CMP Review 2024-04-16

April 16, 2024

Picture study is one of the iconic elements of the Charlotte Mason method. Its appeal has spread beyond the school room and into conference presentations and even sermons. Part of its appeal is its simplicity: look at a picture and describe it. Anyone can do it.

However, Charlotte Mason also wrote that “we recognise steady, regular growth with no transition stage.” The gradually progressive nature of her applied philosophy is subtle but evident in the PNEU programmes from Forms I to VI. Is this steady, regular growth manifested in picture study as well?

If anyone would know, it’s Mary Gillies. After studying at Charlotte Mason’s House of Education, she went on to teach for 35 years at the celebrated Burgess Hill PNEU School — a school which taught girls across all 6 forms. And she loved picture study.

Today we continue our series of articles on picture study with a 1931 piece by Mary Gillies which shows the steady, regular growth in this subject from Forms I to VI — and she illustrates her points with student examples. Her article offers much that can be used and applied today, and now you can find it here.

@artmiddlekauff