The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-01-16

sStudents' Guides; that satisfied our
fore fathers have all gone out of fashion;
they were written before knowledge
had been scientifically divided.
One of the useful books that remain
to be written is an index outline of hu-
man knowledge, with directions for the
mastery of any branch. We are always
pleased to confer with such of our
readers as tell us of their studies. In
this essay we propose to deal famillarly
with some of the general questions that
occur to many who are trying to supple
ment their school education by later
study, and especially those who take up
studies in the leisure hours left them by
their daily toll.
/ 1t is very common fault. even with
those who devote their life to study: to
mistake the amount of time that can
be spent each day i'll really effective
work. The argument advanced by ad
vocates of an eight hours day for man
ual workers namely. that the produc-
! ing power of man is as great Iii eight
hours as in nine, if he puts his heart in
to the work is undoubtedly true of
mental labor. Leaving aside cases of
abnormal activity and endurance, one
may lay it down as rule that SIX or
seven hours Of concentrated application
to books is all that can be kept up from
day to day, even when it is divided by
recreative intervals into several pc
riOdS.
Long continued wqrk duils and con
fuses the mind and Hre;stes habits Of
partial attention that are fatal to thor
ough study Not unfrequently the facts
that remain in our minds most natu-
rally and easily are those which are
casually acquired. They make a clear
cut fresh impression. Many man who
has not acquired studious habits cal
study without strain and with full com
mand of all his powers for half an hour
y but would become daZed and inert afte
: a longer spell of mental application
l. The obvious study is to reduce eacl
1 single stretch of study to the time tha
= can be effectively and pleasantly used
- That time will gradually extend a
habits of study are formed; and almoS
i any one can eventually give up an hou
Il each day to regular concentrate
absorbing study without feeling an
strain.
It is to be feared that one Of tn
!. greatest dangers to which the studiou
GO are liable is oyertaXlng their resources
. Ambitious young fellows are constant
!. suggesting to us that they can prepal
. for examination with a rapidity tht
~ we are we'll aware is quite imposslbl
~ They may read four five, and six houl
y each night, they suggest in their enth'
70 siasm.
=, The man Of ordinary ability cann'
possibly assimilate the amount OF fres
W. information which would pass befol
ID his eyes during this long daily cours
" of reading, especially when he is layil
no the foundations of MS knowledge ar
1a has not yet partitioned off fully Il
n. storerooms of the mind.
,o AS to general methods OF study,
y, seems to us that almost the last Wol
has been said on that subject by Bal
y. though his view is somewhat fanatl
~ ally stated for SO cool and circumspe
,o writer. To take one good book as
,,t manual is Bain's advice, and make tn
ri. the groundwork of your stuuy, usil
-. other books for purposes OF comparlso
or modification, and expanse, after the o
Wv text book has been thoroughly ms
or tered. SO closely would this educ
oo tionaIist adhere, in ahe first instance,
an his chosen guide that he regards fo'
,ot notes as distraction. This is an absu
be. extreme; but the general soundness
,oa the advice to master ane book first ca
not, we think, be Questioned.
sly Browsing aimlessly from book
of book, so as to pick apa general surfi
ose acquaintance with a subject, is 0nl
ion lazy mans dodge sor deceiving hi
nts self. One ought to earn a right to b
the general reader by being particu
en- reader first "Ought one to read
The idly through a book so as to unc