falls in love with the smallest pig. Unfortunately she is too small to'carry the buckets of pig swill! She often visits the little pig but one day it's gone from its sty! The drawings are not especially detailed but illustrate well the crops and animals. The people's faces and their expressions will most likely make your . children laugh for they are most freak like! 'Garthdee Farm' i s a real place in Aberdeen, but it's threatened by developments. Early in 1979 they went to court to "defend our tenancy". Go and see the Farm if you live in Aberdeen-1 would like to. I read this book to my little sister who is three years old and she found it very interesting, and has often asked me to read it to her. Rebecca Horn, 12 years old. Farm Visits by L.I.V. Young published by The Association of Agriculture (at the address above). A very useful, rather dour, down to earth publication which is of great help L.S. to teachers planning farm visits.

Wildlife Youth Service.Mwston Court, 9B 106 Manor Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 ODN. Education Officer, Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, Slimbridge, Glo> GC2 7BT. The publications from the Education Department, Royal Society for the Protection of Suds, The Lodge, Sandy, BÃˆd SG192DL. Forestry Commotion Information Branch Schools, 231 Cotstorphine ' Road, Edinburgh EX12 PAT. Nature Conservancy Council. Salop Attinghm Park, Shmw+&, SYA A T N

)oks abound oh Flowers, Animals, ~tterflies,Insects and Birds. The ganisations above have booklists recommended books. Â¥hoo outdoor resource area. Schools luncil Project Environment. Published f Longmans. The school grounds can provide a ry valuable resource and activity ea for work in a wide range of subjects sides the obvious Physical Education. ith the support and advice of many hool and local Education authorities, for setting up, maintainingand using a variety of facilities on both favoured sites and those with limited potential. School Grounds: Some Ecological Enquiries by P F Jenkins. Heineman Educational. Sadly such a rich subject i s treated as 'things you can find on the playing fields, look at the grass of those fields and see what you can find.. .'Useful and well laid out but a sad reflection on the lack of natural environments LS. within too many schools. Macdonald Education publish the two best series on Natural History for class work for teachers. Using the Environment Stages 1 and 2, and Early Explorations and Investigatiopswith outline of courses and identificatic keys for basic species. Macdonald Education Series on Minibeasts, Holes and Gaps and Crevices and Trees. Good slim volumes for class work. Packed solid with info for the teacher-would act as a sound basis for a syllabus based o n using the playground naturelreserve. Used at Juniper Hall Sc ool in Bucks which has an excelle t outside resource centre. Everymans Nature Reserve. Ideas for Action, Eva Dennis. Published by David and Charles. 1972. Loads o f information LS. .,

A film called Mom Nu* Powor Stations is available from The Other Cinema, 12-13 Little Newport Street, London WC2H 7JJ, price Â£18 NudÃ‘ Powr tha Inuaand thm Dihmnus is a did* show which deals with various asowts of nuclear D o w r the u r n and importance of ena& and the proiacted energy gap how nucl~Ã§ pornr stations work - the e d v n t w i and diiadvantagn of nuclear power and the p d b l e alternatives. Price Â£ from . The Conservation Trust, 246 London Road, Earley, Reading, B s r b RG6 1AJ. \ Concord F i l m haw a list of films on nuclear power. Including my particulf ftvourite Sam Low-joy's Private Nuclwr War. From the BBC there n the video on the Su6mok Dsmo and might there be a video of that excellent programme of Ã ow wwla ago Paul Jtcotis and tho Guv (produced by Jack Willls and written and directed bv Jack Willid. Stmnmr r/Mn thf Sun adrdocu-try yurs MO (bout KÃ§rraSil Would e video exist on tint? PÃ‘t thÃ BBC and find out1 Both P'MCM were vary powerful TV footam andcould be used very well with 6th formers. Live speakers t o go with film! and slides is always a good idea. Gat in touch with SERA or Frimds of the Earth; they will have a lilt of speakers. Mix Wright at 28 Brim Hill, London N2 h a knowledge of nuclear power and would be willing to come and talk to children in school. Natioinl C a m for AHMrutIn Qum, Technology, Llwynow~ne Mechvnlloth P o r n W e b 0664 2400 I f theschooi. or vou. -~ .~ . or ~amttwi ~ . ~ teacher is on holiday in wales, th* centre is well worth visiting. They hive a good list of addreon of omanisations &ncernx) with ecology and energy' Send for their booklistl-and their wry good DIY s b t s on how to make wind- ' mills, water wheels. methane digesnn and solar panels-ail things which can b* made in school workshops. . Your local Friends of tho Earth group might be able to help or Friends of the Earth. 9 Poland Street, wiil KJDOIV w w i a to talk o n Alternative &hnolo& and Nuclear Power. .

Nudw

Gas

The (National) Centre for Alternative Technology have a good range of publications. The "Energy" Education Pock is designed for self-education, as good education is. The practical bias < the pack is the best thing about it: thi a whole section of plans for alternatw energy sources, and another of the six sections covers Energy Conservation. Nuclear power is explained in simple sheets on fission, fusion, fast breeders etc., then demolished later in discuss! alternative energy strategies for the U

, ;

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Alternative Tech. -. ~uclearPower 3 tapelslides sets by Flood of FOE Dianna Wyllie 3 park R'o Baker street ~ o n d o $ N w l . ~i,,.:,, ,:, '. ;gyating.&fgy. David A. ~ i l s d n . ~ . ' .ubl\shed by. LorienHou~,PO;Box->Â¥: W B l a c k Mou,nGik.NC 287) I;.'U,S/i Xhis',bookisamanual o n ~ o l a r ~ n e r ~ ~ 'writtenand pu61ish,ed'by,a humorous $indilev&~~merican,complete with a;@ii~f-c6urse':onelectricity and vivid : ; "hoyt-~ofqlaf@nstruction .. , . . .

Then there is SERA (the Socialist

!':

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pQaacroaaa '

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m a u l meetings and happening!.

h n u h d I a a m T ~ ~ Group, 9 King St. London WC4. Publiah mattdab on 'softtechnology' with ...... meaial .-..mtarMic* . - - -~ to the Third World. The p u b l k a t i i s & such (ubiecu as Building. Water Ã§n Food.

~ r i t a i ~i n aro&, Boitel HOUM, 37 Wen Street, Brighton, Sunex BN12RE. British Wuu P w r Aoociation, 21 Devonshim Street, London W1. Pannta Agalmt Lcd, 47 H o l W Perk, London W11. CimM m i t L d In Ptrol, 63 Combnnwtin Road, London SW18. CoÃ‘te Antl'ooButim LÃ‘oir

~ l w r t t o k e ,Grnnww. Bath. Imtitut* of W f r Pollution Control, Bedion Hour. 63 London Rd, . MaidÃˆton~Kent. I N o i r AbJUnxnt Society,6-8 Old : Bond Street, London W1. .. . National -. Society foC l u n Air, 136 .. . North Strut, Brighton, SuÃ‘e BN1 '

fhWn is a Socialistfringe group.,havÃ been2?." tounna the country with a show about^'&..:.

7nu.

Popul~tiO Conwrn, ~ Mav'Pyke , ~ ' ~ o . i i e ; , 2 7 ~ 6 . ~ o r t iStreet, irwr . . , 3 . ::,,.: , ~ o n & n ~ . @ # R$,.~ . ~ ,. ~ ' G f e u ~ t c y dcetory, i~ Glan . M a n u f a c t u r w ' Federation, 19 feiiP0rtland Visa, London WIN 4BH.,' Â¥Th NatiomI Anti-WÃ‘ Profmnr i t . 123 Victoria Strut, London SW1. : I?you would like to m n i r :;Â¥ :' e9olu"terycollection r n d for the fr& booklat AGuicto to Voluntary WuU ' . Collaction from the Natlonel Anti-. . . W~Ã§tÃ§Progremm FREEPOST, London . . SW1E,:@BR:. ~ober"tHanford. Tho ~renfieldIntltute of Tachnology, Cranflald, Nr. PW, will give you his own eco stamps in , .: exchange for any rubbish. You can ? .i trode him back the stamp8 for any d . alternative book*. . Th* V i w I Slid* Omtm Ltd, 143 Ci!atham Road, London SW1166R, 223 3467 twv a variety of mafrlals . including stuff on pollution and ecology.. Children* wrap probet, 29/30 Arlington Way, London EC1. Collect acrap from $.dustriatfi.rms forschools, pleygroups, under B t c o ~ u n i t projects. y The scrip i;:coilected from firms who form the . . membership of 300 groupswho sutxcribi .to the scheme.. ~. . ..~ . l n . ~ t k a t t l a The , Big &w &ow Â¥l~ the back of 108 Pilgrim Stqmt, Bells . .~ Court, Marnyida. . Alex Hamilton and Sue N o t t ~ n are s lit..! the'p r o c Ã of starting up a wrap . projectln Edinburgh. :

3nd what i s wrong with it. 11$ho.wshow.it-, '<J is inevitable that the nucleardream will turn;!? : . : , "U;" -. {: Q into a niahtnure. C~II& em at 27 Clerkenwell CIom, Lorid& EClR OAT. Th*v elm km a show on the Cuts. and o w (bout the terrible d i m m sffecting thÃ whole country, ctlledBbr~aucoiis md a new show about urrrn~lovTOnt-wlldd:-?:<

~V?.,

3sprbprlate Technology. CSV pack. ',: :.Like all CSV's Schobls kits; this can be 3h.din or out of school, and is again practical. Each section (Wiridpower, metlrape, iolar;,'re$yclirig, transport, ,. : !"ftint,f arming, $ppinning/weaving) end* $vitfipractical .. . projects for schools and .colleges. Perhaps too few projectsfor ~iJndwidualkids are included-American blications have a lot on this. The kit ':perhaps . alittle more helpfulto the V i ' r i a V e idealistic teacher wanting t .'fticftitlBeskntiatly %~. , unexatiiinable materi .S fitiaiichool'wurse. "=,.A -.<, .

linkedio maths, science, history, drama ' LS. and crafts.

Undercurrents 36

42 Â ¥ ~ e c y d o ~ a eRobin d i a Simons More o f a do-it-yourself recycl ideas o f the sort made famous Peter ' ~ a m e smade from waste especially good. The Effluent Society. Thewell, published by Magnum Books, Methuen. Cartoons on pollution. One way o f appreaching the gigant problem is to laugh at it! Various regional branches o f Friends o f the Earth have produced material from the Birmingham environmental pack'to "Waste Disposal and Recycling" from Norwich. FOE Poland St have also produced a poster pack . all o f them are well worth getting and using. Write t o FOE for details.

o m @3Kra^^N

Archway Dwmlopment Education Centre, 173 Archway Road, London N 6 for books and teaching materials on development and environmental issues and multicultural education. Especially good on 3rd world studies. Third World Pint 232 Cowlev Road, Oxford OX4 1UH. They stress that their material is mainly suitable for students in higher education. Tha Centre for World Development Education 128 Buckingham Palace London SW1. Act as a liaison agency and supply listsuf resources to help teachers and children looking at the relationship to the Developing countries and those that are already "Developed. Intermediate Technology Development Group9 King Street, Coveht Sarden, London WC2. Publish information sheÃ§ton "soft" technology with special reference to the 3rd world. Young Oxfam 274 Banbury Road Oxford. Members receive a monthly magazine, "Bother", which includes superb posters. Christian Aid, the United Nations Associiation and Third World First also havesome youth membership. Also ThÃ Oxfam Technical Projects and Oxfim Education Materials Catalogue from Oxfam Education Department 274 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7DZ. An especially useful publications catalooue. Hiuhlv recommended. New l ~ f r n a t ~ o n a l imagazine Ã§ gives regular extensive coverage to topical -ti of development. particularly those that relate t o the Third World. I f you require materiel on a specific topic, inform them and they can post a relevant issue (or issues) t o vou. Enquiries t o Education Department, Oxfam, 274 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DZ. Resources for World Develo~ment Education. V.C.O.A.P. Parnell Rouse, 26 Wilton Rd, London SW1. Films, books and resources relating t o tha Third World.

Community Service Voluntmers, 237 Pentonville Road. Londdn N1, are the main contact for schools wanting advice on Community Service. School and Cornrnunitv is the maaazine that oublish once a term: it verb - CSV - .~~ dsefull CSV's catalogue and publications list is available from 278 Pentonville Rd. ~ o r n r n u & Actioiis ~ a magazine which covers tne whole areas of communitv involvement. Obtainable from PO Box 665, London SW1X 8DZ. ~

o f food. Illustrates the g many Third World

childrenof 14 fears and upwards, it is available at 85p from the Food for Thought pack at Christian Aid, Oxfam L.S. or CAFOD. Choices in Development: A superbly illustrated and comprehensive pack which studies and contrasts the experiences o f Kenya and Tanzania since . independence. With the aid o f a set o f photos, the pack portrays development programmes that have taken place, and considers directions and options for future developments o f these two East African countries. A good pack which can be tailored for effective use with L.S. any secondary age group. "Happily Ever After" people and world problems by Brian and Pauline Matthews. Published by Arnold. Most o f these materials can be obtained by post either from the Archway Development Education Centre or Oxfam Education. See Resources. L.S.

?mVoices.

hi's i s a press kit for International Year o f the Child produced for the United Nations by the New Internationalist. The k i t is now out of print but New Internationalist has now publishec it i n magazine form which can be obtained from them at 62a High St.. Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 OEE. S.L.

The International Voluntary Service, Ceresole House, 53 Regent Road, Leicester LEI 6YL is the UK Branch of a worldwide movement whose aim i s t o work towards a peaceful society by means of practical voluntary service. Why lock up our schools available from Fai Plav for Children#248 Kentish Town Road N W ~Â£ . including postage, and the Action Guide for Voluntary Groups available from the above address, price 35p including postage. These two publications form part of the equipment necessary to groups or individus who see the school as a community resourc chat should be open to children and adults. The book and the poster feature Albert, a school caretaker who guides the reader through the difficulties that might b encountered . . local authorities, successful case studies are quoted.

'hy lock up our schools a well-produced ilder and poster from Fair-Play For hildren, 248 Kentish Town Road, ondon NW5, asks if the school and ounds can be used as a cohmunity source. ducation for a change, community Â¥tioand the sehoof by Mog and Colin ill, Penguin. An excellent primer with ts o f case histories on what the i m m u n i t y school" could be about School in Action from Country Service Volunteers, a folder for the teacher t o use in and out o f the classroom with the children and the community. CSV also have an excellent l i s t o f publication on community service with the elderly, the handicapped and all members o f the community. L.S. Use Your Local Schoolfrom Oxfam Educationa pack which gives exarrtples o f self-reliance in primary schools in Tanzania (see also Third World resource listing). L.S. Workout Community Action for Kids by Susie Parsons, Lynda Haddock and Suzan Harrison. Â£1.25 If this book actually provided relevant information for kids who wanted t o survey local employment opportunities, work in an old agepensioners luncheon club, l i s t a building etc it would be useful. -

undercurrents 36

; '

book i s superficial and the sections

are too brief, although-thereare good references for further information. They would need to be taken up. A fair \ introduction to community service but ;~S@,~ublications offer a far more.. . comprehensive coverage. L.S. Insights into Environmental Education a book which includes writing by Colin Wqd. Bryan Waites as well as Mog and Colin Ball. Published by Oliver and Boyd Centerprlse Publications Project in Hackney publishes writing by children and adults from the localcommunity. It producesbooks which are written by children are@ direct relevance to children, as well as books by the older members of the community. Every community ought to have such a project. A complete l i s t of current publications can.be had bywriting to Centerprise, 138Kingsland High Street, ,LfondonE8. S.L.

'..

-MY Council Community Service @Volunteers. i*?' A s it says on thefront cover find out does what and where you can get SipSolved. That i s just what it is-a ^disposable Workbook with lots of gaps d fun to work through. cartoons and funny bits.

UMSC) andYbuth Opportunities !.:!Programme. Other controversial w a s are proposed, such as education ,, l e c h e r s ; the book is thoughts ' ~ r o ~ o k i and n x deserves a wide

,...

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I ACE 18 Victoria Perk So., London E2. The Advitorv Centre for Education publish a magazine called Where which givm a good general coverage of the mainstream of education as well as, sometimes, alternatives. UDcomim Rational Island Publishers P.O.BOX 2081, Main office Station Seattle Washington 981 11 USA, publish an interesting magazine called Young and Powerful which is ail about kids' lib. It is written for kids to encourage them to take power into their own hands. The AS.Naill Trust publish a magazine on education from Ray Hemming:, 7 Manor Road Extension, Oaby Leicastershire. White Lion Free School publish a booklet on how to set up Ã free school, by Alison Trufitt, from White Lion, 57 White Lion Street London N1. Is a practical guide for parents' rights end teachers on how to at up alternatives t o the p r h n t stem. Education OthTwim. Dick ~ i t t o . T h e Manor. Theimtham. Din. Norfolk. ducati ion 0thorw1bis amembership organisation whose principal aim is t o provide a support and information network for familial whose children are beina educated out of school. for those who-m contomplating such a step, and for t h o r who wish to support the freedom of femllit to take propor mponsibility for the (ducation of children. Membership costs Â£5.0 per annum -for d e t a i l r ~ n d a S.A.E. to the, addren above. Growing Without Schooling. An I American newdotter edited by John Holt and Peg Durkee about wow people work without going through schooling. Also serves as a communications network for families who are untchooling. Can be obtained by writing t o Dick Kitto &Education Otherwise. Â£2.4 for 6 copin, nos. 1 6 e n d 7.12. Childrm's Rights Workshop, 73 Balfour Street London SE17. Will give information on children's rights as well as free achools. National A n o c i l o n for the Support of Altwnatiw Free Schools P.D.Box 2823 Santa Fe NM 875001 is en ArnÃˆrica organisation which might be of help. The Nationel Union of School Student! en organisation at 302 Pentonville Road, London N1.

< Lives o f children. George ~ e n n: i y- ;.,;' : $: Penguin. 1972. ... . .

This little bookexpands the political implications of education and looks at free schools such as Summerhill. Two books published by Education Otherwise which are based on good practical experience and therefore o f great value to parents wanting to educate their children at home are First Steps to Education Otherw/se and Early Y e a 40p plus postage. L.S. The kction on Alternative Schools Education in Michael Norton's book Education and Play is quite good (see general listing below). The piece cover covering,the 1944:Education Ac_t i s also helpful. L.S.

~.:

;'.

Deschooling Society. Illich. ATenguin education special. Need one say anything1 -' LS.

Teaching as a Subversive Activity. Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner. School is Dead. Everett Reimer. Penguin. penguin ~ d ~ ~ Radical education and radical Reimer believes that educational solutions. Revolutionary change through alternatives must be planned and education. is it possible? Postman . -. pursued in order to bring about ' and Weingartner believe so. L.S. necessary and fundamental social -- . change, and that these alternatives The Little Red School Book althougH : must include the deprived masses as printed a while ago i s still a relevant . well as the privileged few. Includes source book. interesting ideas and suggestions for -. -. change, but constantly refers to the 'educated man'. What about the

srcurrehts 36

P WANTED lust beginning some research ittitudcs towards women in dominated work. As a ning I want t o look at the ien&s of women who work, KI have worked. in anv heavily dominated jobs. at& I hope this through interviewing,but !moment I am starting with a questionnaire. If anyone is ed t o take part in this, please h o w . Obviously t h e larger mbers the more weight t h e has; I hope it can go a little o dispelling some of t h e e notions people have about who want to enter 'male* ions and t h e myth that e equal opportunities. Diane Green Bobbers Mill Road

.: >, .

e can sympathise, b t, with the letters bemoaning apparently built-in snags of entrepreneur with the will ndt the means. Perhaps there a which I, from the do not appreciate, but eople will not make a c& of entrepreneurialism n when the means are there. y lack, or have not yet, ed, the essential selfine. For those who have tal disciplined spark- no ethan 10%of the population 1 1 believe to be co-opaative &eneurialism is a real s i i i t y . It may be imperfect, y disappoint the purists, i t works. Further information

THE ROOT OF THE MATTER I have a problem in that I find it hard l i v i q in a middledass

professional area to believe there are many incentives t o conserve resources or energy. Most of the middle income erouo have a n excessof dapitGand it's much easier to spend the cash o n a new car every three years than pay high maintenance charges o n an older car not designed for long-life. Also the total energy bill for the year is now only about equal to the rates bill. The alternative lifestyle of living off the land isvery inefficient and does not appeal to most people. However, what does concern me is the fact that is it not regarded a s immoral to use resources wastefully and You are regarded as a crank if YOU try to run an older car or instal heat pumps as these projects take time and effort. It's so much easier t o watch passive entertainment and have a 9-5 job. Perhaps someone could explain to me the advantages of energy and resource saving to the bulk of t h e population. It seems to me that a three day week is possible now with technology producing the goods but the quality i f life o n the average housing estate drives men to work to escape boredom and their wives? Perhaps this is the root of t h e matter-there is no energy problem but just a social problem without a n obvious answer. Steve Tames Reading, Berks.

FIGHTING BACK 1 have just returned from being a delegate at the biennial meeting of the Merchant Navv and ~ i r l i n eOfficers* ~ s s o c i a t i oand i was very surprised to see two

union action t o get whale oil xxx derived imports banned from Great Britain As felt strong1y about both these issues I spoke o n them,

words m y bD CUT

WAVE COSTS The review of David Ross's book Energy from the Waves b y Dave Elliott (UC35. p 42). quotes me as saying that cost isof no importance. This isa misquotation and I would be verv erateful if vou could publish the correct paragraph. which is as follows: "Our approach is h? no meuns the on1.v one. und efficient:!, itself is of no concern when the gods pay for the waves. Bur in structures o f {his size ifh' ivui,c forces depend on the disolacement. and the cost' depends on strength, so that there are powerful economic incentives to get the most Dower out o f the lowest displacement. We are certain/! interested m the highest/wssihle efficiencies for those fimrs when wave power levelsare l o.~ w" ~. Waysof reducing cost and improving reliability are under study by all the wave energy groups. While it is very difficult to calculate the costs of any project during its early phases, there are grounds for cautious optimism. S H Salter King's Buildings Mayfield Road Edinburgh EH9 31 L. ~

LONDON SINKING The appeal in UC 29 of the London

in progressively south London, evacuated, will need as t o be flooding is an ever present danger, and the threat i n c w every year. The flood danger posters all

RABBITING ON Anyone actively attemntim? to produce their own food, will soon realise that anoverly large population of rabbitsanda vegetablegardendo not go tueether vei'v well. The ~ i n i s ty's r answer to this il to gas warrens with cyanideand leave the bodies to f i t below ground. I find thisa waste. My .insuer is 10 regard such mncndiingered lurms of wildlife (rabbits, hares, pheasants, piga etc) as a free food source, to b~ tapped when necessary. 1 own two working lurchers (intelligent, fast and hardy greyhound crosses) and would like to hear from anyone else interests in carrying hunting techniques intc the new society. I envisageoneof my roles in this society a s thinning pbpulationsof these food animals, and also, where necessary, such animals as rats and foxes. Many of my friendsare vegetarian, so I have heard the arguments against killing, but I still believe that o n a personal (as opposed to mass slaughter abbatoir) level, that it hasa place in the natural order. If anyone would like to receive or send information (such a s how . to obtain a lurcher pup or ferret without being ripped off), or if anyone is merely of a like mind and wishes to communicate, I would be happy to hear from you. Here's wishing you life in harmony. Green Box Gautby Nr Wragby Lines. DON'T DO IT! ' I am absolutely amazed that the wicked Nuclear Saboteurs haven't discovered what isobvo-usly the achilles heel of the Nuke-that is felling pylons. A good sharp hack saw (with perhaps a change of blades in mid course) would get through the mild steelof a pylon leg like a hot knife through butter -silently and without any hanie tc anybody. I am not advocating this illegal course-simply yarni against it because it would, course, be against the law. Of course, common'sense would indicate the two outer legsof a corner pylon, and humanity would preclude felling pylons that would bring down cables on cows, humans housesor across roads. Only pylons from nuclear power stations would. of course, be candidates. It would be terrible if such a n illegal campaign-with slogans like "Fell a Pylon for the Future" and "Give Granny a Hacksaw and keep her off the Streets3'-should come to ~ . ~-. ~ pass. Why -it wouldbe possible, with a littleorganisation, to take uut every nuclear power station in the country in one dark night a d it would take weeks to rebuild a pylon and string the wiresagain. I urge you, comrades, to u s a l l your influence to stop any such an illegal campaign JohnSeymour Fachongle I g" f~ Trefdrach . "--c-.

inadequate within 20 years as bigger and costlier one.

union not to cooperate with factories that pollute theair, were too high. Margaret Vandive unions.

highly centralised forms of Vivian Worthington

Undercurrents 36

THE BOOKS listed below are available by mail order from Undercurrents. Prices include postage and puking which in many cases has been absorbed within tha normal shoo orice. All orders must be prepaid. 'RACTICAL SOLAR HEATING Kevin McCartney

'HE BAREFOOT PSYCHOANALYST Rosemary Randall, John Southgate, Â£29 Frances Tonrimson "it isabout the psychoanalysis which people can do for themselves. I t is intended to be o f value. to people who are disturbed (or) to anyone who nevertheless wishes to discover more about themselves."

.'.

Â£1.9

...

FRESH FROM THE STATES:

LAND FOR THE PEOPLE Herbert G h d e t (ed) Â£1.4 A m a n d o f r a d i a l land reform; i t coven: food resource& self-sufficiency, enclosure& clearances and the Diggers, Highland landlord% 0 lesions of resettlement, land reform and revolution, new towns, new villages, and the revival o f the countryside.

NO NUKES: EVERYONE's Guide to Nuclear Power O ~ G Y O and W friends. friendly folk at the Clamahell Affiance have producedwhat is evidently meant to be the definitive book on nuclear ~ ^ POLI g TICS OF NUCLEAR POWER power: a giant tome packed full o f information, pgve~ l(d), b ~ ~ George, analysis and campaigning tips, together with Roy Lewis Â£1.9 some excellent cartoons hnd illurtrat~ons*. A

ENERGY PRIMER Richard Marill (Ed)

SMALL-SCALE WATERPOWER Dumott McGuigan SMALL-SCALE WINDPOWER Dermott McGuiigin

Â£5.0

PRACTICAL MLTHANE L John Fry Â£3.5 This isgenerally acknowled to be one of the best books on smalle methaneplants Â£3.9 yet written Anyone interested in the conversion of or anic waste into a clean useful fuel will find ~ractical,Methane Â£3.9 invaluable.

RADICAL TECHNOLOG ' Godfrey Boyle, Peter harper

Vndtraarcfl

Â£4.2

(Bulk dbcount for 10 or more c o p h Â£3.70 "For those who still think about the future In terms o f mega-machinesand &powerful buieaucrades, Radical Technology will be an ' eye-opener. There is an alternative" -AMoTnfnÃ

IIssue numbers 12 to 23areavailable for theBARGAIN price of Â£3.60 numbers 24 to 33 for Â£3.0 and the SET for a mere Â£8.00Sinole . wv .ia 60p. We like to think that Undercurrents is not so much* magazineasa growing collection of useful information. So stock up with beck i q u n now

17 Computer Ley HuntIDome 24 Nuclear Weapons Accidents1 30 Barefoot Socialism/ Alternative Nurseria/&br CentreIOrganic ~ardeningl~ree it-Yourself/Kirlian Photography1 Electronic SurveillanceIMaking CalifornialAT and State Monty/ I, SBving your Own Seed/Women & Cheese & CiderICompost & RadioIBuilding with Rammed ATITerrwtial Zodiac*. CommunismISmall-scaleRadio Ewtopia IntuviewlNF Counur- , , EarthIWindmill Theorvl Transmitter Part 2/h%gic 1 jneasures/Parish PolitidEcology Hermeticism. 18 I T & the Third World1 Mushrooms/ForastrvlSWAPOl and Faminism/WindscaleSanrbl Chinese SiiencellT & second Class MedicineIChicken's Lib. 10 Solar Collector theory & CapitaiISupermackerlLev Hunting1 31 Factory FarmingIFi DIY DesignISward Gardening1 HydroponicsILuas. 25 Emotional Plague in CoAdditivesICommodity Cam-; Anarchist CitieslFuture of AT/ operatives1Compost& Communism Wholefood Co-ops US & U K I Land for the PeopleIGeneral '.. 19 Limits to MedicinelPolitica Part 2/Water PowerlFindhorn Common Agricultural Politic* Systems TheoryIAlternative of Self-HelpIBabes in the Ward/ R~iSited/Oi~0InmunitVRadio1 ExplainedIPotato Politic*/ Cultures Part 1. Guide to Alternative Medicine1 Car-sharing/Saving EnergylThai Feminism & Food/Organic Dilemmas. Farming. 12 Lucas AerospacelBiofeed Findhorn Community/National Centre for AT RwisitedIDanish back1Community Technology1 AT Days that shook Anti-Nuclmr CampaignIAlternative 26 COMTEKIWindpower Part 2/ Hutory of England. PortugalIGrowing Dopa at Home1 32 The British R o d to Alternative Medical Care1 Crofting in theOrkneyslCommunitv Ecotopia/Lernc StrunglaISmttlsh Alternative Culture Part 3. 20 Tony Bann on the Diggers1 Ham RadioIRepairing Boats1 Anti-nu ke Unions/Workerb' Plant/ Farming: Chemicals or Organic?/ Newcastle AT GroupILucas Communal aluas1Pwnut '13 DiggersIEnergy & Food Control of TechnologyICambodia Alternative Herdvi~reIRussians Economic*/Wnd-powutd Council ProductionIIndustrv and the Scientists Self-Sufficient?/Soler Energy Weaponry. HousingIAtom Community & ~ ~ I ~ l t e r n e t i v e ReportIPaper MakingIAnnan RedundantISaw Your Stadworks England &wiles ~upplementl Planning & CommuneslMethanel Report on Broadcasting Assessed. 27 Soft Energy: Hard Political The Fast Breeder EnquirvINot So 33 Resettling the Countryildel ' Alternative Culture Part 4. 21 Fascismand the Counter- Smell Tools for Small FermslAnti City Wildern~etICountryh k s l Living on the LandlSpecIal Stttus 14 Jack Mundey on Australian culture/Motorway Madness/Nuclmr Nuclear CountermeasuraslFree for British Islandws?/Workingon Green BansIAT Round the World/ Policy ChaosIOrgone EnergyIFree Whwlin'IHull Docks Fish Farm1 Building with Natural EnergyIDlY BroadcastinglGood Squat Guide1 Shaker Communities. Organic FarnnlCollector Dom. Iron Age Ferming/Lauriwton's nsulation/AT in IndiaIBRAD 28 T o r n w DemoIAfter the 34 The Co-op Lesion: LÃ‘rning Magic Garden/Print-it-Yourself. Community. Windscale Enquirynhe Tvind the Hard W~vICrebÃ§pplR Ã § v i d t d 22 Paranoia PowerIWindscale WindmillIPrimal Therapy at AT in PakismnICoun~Rtvolution Background/Crofting/Food Co-ops AtlantisIBasque Co-ops1AT in the QuarterlyIDlY Radio Piracy1 15 Insulation vs Nuclear Power/ StonehengeIFishing LimitsIPrimal UK & CanadaIBehaviour Feminists and Nuclear P o w 1 Towards a non-nuclear futurelAT & Therepylltalian Free Radio1 Modification. Brazilian Atom ScandalIFuture Job CrmtionIProduction for Need/ Methene/Fish Farming. British Industry/Whales. Diodynamic GardeningIDClAC 23 Seebrook Anti-Nuclear 29 Womenas&AT Movement 35 Communitv Workshorn Inverter Design. linked?/Windscale~isitl~nti-kuclear~nder the ArchmIHome Rulefi DemoINuclear Power &Trade 16 Garden VillagesIWood Food Unions/Herman Khan Interview1 OancelFeminists Against Nukes1 the North/TheGeography DWÃˆ DIY Woodstove/Fortmn Women & ScienceIOn Roles1 hoodstove OesignsIRoad Lobby GuidflIDlY New TownISelfSufficient Solar TarracasILifespan PhanomenaIDlY Solar Collector Women, Work and the Trade FolliaslStreernPowerICOMTEK UnionsIWelfere Services & The community Technology) DasignlSmall-saleRadio Community/Bypauing the PlannersICitizens' Bend Radio1 CutsIATman CartoonIBirthi Explained/Greening Milton KÃ§ynes Transmitter PlansiAustralian Free School. Control. Agribusiness C o l l ~ w . I Citizen' Bind.

Undercurrents 36

Find your workers herel Small Ads at special giveaway price: 4p per word, Box Numbers Â£1 Copydate for Number 37 is October 17. Please send copy and replies to Box Numbers to our London Off ice.

COMMUNITY

COURSES

SPINNING, weaving and natural , WANTED: Partnersto joina unique dyeing, October 14-19 with Barbara community a d y o u t h venture, to help launch and develop its new Girardet. Weekends with Patrick bask, an open-door self-help centre, Rivers: How to live better on less. October 3'5, and How to start and housed in an old supermarket and to be partners in the incomerun a small farm, November 24. Edible wild foods, October 5-7 with producingventuresbased there. We E b Wood. Other courses, too. Or work in avery tough inner-city area we could be just the place for your and about 50%of our kids are West own private holiday-quiet, relaxing Indian. Our work is as hard, w l k k i n g the River Wye, home demanding and ambitious as the problemsand suffering we face, and mown -. wholefoods-salads. needsa full commitment from all vegetables, melons, sweetcorn, involved. The returns for you are peppers,etc. etc. Adrian and Elsa Wood. The Nurtons Field Centre, much more of a free-hand and scope then you would get elsewhere. Tintern, Gwent, NP6 7NX. Tel: The project, which has been Tintern (02918) 253. running in various forms for the past 8 years, works by empathy rather than policy meetings and has SHELTER , had to fight during that tine to with experience in farming and in keep its independent community ,organic control. Salaried posts should soon are invited to join me in beavailable, for more details w i t e a smll holdiw in or phone: Mr 0 Ho~~owav. 35 latter but NorthBritain. I have Chisenhale Road, Bow. London E3. not *a former. Box XWY. Tel: 01-981 2845 (evenings). 7

PERSONS

pWOOOWORKER/illustrator, 33, needs roof in North or East London FTCFTFRA -.*. with space to worklsleep and a safe ASTROLOGER Offers place for his bike. Pete Sutton, personal birth chart and character c/o 01-359 3948. analysis Â£6 including future trends1 I potentials for 5 yearior 12 months, WORK Â£10Alternatively send for SCOTTISH Wholefood Collective literature: John Willmott, Millbrae, warehouse seeks members. One Bunessan, Mull, Argyll. preferably holding or prepared to THE COMING AGE: magazine of hilt HGV3 licence. Low wages but the matriarchal tradition and ~ K t t t flaughs. Apply. Green City spiritual lifestyle, 35p, Lux Wholefoods. Earl Haig Road, Madriana (U), 40 St John Street, !HHImfton Industrial Estate, Oxford. Ghlgow GS2 4JU. Tel: 041-882

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9463.

LET'S get cannabis legalised. All

this ~ussyfootingaround is getting JOIN self-help community nowhere. What do YOU think? projtct. Opportunity for men/ s.a.e. Box NGwomen (16+1 to work on site !alongside skilled tradespeople and WHY SHOULD the rich get richer? l o i n k i d l l t d u l t ~cultural programme Tap into practical experience. Booklet full of ideas and guidance bound. film and orintinol. -Cash without Capital-El post ~ccommodationprovided, freefrom Pickwick Enterprises, 1 mntributetowards food. Small Fuller Avenue, Corsham, Wiltshire, *ÃˆM negotiable aftex six months. Apply: Great Georges ProjectIThe SN139NF. BlioHe, Greet Georges Street, FIRST hand: first rate 5 dozen U v r p ~ o l ? Tel: . 051-709 5109. ' receipes and ideas for sustainable living on mainly homegrown food 1 RECHARGEABLE free from exploitation of man and BATTER1ES animals. Revised edition 40p post TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME free. Vegan Society, Dept F, 47 Highlands Road, Leatherhead, I Surrey. kull ramavailable. SAE for lists, Â£1.25fo b o o k k Nickel RECYCLED good quality plain Cadmium Power and catalogue. and decorated pad , personal writeor all Sandwell Plant Ltd., stationery, envelopes, duplicating 2 Union Drive, Boldmere, Sutton Wen Midlands; tel 021 and printing paper suppliadS.A.E. for details: Regenesis. Tress House, 364 9764. Or ma them at TLC, Stamford Street, London SE1. 132 Craven St., London WC2. (01-633 95571

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON DEPARTMENT OF EXTRA-MURAL STUDIES ENERGY POLITICS: A seriesof one-day Conferences on social aspects of Energy for exchange of ideas off the record. Dates so far arranged: 29 September 1979, 3 October 1979, 8 December 1979, 19 January 1980, 16 February 1980,8 March 1980.17 May 1980, 21 July 1980, all heldat the University of London Extra-Mural Centre, 32 Tavistock Square, London WC1. Time: 10.45am-5.30 pm. Participants from government, industry, academia and 'alternative' bodiesare expected. Particulars from Harry Frost (of the Departmerit of Extra-Mural Studies, University of London) at his home address: Crosshill, Ifield Green, Crawley, sussex.

COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS ADVISORY SERVICE LIVELY and practical resource materials-packs, simulations, comic strips-for teachers and youth workers on a wide range of topics such as appropriate technology, single homelessness, the environment, local government, play. For a free publications list contact the Advisory Service, CSV, 237 Pentonville Road, London N1 9NJ. Tel: 01-278 7007.

THE CONSERVATION TRUST NUCLEAR POWER: THE ISSUES 81THE DILEMMAS by Adam Suddaby. Aims to present the facts surrounding nuclear power to enable people to make a more informed answer to the question "Should the UK build more power stations?" 72 colour slides and background notes Â£9.0 Detailed background notesalone (63pp) Â£1.5 Illustrated summary leaflet (10pp) Â£0.2 * STUDY NOTES For school/college project work, lesson prep. or just keeping yourself informed. Each title gives background information, up-to-date statistics, suggestions for practical work, sources of further information. Titles currently available include: Population; Pollution; Ecology; Trees; Wildlife Conservation; Energy; Transport; Water; Conservation of Resources: Recreation: Third World; Alternatib ~ e c h n o l o Land ~ ~ ; Use & Planning; Food & Agriculture; Urbanisation. Each title l o p (minimumorder 30p).

S.A.E. for detailsof all Trust publications and services to-The Conservation Trust, 246 London Road, Earley, Reading, RG6 1AJ.

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~03062392

~HNTER:

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unsolicited &&is and ideas t o f ill up.+ . maggzine. Here are -me guidelines t o encourage prospective to get busy: Mow: Uadeircurrmtssdovs not pay for contribution^ but authors gat a frm o m year sub for each article printed. F o r m : articles shouUjf possible be typed double spaced with generous margins on one side of the papa- only. Length: the mirma'l maximum length is three pages (3500wqds . Plus pictures); longer articles will be reluctantly considered for . publication on their merits. Styles artides should be written in plain English, with short sentences and plenty of paragraphs. Scarecooi'w: always keepa soare copy of anything vku send us; Oh a tteadyfl&f

Waiterti$& .. Offset, 59Price St., Bristol. DITO~IALOFFICE: 27 Clerkenwell C1ose;London EClR OAT. X: 01-253 7303.

JBSCRIPTIONS: Alt orders to our editorial office, please. The phone mbÃ§of Joyce Evans, our (part-time) subs co-ordimtor is 046 386 630. DPYRIGHT. ThÃ§mntent of Undercurrents i$copyright; pa-mission to mint isfreely given t o non-profit groups who apply in writing, and sold 1 anyone e k ISTRIBUTION:

\T, -1.01-2614976

SA: Carrier P i i n , Room 309, 75 p nee land St.. Boston, Mass 021'1 1. I

Kanner and Brigette.

.Comicsupplement co-

Radical & Alternative ~ d u c ~ o n. : . '., ... Children's Rights Sociology - Racelssues

on6~end Judy Close.

and Much More!

01-8369960

COPY DATE: Undercunmtt 371DecemberlJanuary) will be on sale on October 24, closing date for last minute Mrm is Saturday November 17.

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Contrary to any rumouq you d y haveheardpcis not collapsing, or suffering froma military coup, or going bankrupt. We are dividing into two autonomous, regionally based co-operatives.. !

HISTORY WORKSHOP

a journal of socialist historians

Issues 7 and 8 (June & November 1979) include: Sickles and Scythes: Women's & Men's Work at uichÃˆÃ R/ihatts Harvest Time Morris Motors i n the 1930s . Arthur Exell The Diary of a New York Policeman, 1850-51 ad. Seen Wilentz Campbell Bunk, a lumpen community in London ,ltnv between the wars Shuts Mirks & Lord Milner &the South African State Fenley Trap& fc$~;lmv & Ccwsensus under Italian Luise Pmswjni Debateson Ellen Wilkinson'& Comprehensive Schooling; 'Art, Politics & Ideoloov'; plus local &oral history; museums; history & film; letters.

Noticeboard

Previous major pieces include: Imperialism & Motherhood A New Life: the Religion of Socialism Workshop of the world: Labour & Technology i n 19th Century Britain Women & the Poor Law Women &Abortion i n Victorian England Man & Woman in Socialist Iconography

Anna DevTn Stenhen - - .Yea .-

Raphael Samuel Pat Thaw Patricia Kn@t Eric Hobsbawm

~ ~ ~ ( & " d o n ) , ~has t d two . parts. The fir$;.~outhern~ i s t r ~ b u t f o ~ , i s supplying books and pamphletstoshops in the South and overseas. The other, Full Time Distribution, is suppi ng periodicals to any shops which want them, wherever they are.

$m*d

Scottish and Northern Book ~istributionCO-operativeL+d.'p. supplying b d k s and pamphlets in the Midlands, North of England, Ireland'and Scotland. 'They have two offices,'one inEdinburghad . . one i n Hebden Bridge. ~

This reorganisation should lead to radical b&ks;pamphletsand. ; periodicals being even more widely and m d y available. Ifyou.luxe some problems finding them in your area, or want to discuss , . distribution, you can contact usat: Scottish and 4517 Niddry Street, EdinburghEHl 1LG ~ Northern Tel: 031-557 0133 Birchcliffe Centre, Hebden Bridge, W Yorks HX7 8DG Tel: (042284) 3315 Clerkenwell dose, London EClR OAT ~ ~ ~ ( h n d27 on ) Ltd. Tel: 01-2514976 . PDC London and Scottish and Northern are collectively run workers' co-operatives.' '

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PARTICIPATING IN DEVELOPMENT IN THE THIRD WORLD

Concord Films Council 16mm Films for hire

Recent additions to our library include The Sun3 Resting Hate, a 20 minute wlour fil showing a group of school children transforming a dull quadrangle into a beautiful garden. Gost of hire E5.60 + carri, and VAT. For details of other films send for: Free International Year of the Child brochure Free Emlogy Films brochure Full catalogue (price El).

A conferenon undwdevdoprnent and the role of the voluntwr in third world countries