Archives for December 2024

We are looking forward to our book discussion at the retreat as one of our evening activities. Please join us in a relaxed time of gathering together to share our thoughts and discoveries after reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s 19th century novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Published in 1886, this story is one most of us know in some form, whether we have read it or not. Its interesting portrayal of the enigmatic Dr. Jekyll whose experiments to separate himself into two personalities, the one wholesome and virtuous and the other full of every vice, has proved fascinating to readers since its publication. So much so, that there have been adaptations of the story up through recent history from the Bugs Bunny cartoon to The Far Side comics and even a musical. As we follow Dr. Jekyll’s story, the compelling questions it raises about the human struggle with evil will provide fertile ground for our discussion. I hope you’ll join us!

As you read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, consider keeping a Commonplace book to record the passages and dialogue that spark your interest and enjoyment, raise questions, and invite reflection.

Niko Lewis

Niko first heard references to Charlotte Mason and her philosophy when her eldest daughter was in a preschool that incorporated her principles into their curriculum. She loved everything she heard but didn’t know how to form it into an education for her children until she began attending a local book study in 2015 that was reading through Mason’s volumes. It was then that she found the support to change their homeschooling course and embark on the journey of growing into a Charlotte Mason education for all of them. She is grateful, as well, for the encouragement, growth, and joy of learning with other families that she and her children enjoyed as part of a co-op from 2016 to 2020. Niko is inspired in her family’s educational journey by Charlotte Mason’s vision and invitation to walk about in a larger room and live a fuller life.