The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-10-11
Culture of the Memory.


averaged about thirty cents and the sea
island one dOilar.-P. itSGUdRn0h Ne3rs.
Culture of the Memory.
The student Ismenting his lack Of abil-
ity to remember his lessons, and, Jealous |
of another who spends only half the time |
which he employs in their preparation, |
sees that his rivals memory always serves !
him in the recitation room, may take |
announcement from the following, cen !
depsed from the Philadelphia Public |
Ledger:
It is a common idea that a good memo |
ry is a ready-made gilt which nature
whimsically conlers upon some and with
holds from others.
Now, the truth is that the memory is
a faculty which, as much as any other,
needs development. It's capacity is
doubtless greater in some than IN others
by natural endowment, but this differ
ence is less important than that which is
caused by education or neglect. Whether
| for the purpose of facilitating mental pro-
| cesses, or of promoting practical efficiency
| in lifes pursuits, cultivated memory is
much more valuable than q naturally
| strong one. We may be capable Of amass-
| ing within our minds a vast amount of
| facts, or rules, or knowledge Of any kind
| thrown together at random, without
reaping any benefit, either in mental
power or the conduct of affairs but when
the memory has been SO trained as to re-
| tain what is cOnfided to it in classified
order and make it available at every mo-
ment of need, its value cannot be over
estimated.
> Like all our other powers, the memory
is strengthened and developed by exer-
else, and weakened by disuse. In what
j ever direction we make constant demands
| upon it, it responds ObedieDtly. The
merchant finds no difficulty in remem-
bering the prices aud qualities of goods in
his own line; the physician easily recalls
the daily symptoms of his patient; the
mechanic does not forget the functions { f
his various tools, The same conditions,
daily repeated, will almost invariably
bring up corresponding ideas, and in our
regular emplOyments we seldom have
occasion to complain of poor memory.
This may afford clue to the cultivation
of this faculty in directions where il Is
now detective. If we would have it
faithfully serve us, we must keep it. in
constant use. The same attention which
we bestow on our daily business, and
which enables us to recalIits details with
so much ease, will be equally effective if
exercised In other matters. To strengthen
the memory on any other point, the first
equisite is to bring all our mental energy
to bear upon it We are charged with
some message ;Or commission, perhaps
which we promise in all good
faith to convey or to execute; but, not
being in the line of our thoughts, it
passes out of our minds and Is until
; filled. We commonly excuse ourselves
for such GpTeliction on the ground that
we are unable by any effort of the will
, to command the power of memory. Yet
. had we, by a strong self control, fixed
! our attention wholly upon the matter
: when presented TO Us, had we dismissed
all wandering thoughts and concentrated
our mental energies for the time UPO-
] that one thing, the impression would
: have been so strong that in all prob
= ability, it would have been remembered
: and ACCOMPLISHED. This mental COnCen
= tratiOn is the fist and most important
y means of improving the memory. It i
3 largely within our own power OF Will IC
enforce this, and he who IS conspicuous
of neglect in this respect cannot claim tC
> be excused for fOrgetfulness.
=, Another valuable method of training
3 the memory is through the laws of as'o
! citation Our knowledge must ne ar
: it with facility. We must base rules
upon principles, and effects upon causes
: if we would imprint them firmly on on
minds. That this Is not done with sufi
. cient thoroughness Is the chief cause
s why so much of the knowledge which we
: acquire passes from us. The Emperol
. | Napoleon, who was one OF the mOst
marked instances OF retentive mind
7 used to say OF himself that his know Ledge
y was all laid away in drawers, and that hC
o had only to open the proper drawer anc
all that he had acquired on that subject
. was at once presented before him.
:, This is, as we have before limited, one
+ great need in our present system of edu
cation. To take up a single study leis
!, ureIy, presenting it to the student in al
n its relations, and leading him to trace IT.
q principles from their foundations up tC
n their highest known results, IS OF IA
+ more real value, both as a mental disci
| pline and rs a permanent acquisition o
o. knowledge, than to skim over the surface
@ of twenty branches, overlooking tht
4 mind with isolated facts or rules bearing
y no apparent connection with each other
o and thus fixing no tenacious grasp upOI
/ the memory.
! There is one great encouragement u
: the cultivation of the memory in tn.
. fact that the work will grow easie
r. with every effort. II we patiently anC
% steadily fix our attention on every sub
iect we wish to recall, the power of con
r centratiOu will become habitual. IT W.
o. constantly arrange and classify on
. knowledge, it will grow more and NOR
o available.