Summerhill's reputation tends to precede it. The progressive boarding school in Suffolk, founded by AS Neill in the 1920s, may only have 80 pupils, but is as well known as Eton or Harrow, which it resembles in not the slightest detail. It labels itself "the school where kids have freedom to be themselves", which hardly sounds radical . Most, though, know it better as "the school where children don't have to go to lessons". Or, "the school with no rules".
夏山的名声好像远远超过了其教育质量。这所改革派的寄宿学校位于萨科福马，由AS·尼尔于20世纪20年代创建。虽然只有约80名学生，但它却与名校伊顿、哈罗齐名，而风格却与它们大相径庭。它标榜自己是“让孩子们享有自由的学校”，这听起来一点都不激进，但是，对这句话正确的理解却是“不用上课的学校”，或者“毫无规章的学校”。
It is how their school rules are set that makes Summerhill stand out. All have been agreed at the regular school council meetings where teachers and pupils each have one vote. Though the 14 full and part-time staff are outnumbered , it is this school council that makes the decisions about what goes on at Summerhill.
正是校规的通过程序让夏山与众不同。他们都经过学校日常理事会投票通过，与会的每位学生和老师各持一票。尽管学生的人数远超过了14名全职或兼职员工的数量，但就是这个学校理事会决定了夏山将如何运作。
