Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-06-19
Attention and Memory.

A good memory is so very useful and
desirable thing that persons who
profess to teach artificial systems of
memorizing easily obtain attention and
profitable patronage; but there is
really no such thing as an artificial
memory" nor even as an artificially
assisted memory. Many people would
undoubtedly have better memories
than they now have if, in their youth,
or in their past life, they had under
stood the simple physiological princi-
pies upon which the memory is
founded.
The most important part of the mem.
ory is the slowing away of things, not
the bringing of them forth again; and
if people are careful during the period
of life which is chiefly occupied in
slowing away things to do this work
with attention and thoroughness, and
if they are able in after life to keep
themselves 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 an impress
sion in such way that it is likely to
bC iCpaiHCiS iht illOlt oudI II anu NlNlI
this impression is made, the more per-
manent 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 the term is used, remem-
Der certain things with great vivid
ness. Their deficiency is not so much
that they cannot remember as that they
cannot remember the right things.
Il can recall, said a gentleman not
long ago, "the exact outward appear
ance of my old brown-covered algebra
on the day that the teacher took it out
of my hand and hit me on the side of
the head with it. 1 can remember that
| had cut triangular piece out of the
leather at the lower right-hand corner
of the front cover, and that the back
cover was loosened half way up; but
not one single thing that was between
the covers of that book remains with
me at this time"
The explanation of this familiar phe-
nomenon undoubtedly lies partly il
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
custom continuing down to within the
present century-of fixing and preserv.
ing general knowledge of metes and
hounds by whipping boys close by
them.
Whenever q stake or stone was
placed to mark the boundary between
towns or estates, and also at more OF
less regular intervals afterward, seve.
raj 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 testi
mony concerning it was always accept
ed in default of better evidence.
To be thoroughly interested, indeed,
is the surest way of implanting facts OF
words in the memory, and it is always
within the power of the young, and oi
those more advanced in years rs we'll,
by paying patient. willing and intelli'
gent attention to what they are reading
or studying, to keep its essential feat
ures in mind through life.