CMP Review 2026-04-07

April 7, 2026

“We all want children to became citizens of character,” writes Elsie Kitching. “The question is what is character and what develops it?”

Many Christian schools and homeschools regard the cultivation of virtue as one of the most, if not the most, important purposes of education. Nearly all parents and teachers want their children and students to grow up not only thinking rightly but also acting rightly.

Did Charlotte Mason have a specific idea on how character is to be formed? According to her close associate Elsie Kitching, she certainly did. 1920 was a time of reconstruction and upheaval in Europe. Many Britons were asking “What next?” Miss Kitching was ready with Miss Mason’s answer.

Kitching’s article is full of flavor, thought-provoking anecdotes, and humorous stories that all gather around the question of character formation. Kitching’s final answer is profound and eminently applicable today. Read or hear her article, now on the internet for the very first time here.

@artmiddlekauff