Given this understanding, A. S. Neill was determined to eliminate authority and control in founding his school, and to let the children learn and develop according to their own interests. The school would post a class schedule, but not compel attendance; afternoons were free time; and there were activities in the evening, including film appreciation, psychology lectures, reading discussions, and evenings for dance or theatre.
既然有這樣的體認，尼爾創設夏山學校，就立意要消除權威和管制，讓孩子依自己的意志發展與學習﹘ ﹘學校公佈上課時間表，卻不強制學生上課，下午是自由時間；晚間則有各項活動，包括電影欣賞、心理學演講、讀書研討，還有歌舞之夜、話劇時間等。