Essex Cholmondeley Story of Charlotte Mason, 1842-1923, The

Annotation

Charlotte Mason (1842-1923), orphaned and poor atthe age of sixteen, nonetheless developed into an inspiring and originaleducational reformer of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century, aperiod of great intellectual vitality and cultural change. Enabled through thehelp of friends and colleagues she founded the Parents' National EducationalUnion (PNEU) in 1887 and established the 'The House of Education', the TeacherTraining College for women in Ambleside in 1892. The clarity and coherence of her applied philosophy of educationestablished the foundation for a simple, stimulating and deeply satisfyingenjoyment of learning for children of all ages in countless homes and schoolsin Britain and the world.In her biography, Essex Cholmondeley draws on her own experiences ofMason's teaching, as well as her extensive literary output, to unfold her lifeand work. Whilst she and Elsie Kitching lacked fulldetails of Mason's family history, a warm and lively personality emerges, ableto inspire other people with her own splendid vision.