Lesson 26 Efficient Memorizing

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... of which I have given you celebrated examples in the earlier lessons of this course.

THE CUMULATIVE METHOD OF MEMORIZING. The term "cumulative," applied to this system by the psychologists, means "consisting of one thing added to another, and gaining by the successive additions." The definition gives a very clear idea of the working and principles of this method, for the latter consists of gradual additions, the whole gaining power and strength by repeated additions and reviews. This is the natural way of memorizing, and is the one followed by the child in learning his alphabet, multiplication-tables, rules of mathematics, axioms of logic, etc. It is Nature's own way; and is in no sense artificial, strained, or forced. Instead of weakening the power of memorizing as do some of the artificial, unnatural systems, it tends to develop the "muscles of the mind" by use and exercise along scientific lines. Properly applied it will create a giant power of memorizing, in place of the puny one with which one may start practicing the method. The term "learning it by heart," is well applied to this method.

The leading principles of The Cumulative System are as follows:

I. Small beginning.

II. Repeated small additions.

III. Review of the old, at the time of each addition.

IV. Gradual increase in size of additions

The student of these lessons will perceive that there are three great principles of memory involved and manifested in this system, viz.: (1) The association of the new with the old; (2) the strengthening and deepening of the old impression by frequent repetition; and (3) the proficiency which always comes from cumulative exercise—the gradual gain in proficiency by repeated small additions.

It is always easier to remember a new thing by associating with an old impression. Likewise an old impression is deepened and strengthened by each review, and repetition—by each revival in consciousness, upon the occasion of the repeated cumulative additions. And, again, human experience has proven that the mental faculties, like the bodily muscles, may be best developed by graduated exercise, proceeding from the small task to the greater, and so on, the frequent repetition developing the power to take care of each addition when made. A young racehorse is trained on a small distance run; then on a greater distance; and finally he reaches the long-distance stage. All true education, and training, proceeds along these lines—little by little, and an increase of the load at each stage of the cumulative exercise, with the ever present REVIEW or PRACTICE of what has already been acquired. This is the whole secret in a few words: Gain by repeated additions and frequent review.

HOW TO BEGIN. The student who wishes to acquire this method of memorizing shoud begin by selecting some poem, or prose writing which appeals to his taste and liking. If you are fond of poetry, select some celebrated poem, preferably one composed of short verses. A four-line verse is better than any to start with. If poetry does not appeal, select some address by a celebrated man; or a chapter of the Bible. Poetry is easier to memorize for many, because of its suggestive rhythm. The Psalms of David furnish excellent material. The plays of Shakespeare are very good. Famous orations, ancient and modern, will be found interesting and full of life, which is a desirable quality.

Having selected your material—a poem for instance—proceed as follows: Commit the first line to memory—or, better still, the first two lines if they are connected in sense. Repeat them over several times, referring to the text as little as possible, until you are "letter perfect" in them, and able to repeat them correctly from start to finish. Then add two more lines, in the same way, until you have the last two as perfectly memorized as the first two. Then review the four as a whole and connected task. Review the entire four, as a whole, several times, until you are "letter perfect" in it in this way.

You will soon lose the sense of division between the two parts, and the four lines will blend and harmonize as a whole, so that when you begin the first word you will be able to proceed easily and naturally to the last. If you perform the task properly, the recitation of the memorized four lines will be as easy as reciting the alphabet, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, etc. Always recite aloud so as to gain the association in ear-memory as well as eye-memory. Some go so far as to write down the words, in reviewing, but this is not absolutely necessary, and, then, you may get tired of the work of writing so much. After you have memorized the four lines, as above instructed, leave the task for the day, and put it out of your mind.

THE SECOND STEP. The second day of your task, review, by recitation, the four lines you committed to memory the preceding day. If you are able to do so correctly, you may proceed with the next step. But, under no consideration should you take the second step, until the first one is firmly placed. That is, if you find that you cannot perfectly recite the first four lines, take up that part of the task again, and stick to it until you have mastered it, and can recite it as easily as your "a, b, c," of the alphabet. Then, and then only, should you take the second step. Beware of weak rounds on your ladder of memorizing, for unless you make each round strong enough to bear you, you may find much trouble in the higher rounds. No chain is stronger than its weakest link, and your chain of memorizing will be weak if a single link is neglected. I cannot impress this upon you too forcibly.

Finding yourself perfect in the recitation of the four lines, proceed to memorize a second four lines in the same way. Stick to the task until you have mastered it equally with the first. Then, begin with the first word of the first four lines, and proceed with the recitation until the last word of the second lesson is reached. That is, attach the second four lines to the first four, making a whole, and then recite the eight in sequence. Do this several times, until you feel that the eight lines are impressed upon your memory in regular sequence, and as connected parts of a whole. Remember this rule: Begin and end each day's memory-task with a review of the whole thing so far as you have proceeded. Begin the task by reviewing the old task—conclude by reviewing the old plus the new, the new added to the old. Do you get the idea?

THE THIRD STEP. The third day, follow the same general instructions. Begin by reciting, in review, the eight lines you have already memorized, keeping at this stage until you can do this thing perfectly. Then add a new four lines, just as you did the second four the day before. Then review the old with the new added, until you have firmly established the cumulative impression in your memory.

SUCCEEDING STEPS. The fifth, the sixth, the seventh day, and all that follow, are but repetitions of the second and third, except that each day a new four lines are added. Each day's work begins with a review of the old; then the new is memorized; and then you conclude by reciting the whole thing—the old plus the new. Keep this up until you have mastered the entire poem. As formidable as a poem of a hundred lines may have appeared to you at the start, you finally will be able to recite it with the greatest ease by this method. And, once memorized in this way it will he clearly retained in the memory, if kept alive and fresh by an occasional review at increasingly long intervals of time.

HIGHER STEPS. You will soon find that the four lines seem like a "baby task" to you, and you will realize that you could as well memorize eight lines each day. Well, when you really reach the eight-line stage, you may take up the task in that sized bits, if you wish to do so. You will soon increase your capacity, of course, for that is the way the method works out. But do not be over-anxious, and do not strain yourself by assuming the heavier tasks before your memory shoulders are strong enough to bear them. Beware of hot-house methods—it is better to grow as does the flower in the open air, according to Nature's own plan.

INCREASING THE TASK. The general rule in this system is to begin with a certain unit of lines, four lines, or eight for instance, depending upon the capacity of the individual—straining being avoided. This should be the daily task for the first month. The second month, the unit may be doubled; the third month trebled; and so on. This increasing load may be carried up to a certain point, when strain will be manifest. When you feel the strain too heavy a daily load, stop at once and cease adding to the unit, until you feel that you have developed sufficiently to do so. Do not exceed your natural, easy limit. Let your own feelings be the guide.

Keep up your exercise every day. If you feel too tired, from other work, to add the daily unit, simply review what you have already learned—two different sets of faculties are employed, and though one may be tired, the other may remain fresh, as you will discover. I would rather have you discontinue the addition of the new units, than to have you stop reviewing. Review, review, review—that is the keynote of this system, or any other good one, for that matter. You will soon have accumulated a great store of memorized material, which should be reviewed every once in awhile, in order to keep it alive. As I have said, you may increase the time between these occasional reviews, as you proceed—there is a natural ratio in the matter. I know persons who can correctly recite long poems, orations, etc., in this way, which they memorized over forty, or possibly over fifty, years before, and which they review, say, once a year or so. I know men who are able to recite whole plays from Shakespeare, or the French dramatists, in this way—though they have not referred to the text for twenty years or more. Whole chapters, and books of the Bible are frequently memorized in this way, and, when once well memorized by the Cumulative Method, they need be reviewed only at long intervals.

Men in professions, business life, and trades may memorize lists, tables, a classified synopsis, etc etc., in place of the verses, etc., for the principle is precisely the same in all cases. In short, this method may be employed in any and all cases in which the thing to be memorized consists of a series or sequence of WORDS.

The work of memorizing by means of this system often proves very fascinating to the student. The sense of development and growth of power is very invigorating and stimulating. The student feels that he is "getting somewhere" in his task, and that his work is "counting." Moreover, he finds that he is able to quickly memorize, remember, and recall the little things in his everyday life, which formerly gave him trouble. The mind, feeling its increased power, experiences a sense of freshness, vigor and capacity, which causes it to act efficiently, and prevents it from tiring or becoming weary as in the case of undertaking unaccustomed tasks.

While the Cumulative Method is adapted especially to the particular class of memorizing mentioned by me in this lesson, nevertheless its leading principles of Cumulative Progress, and Review, may be applied to advantage in almost any other class of memory training or memorizing. It will pay the student to learn to apply these principles in various ways, to the different tasks of memory which come up from time to time in all lines of work.

 

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