ABSTRACT
In 1873, members of the Quincy School Committee broke with the tradition of teacher-directed oral examinations at the district's commencement activities in June. Rather than watch teachers and students perform the well-rehearsed program of questions, recitations, oral reading, and essay displays, committee members decided to ask their own questions of students. The Quincy Method was based on four basic tenets. The first was the child's right to be him or her self; that is, to be happy in self initiated spontaneous activity that made sense for his or her stage of development. Second, learning was considered to be natural, challenging, and enjoyable. Third, "the essence of the new system was that there was no system about it; it was marked throughout by intense individuality". Fourth, some Quincy teachers took up themes of social justice. "The methods of the few, in their control of the many, still govern our public schools and to a great degree determine their management".
