Our Star Study for 1907-1908 by Carrie E. Robie

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 8, 1908

Our Star Study for 1907-1908

By Carrie E. Robie

By “our star study” I do not mean the study of astronomy, as might possibly be inferred, but rather the study that magnifies Him who says of himself, “I am the bright and morning star.”

As I planned my school work for the year, I resolved that this study of the Life of lives in the Book of books should indeed be our “star study;” for I wished to place this beautiful life in the best possible setting for the children to behold, study, and love. To the same end, I also resolved that this study should have the bright, new morning hour of each day, when the children are their sweetest and best, and when their minds are in the best possible condition for receiving lasting impressions.

I tried a new plan of procedure, which held the children’s attention the entire year.

On examining the catalogue of G. P. Brown & Co., Beverly, Mass. (other companies have just as good a line of material, however), I found that nearly every story in the life of Christ could be illustrated by one of his miniature pictures. Since we were to correlate our Bible study and other lines with language, thus doing away with the need of buying a text-book either in Bible or language, we decided that we could afford to indulge in rather a liberal supply of these pictures, which cost only one-half cent each in small quantities, with a discount on a larger purchase.

Having laid in a good supply of these little helps, we were ready for work in earnest. Beginning with the birth of Christ, each morning I told the class a story of Christ’s life, as studied in the Bible, supplemented by “Desire of Ages.” After telling the story, all the pictures I could find on the subject were shown to the children, usually by one of the class. Next one of the children was called forward to tell the same story to the class. If this second telling revealed that the teller did not have a good understanding of the story, I either brought out the missing facts by questioning the remainder of the class or called for a volunteer to strengthen the story. Following this, one or more songs appropriate for the day’s lesson were sung. (As the year passed we were surprised to find how many charming songs of Christ’s life are to be found in our various books.)

After this oral work each child wrote the story of the day, which I later corrected and returned. Each story was then rewritten, and returned to me for safe keeping until we had enough papers to make a little booklet.

When enough stories had thus accumulated, each child arranged his own in the right order, pasted his pictures in appropriate places, and fitted a cover to his book, usually of gray or white drawing-paper with one of the most striking pictures pasted on the front. Then, as the last step, he punched holes in the top or left side, and tied the booklet neatly with bright raffia or ribbon.

Each booklet represented much labor on the part of both pupils and teacher. But the pleasure and profit derived amply repaid us.

It took the entire school year thus to complete the study of the life of Jesus. At the end of that time, however, each child had a very attractively illustrated life of Christ in many dainty volumes, all written and bound by his own hands.

CARRIE E. ROBIE.