The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-03-22


the higher operations of the mind in
natural science and history, in poetry,
the fiue arts, aud indeed iii all descrip-
ton.
To make it a disciplinary study,
spelling, and indeed every study,
should be learned by methods that
accord with the laws of memory and
of mental development. Everything
remembered Is retained by some law
of association. One cauuOt always
name the precise link in the UNSEEN
chain which Tivrts each item, but
however It may elude your gaze, 1T is
only by some association that facts are
fixed in mind. Now what principle
of association should be employed In
teaching speIling2 Is it the ocular or
auricular, or, In plain Saxon, the eye
link or ear link? We remember form
better than sound. No amateur in
music can in silence recall the varied
harmouies Of q complex tuue as vivid
ly as the artist remembers the still
more numerous details Of a landscape
or a picture. Yet, until recently, the
auricular associations were mainly
employed In teaching spelling. When
this study began, each pupil whis-
pered the letter names in the several
WORKS, making q subdued bedlam, less
confusing but based on the sam- phil
osOphy Of memory as that of the Chi
nese schools, where each body studies
aloud, and he does best who shouts
louiest.
Not only should reading and spell
ing be SO taught as TO train the mem-
DRY, hut language in all its higher
ranges rhould be made EubservienJ to
the same end. This is one application
of the comprehensive motto of Pere
Gerard, of Switzerland, "rhe mother
tongue, the great educator AS the
vehicle and vesture of thought, lan-
guage Is the gTandest product OF the
human miud-at once the means and
measure of its growth, the greatest
instrument of human investigation
and progress. It is the index alike OF
individual and national character.
To awaken greater interest in this
grand culture study, American teach
ers should consider we'll the superior |
character of our language and its !
wealth of expression. The boy who !
realizes how rich a heritage is the |!
English tongue feels new Zest in its !
study. The English language and the !
English race are to play the most !
prominent part in the civilization aud
Cbristia DizaiioD of the nations. The |
spread nf this language and the in
crease Of this race i'm hunters, wealth
and influence is one of the marveis OF
the age and unparalleled in history.
We cannot we'll exaggerate the disci-
plinary value of the right study of our
own language. The culture OF any
nation is told by its tongue. The Ian
guages of savaSes are meager and i'm
poveTishing. To them every new gen.
uinP word represents an advance in
civilization. The enlargement Of
ones vocabulary means the enlarge
ment of his range of thought and the
acquisitions Of new materials of
knowledge.
Aside from these general principles,
certain rules apply to the culture OF
memory, and first in the order nf time,
if not In Importance, j. training the
senses. Observation is the basis of
memory. Clear and accurate pPrcep- I
tinns are the conditions of vivid and
exact conceptions. The senses are the
pioneers Of all knowledge. They open
the roJai avenues TO the Juvenile |
mind. Nature Is the prime educator.
Objects and events, the familiar
things surrounding the child, these
are the first instruments for training
the memory, as we'll as the other fac
ulties. To the child all things are
new and attractive He loves nature
with enthusiasm. Her protean forms
are cons anLly revealing new beauties
to his wondering gaze. He is in
closest sym patby with the external
and material. While his reflective
faculties are dormant, his perceptive
powers are acute. He can reason
little, hut he can observe and remem-
Der well Books are vet dry or mean
ingle-s, but the miuutiae ami magnifi
cence of nature fiil him with a, light.
1t has been well said, "boOks are
the art of man, but nature is
the art OF God" The direction, see
ami then tell, observe and then de-
scribe. suggests the true method to
gain facility and felicity Of iIlustra-
ton aud expression, and develop both
memory aud imagination. Strictly !.
speaking, things come before namps,
and ideas before words, but practically !
they should be conjOiued, for language
is the cssket which holds the ideas.
The more freely these are given out,
the more firmly they are held in. The
cbilh should be treated as an active as
we'll ~ a receptive being, who needs
to speak as well as to hear. Re pres
siOu as we'll as expression has often
been the result, IL not the aim in
school. A single fact or truth which
the child is stimulated 10 discover and
describe is worth = thousand which
he passivrly receives. Every observa-
ton aud description thus made facili-
tates others ant imprints the facts
described upon the memory.
Firing the attention is an impor-
LanL ala In memOrlzlng. The fouuda-
tion Of all education, but especially of
memory, lies in, the command of at
teDiiOn. Says HeivefiuI, Genius is
nothing bnt q. continued attention )"
or, as Buffnu says, only a protracted
patience , Culver puts the same
thought in fuller form: at is the
patience of. u sound intellect, when
inviI chile, which truly constitutes
genius " The vividness Of our rerol-
lectiOns depends largely upon the in
teutne-s of attention. Such power of
concentration il characteristic OF men
OF great memories. Pupils should be
stimulated to gain this attainment,
and to- realize that whatever di-sipates
their attention cheats them out of
power AMI progress. Success is as
surtd TO him who applies the motto of