Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-07-19
ATTENTION AND MEMORY.
1hcre Is No sueh Thing as s.Artific:a
Memory

dhrtc Is No suen Thing "Art4fics al
Memory"
a good memory is so very useful and
desirable thing that persons who pro-
fess to teach artificial systems of memoir
izing easily obtain attention and profit
able patronage; but there is really no
such thing as an artificial memory,
nor even as an artiticiallv assisted
memory. Many people would undonbt-
edly have better memories than thew
now have if in their youth, or in their
past life, they had understood the simple
physiological principles upon which the
memory is founded.
The most important part of the
memory is the slowing away of things.
not the bringing of them forth again
and If the people are careful during the
period of life which is chiefly occupied
in slowing away things to do this work
with attention and thcroughness. and il
they are able in after life to keen them
selves in fairly good state of health
and vigor, they are not likely to be
troubled with poor memory.
The first and most important element
of memory is the taking of the i'm
preston in such way that it is likely
to he retained; the more sharp and
vivid this impression is made, the more
permanent it is likely to be.
Attention in taking in what we wish
to learn, then, is the secret of remem-
bering it afterward.
Plenty of people who have very poor
memories" as tie term is used, remem-
Der certain things with great yividness.
Their deficiency is not so much that
they cannot remember the right things.
u can recall, said gentleman not
long ago, "the exact outward appear
ance of my old brown-coyered algebra
on the day that the teacher took it out
of my hand and hit me on. the side OF
the head with it. | can remember that
had cut triangular piece out of I'll.
leather at the lower right-hand corner
OF the front cover, and that the back
cover was loosened halfway mp: but
not one single thing that was between
the covers of that book remains with
me at this time"
The explanation of this familiar
phenomenon undoubtedly lies partly it
the fact that the boy was much inter.
ested in the circumstances attending
the cutting which he received. and the
implement with which it was inflicted,
but he was never interested at all in
the contents of the algebra.
1t was in obedience to this principle
that the custom arose in England-s
custom continued down to within the
present century of fixing and preserv.
ing general knowledge of metes and
bounds of whipping boys close by
them.
Whenever stake or a stone was
placed to mark the boundary between
towns or estates, and also at more OF
less regular intervals afterward, several
boys were taken to the spot and soundly
beaten, their attention being meantime
constantly directed to the boundary
mark. 1t was believed that the boy so
punished never forgot where the stake
or stone was, and his testimony concern
ing it was always accepted in default OF
better evidence.
To be thoroughly interested, indeed
is the surest way of implanting facts On
words in the memory, and it is ALWAYS
within the power of the young, and OF
those more advanced in years as we'll,
by paying patient, willing and intelIi-
gent attention to what they are reading
or studying, to keep its essential feature.
IN mind through life. -ErchdnQe,