Evening star., 1941-06-01
Democracy Is Working Ideal
At London School for Boys
Founders Vision
Becomes Reality
At Edgemoor
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

Twelve years ago Paul Landon
Banfleld envisioned a country school
for boys in which democracy would
be working ideal He was an en-
thusiastic young man who had
proved himself as a skillful teacher
and a forceful leader. But he had
no financial backing.
Today the =Landon School for
Boys on a 70-acre farm near Edge
moor, Md, Is one of the leading
private schools for boys in the
Washington area and is demonstra-
ton that faith and work of a practi-
cal realist can overcome the greatest
difficulties.
The school buildings are set in
wooded fields. with the home of the
headmaster and the first of the
houses for the faculty nearby. Horses
and cattle grazing In the schools
pastures give a rural aspect to the
school community.
From It's classrooms, open wide to
teachers, bronzed from their par
tlclpatlon IN outdoor activities, 20
back and forth to its tennis courts
and playing fields. or to its stables.
Idea of School.
The idea of the scnool, as stated by
its headmaster is the development
of individual responsibility in a boy
aleng with the highest possible chal-
lenge to his mental powers, so that
he may make a good man and a USE
full citizen"
To help bring this about, the
schools management is so arranged
that parents, faculty and pupils are
an inter-related part Of its oper-
alton.
All of its trustees are the parents
Of pupils who are currently enrolled
in the institution. With the head
master and two representatives each
from faculties of the upper and
lower schools, they constitute the
schools policy-making and steering
organization. BY this arrangement
the schools major problem, its prog
ress and ideals for the future as
well as its financing are a shared re-
sponsibility.
When we drove to the school for
our visit we were expecting to see a
typical pedagogue. Instead, we
glimpsed a lean, athletic individual,
who looked like a gentleman farmer.
He was in an animated discussion
with a group of boy helpers on the
ri of of L4, -,
berry. He proved to be the schools
headmaster. In the center of the
group was an attractive young wom-
an in a sweater and a tweed skirt.
She was Mrs. Banf1eld, the head
masters feminine partner in the
schools motivation. In her spare
time Mrs. Banf1eld Is active in social
service work and is treasurer Of
the District of Columbia Junior
League.
Democracy is an actuality, not a
theory, at Landon School. Every
pupil is on the same footing, re-
gardless of his family's social or Of
1cial background, or lack OF it.
All Wear Similar Clothes.
In furtherance of democratic con-
cepts, all Landon pupils wear SIM
liar clothing, brown f1annels for i'm
portant school occasions and cor
duroy for work and play.
In addition to their studies and
sports, Landon boys wait on each
other at table, help take care of
their classrooms, dormitories and
the schools property in general.
Their work may take the form of
caring for the tennis courts and
playing fields or polishing the waxed
floors. AS general projects they
have helped build the new cinder
road leading to the lower school and
joined in installation of a pipeline
to supply water for the showers in
the new school activities building.
In addition to the 100 day pupils
there are 20 boarding pupils. The
boarding pupils and many of the
masters and their wives and fam
jlias rcr,oe RI tha a ea Il -, a ct ar,e hov,n