Small School, literary papers and correspondence concerning the publication of the poetry anthology 'Learning by Heart', edited by Satish Kumar, together with a copy of the published work
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Small School, literary papers and correspondence concerning the publication of the poetry anthology 'Learning by Heart', edited by Satish Kumar, together with a copy of the published work
Classmark: BC MS 20c Small School
Date(s): 1984-1986
Language: English
Size and medium: 1 box; manuscript, typescript, postcards, and printed material (some photocopy).
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/8579
Collection group(s): English Literature
Description
Comprises: (1) A mint copy of the published work, 'Learning by Heart', being number 85 of only 175 copies printed at Five Seasons Press, near Madley, Hereford; (2) Autograph manuscript and typescript correspondence between the editor, the printer, the illustrator, and the various contributors to the anthology, dated 1984-1986; (3) Paste-up of 'Learning by heart', with many autograph manuscript corrections to the text and layout; (4) Unbound copy of 'Learning by Heart'; (5) Proofs of the poems in the anthology corrected by their individual authors; (6) Typescripts of the poems in the anthology, including the introduction by Leopold Kohr, which has autograph manuscript revisions to the text; and (7) Photocopies of the illustrations by Truda Lane, together with notes and letters concerning the layout, 3 versions of the contents page, a proof of the entire text, 2 printed illustrations, 1 folded sheet with rough notes on layout, and 5 sheets, folded into gatherings, with pages numbered.
The publication 'Learning by Heart' is finely 'handprinted on Zerkall mouldmade paper', bound in cloth boards covered in beige-coloured 'handwoven Indian silk specially selected in the market at Lucknow and brought back by a friendly traveller', and held in a solander covered in dark brown cloth. On the spine of the book there is embossed in brown the lettering 'Learning by heart'.
Biography or history
The Small School was founded in 1982 in Hartland, Devon, by Satish Kumar, an Indian peace campaigner and former Jain monk, admirer of Gandhi and Bertrand Russell. In 1973 Kumar had settled in England and, the following year, had been asked to become editor of the periodical 'Resurgence', which advocated the ideas of the economist E.F. Schumacher. After Schumacher's death, Kumar established the Movement for Education on a Human Scale and Schumacher College. These projects, as well as the Small School, represented Kumar's ideal for real autonomy and local control in education. Since then the 'small school' has been replicated in many parts of Britain. They are secondary schools for children aged 11-16 which bring into their curricula ecological and spiritual values. Kumar has also written numerous books on ecological and philosophical subjects, besides his autobiography, 'Path without Destination' (1999), and has been the subject of a biography by the editor of 'Green Review' (South
Korea), Jong-Chul Kim, 'Satish Kumar and his Life of Reverence'. Kumar has been honoured for his work with Honorary Doctorates in Education from the University of Plymouth in 2000 and in Literature from the University of Lancaster in July 2001, and with the Jamnalal Bajaj International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Abroad in November 2001.
Access and usage
Access
Access to this part of the collection is protected under the Data Protection Act. You will need to complete a data protection access form and return it to Special Collections for review by staff before access can be granted