LC 51 1^4 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, IM Cliap,_ Copyright No. 9? 4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. t^^ ^S S p 1 1^ »1 i 1 1 1 1 1 9m Sk fi y 9 (^•w^ ^i:^,^ APR IX 1898 rWOCOPiFSfiECEivED. AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR, PKACTICAL SYSTEM FOR HOME STUDY. / ST. PAUL, MINN.: WM. KENNEDY PRINTING CO. 1898. 2nd COPY, 1898. \ W ^ ^^ olob Copyright, 1898, by G. W. READ. CONTENTS. Introduction 5 I. General Principles of the System 8 II. General Description of the System ....... 13 III. The System Applied 15 IV. Formulating Questions 40 V. Memory Training 44 VI. Learning a Book in One Reading 47 VII. Extension of the System 52 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. INTEODUCTION. Some years ago I was very anxious to obtain a certain appointment to be made by competitive examination. One of my friends wliom I consulted about the matter and who had previously won a similar ap- pointment, told me that the key to success in a competitive examination was a de- termination to win, and that with such a determination, backed by persevering and diligent study, failure would be unlikely if not impossible. It occurred to me that if the other can- didates were also imbued with this spirit of determination, success would fall to the 6 THE AUTOMATIC INSTKUCTOE. one wlio was most earnest and careful in his preparation. I made up my mind no one should surpass me in tMs respect. After studying hard for a week or more, I became discouraged. My progress in no sense corresponded with the efforts I was making. This, I now see clearly, was due to the foUomng circumstances : 1. I had been out of school for a long time and my mind had lost the training acquired by the habit of daily study. 2. In the absence of an instructor to guide them, my efforts were not sufficiently systematic and the actual progress made was uncertain. 3. In my anxiety for thorough prepara- tion in a limited time there was a constant tendency to hurry and an effort to learn more in one day than the mind could possi- bly assimilate. This led to mental fatigue and mind wandering. I often became conscious of having read a dozen pages or more while THE AUTOMATIC Il^STRUCTOE. 7 tliinkins: of wliat I would do after s-ettins; tlie appointment or of sometMng else en- tirely foreign to tlie contents of the book. It also led to the belief tliat my mem- ory was weak, for a carefully studied lesson would soon become confused and indis- tinct. The conviction tkat I was wasting time of wMcIl every moment was precious led to a careful consideration of tlie case and to tke discovery of a system so simple, so easy of application, and so effective, tkat I was able to learn with absolute tkorougkness tke various subjects to be covered by the examination. I attribute my success in tke competitive examination, and in obtaining tke coveted appointment, entirely to tlie system de- scribed in tke following pages. While especially adapted to use in preparing for examinations, it is believed this system mil be found of value by anyone pursuing a course of study or reading at home, vntk- out an instructor. G. w. R. 8 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRTJCTOK. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM. Every practical system for learning a book is based on tlie following funda- mental principles : a. The mind must be concentrated upon wliat is read. b. An analysis must be made, separat- ing the essential from the immaterial. c. The impression produced by the essential must be strong enough to cause the mind to retain it, or the original im- pression must be sufficiently strengthened. These three principles may be sum- marized in the three words. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. 9 a. Concentration. b. Analysis, c. Retention. It is well known tliat the most natural way to deepen a mental impression is by repetition. If part of a lesson is perfectly known, repetition should be confined to the part remaining to be learned, so as to impress the mind most strongly with that which is assimilated most slowly. This makes it desirable to separate the parts which the mind grasps strongly at once and retains firmly from those grasped less strongly and retained with difficulty. After the learning process is finished, its thoroughness should be tested by an ex- amination ; otherwise one cannot be sure of having accomplished his purpose. In the system to be explained, retention is assured by : d. Repetition. e. Separation. /. Examination. 10 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRIJCTOE. and the elements of the system may be completely classified as follows : a. Concentration. h. Analysis. id. Repetition, e. Separation. /. Examination. Concentration and analysis go liand in hand. Every book to be learned is made up of essential points usually preceded or followed, or both, by explanations or il- lustrations and other incidental matter in- tended to elucidate the main principle or point. The salient points form the " meat " or substance of the book, and when the mind has grasped, digested, and retained them, the book is learned. After being read and understood, it is neither neces- sary nor desirable to burden the memory with the subordinate matter, which is only useful in helping the reader to understand the main points and in impressing them upon his mind. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOE. 11 Books differ greatly in regard to tlie relative number of these material points. In a text -book, for example, nearly every sentence mil contain some statement or principle necessary to be learned and re- membered. In popular scientific and his- torical works, tlie illustrative and explana- tory matter will be proportionally greater, wMle in works of fiction tke reader may find few, if any, important points wMcli lie will care to learn and remember. In a text book, little is left to ckoice in tlie way of selecting tlie essential points. They follow one another like the steps of a stairway leading from ignorance to knowledge of the subject treated. In the reading of popular educational works, and works of fiction, the choice of the points to be remembered may be affected by the taste or special object of the reader. But whatever the book read or studied, the process of learning it will consist in an analysis of the contents and the retention 12 THE AUTOMATIC IlSrSTEUCTOR. of this analysis in the mind of the reader or student. Without concentration, both analysis and retention are impossible ; without analysis, retention is impossible ; without retention, reading or study is labor lost. Hence, all these are necessary to the mastering of any book. THE AUTOMATIC IJ!TSTEUCTOR. 13 IL GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM. The simplicity of the system referred to in the Introduction enables it to be described in a few words : The first step consists in formulating questions covering every point of im- portance in the text and in writing these questions on cards or slips of paper, with the number of the card and a reference to the place where the answer is to be found. The second step consists in taking the cards containing the questions prepared during the first half of the daily period available for study, and in devoting the 14 THE ATTTOMATIC IKSTEUCTOK, second half of this period to answering" these questions without reference to the book. Whenever the proper answer is in doubt, the card containing the question is laid aside until the conclusion of the first attempt to answer all the questions. Then the answers to the questions on all cards which have been so laid aside are looked up, after which a second attempt to answer them is made without reference to the book, laying aside as before, the card con- taining any question still answered doubt- fully. This process is continued until all the questions prepared can be promptly and correctly answered without reference to the book. The third and final step consists first, in applying the process described in the pre- ceding paragraph to all the cards pre- pared on the book and second, in applying the same process after thoroughly shuffling the cards. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. 15 III. THE SYSTEM APPLIED. Wlien tlie essential points are perfectly clear, as is usually tlie case in a text-book, tlie application of tlie system is very simple. For example, suppose it is desired to ac- quire a thorougli knowledge of the " Con- stitution of tlie United States." Take tiie book containing tbe Constitution, a pencil, and a number of cards or slips of paper of uniform size, about an incli and a lialf Avide by four inches long. Tlie Constitution consists of a Preamble followed by a number of Articles divided into Sections, wbicli, in turn, are divided into Clauses. Upon reading tke Preamble, it is seen tliat tke Constitution was adopted 16 THE AUTOMATIC IKSTETTCTOR. by a specified people for certain defined objects. It is necessary to remember by wliom it was adopted and for wliat pur- pose ; tlierefore take one of tlie cards^ number it in the upper left band corner^ and write a question, tbe answer to wbicb is tbe essential point to be learned. Then place a reference in a convenient place on tbe card showing wbere tbe answer is to be found. Proceed in like manner mtb tbe succeeding Articles, sections, and clauses, as follows : CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, in- sure domestic tranquillity, provide for the com- mon defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Con- stitution for the United States of America. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRtJCTOR. 17 (1) Constitution U. S. Preamble. What were tlie six objects of tlie Constitution ? By wliom was it ordained and adopted ? Article I. Legislative Department. Section I. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. (2) Constitution U. S. Article I. § I. What body is vested with the legislative power granted by the Constitution ? Of what does this body consist ? 18 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOE. Section II.— Clause 1. The House of Repre- sentatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature. (3) Constitution U.S. Article I. § II. Clause 1. Wliat is tlie composition of tlie House of Representatives ? Wliat qualifications must be possessed by the electors in each State ? Clause 2. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty- five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRtJCTOR. 19 (4) Constitution U. S. Article I. § II. Clause 2. Wliat three qualifications must be possessed by a representative ? Clause 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among" the several States which may be included Tvithin this Union, ac- cording- to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons- The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative ; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three ; Massachusetts, eight ; Rhode Island and 20 THE AUTOMATIC II^STKUCTOR. Providence Plantations, one ; Connecticut, five ; New York, six ; New Jersey, four; Pennsylvania, eig-ht ; Delaware, one ; Maryland, six ; Virginia, ten ; North Carolina, five ; South Carolina, five ; and Georg-ia, three. (5) Constitution IT. S. Article I. § II. Clause 3. How are representatives ap- portioned among tlie several States ? What else is apportioned on tlie same basis ? (6) Constitution U. S. Article I. § II. Clause 3. In tlie apportionment of repre- sentatives liow are tlie " respective numbers " in a State determined? Wliat actual enumerations are provided for ? THE AUTOMATIC INSTEUCTOR. 21 (7) Constitution U. S. Article I. § II. Clause 3. Wliat are tlie limits of the number of representatives from eacli State ? How many members liad tlie first House of Representatives ? Clause 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. (8) Constitution 11. S. Article I. § II. Clause 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, how are they filled ? 22 THE AUTOMATIC IT^STRUCTOK. Clause 5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers ; and shall have the sole power of impeachment. (9) . . Constitution IT. S. Article I. § II. Clause 5. Wliat is tlie name of tlie pre- siding officer of tlie House of Representatives and how are all officers of that body chosen ? What body has the sole power of impeachment ? Section III.— Ciause 1. The Seaate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature there- of, for six years ; and each senator shall have one vote. THE AUTOMATIC IlSrSTEUCTOR. 23 (10) Constitution U. S. Art. I. S III. Clause 1. What is tlie composition of the U. S. Senate ? How are senators chosen ? For how long ? How many votes has a Senator ? Clause 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes, The seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year ; of the second class at the ex- piration of the fourth year ; and of the third class, at the expiration of the sixth year ; so that one third may be chosen every second year ; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during- the recess of the Legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary ap- pointments until the next meeting of the Legis- lature, which shall then fill such vacancies. 24 THE AUTOMATIC II^STRUCTOR. (11) Constitution U. S. Art. I. 8 III. Clause 2. Upon assembling after tlie first election, liow were tlie senators to be classified ? What was tlie object of tMs classification ? (12) Constitution U. S. Article I. j § III. Clause 9 "7 Wlien a vacancy in the Senate occurs during a recess of the Legislature of any State, how is it filled ? Clause 3. No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the ag-e of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRTJCTOE. 25 (13) Constitution U. S. Article I. 8 III. Clause 3. What tliree qualifications must a senator possess ? Clause 4. The Vice-President of the United States shall be president of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. Clause 5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a president pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. 26 THE AUTOMATIC INSTEUCTOK. [ (14) Constitution U.S. Article I. § III. Clause 4 and 5. Wlio is president of tlie Senate 1 How are tlie other officers chosen ? When and how is a president pro tempore chosen ? Clause 6, The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments ; when sitting- for that purpose they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside ; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. 27 (15) Constitution U. S. Article 1. 8 III. Clause 6. Where does the sole power of trying impeacliinent rest ? Who presides during a trial of the President of the U. S. ? What is essential to conviction ? Clause 7. Judg-ment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit, under the United States ; but the party convicted shall neverthe- less be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judg-ment, and punishment, according to law. 28 THE AUTOMATIC II^STEUCTOE. (16) Constitution U. S. Article I. S III. Clause 7. How far may judgment ex- tend in cases of impeacliment ? Does this bar further proceed- ings and subsequent trial and punishment ? It will be assumed that only one hour was available for study at this time and that half an hour has been consumed in formulating these questions and preparing the sixteen cards. Closing the book, the cards, arranged in a pack in numerical order, are taken in hand, and an effort made to answer the questions. Whenever the questions on the top card can be answered without difficulty, that card is shifted to the bottom of the pack ; but whenever a question is met which cannot be answered without hesita- tion, the card containing it is laid aside. THE AUTOMATIC Il^STRUCTOE. 29 It should not take more tlian ten minutes to run tlirougli tlie cards in tlie manner described. At tlie end of tliat time, it may be found tliat half or even more of tlie cards liave been laid aside because of an uncertainty as to the proper answer to some question, or entire inability to answer it. These cards are now taken and the cor- rect answers looked up in the place in- dicated by the reference. The book is then closed again, and another effort made to give the correct answers to these ques- tions. Should any answer be still doubt- ful, the card containing the question is laid aside as before, and this process con- tinued until all the questions have been correctly answered. If any time remains, all the cards may be gone over again, which should not take more than five minutes. Finally, the cards are arranged in nu- merical order and fastened together by a rubber band. 80 THE AUTOMATIC IJS^STRtJCTOB. The next time study is resumed, pro- ceed in a similar manner and continue from day to day until tlie entire Constitution lias been studied. Tlie cards prepared will now number about a hundred. Tlie next step is to take all tliese cards, arranged in a pack in nu- merical order, and go over tkem as de- scribed in tlie case of the first sixteen, being careful to lay aside every card containing a question not answered with readiness and ease. The answers to these questions are then to be looked up as before described, and the process continued until every question has been answered without hesitation. Finally, the cards are to be thoroughly shuffled, so as to arrange them in hap- hazard order, and are then to be gone over as before. At the conclusion of this process, the student, no matter how mediocre his natural ability, will be able to pass a perfect examination on the Constitution „ THE AUTOMATIC IISrSTEUCTOR. 81 Moreover tlie learning process will liave been at all times easy and pleasant. Tlie time consumed will not liave been great in proportion to tlie results obtained. If tlie same number of liours bad been devoted to reading the Constitution over and over again, no matter bow carefully, tbe know- ledge acquired would bave been incom- parably less complete tban tbat resulting -from tbe application of tbis system. If it is desired to review tbe subject at any future time, it is only necessary to take tbe cards originally prepared and go over tbem as indicated Tbe entire sub- ject can tbus be tborougbly reviewed in a fraction of tbe time required by any otber metbod. It will be observed tbat in preparing tbe questions tbe mind is necessarily con- centrated on tbe material points. Tbe pro- cess is mecbanical. No effort wbatever is required to prevent mind wandering. Tbe preparation of tbe questions also requires a mental analysis of tbe subject. 32 THE AIJTOMATIC IlS-STIiUCTOR. Take clause 3 of Section II, for example, A careful reading shows tlie essential points to be : 1. Tlie manner of apportioning repre- sentatives in Congress among tlie several States. 2. The manner of apportioning direct taxes among tlie several States. 3. The manner in which the respective numbers in the several States shall be de- termined as a basis for representation and direct taxes. 4. The actual enumerations to be made and the manner of making them. 5. The maximum and minimum num- ber of representatives from any State. 6. The designation of the numbers of representatives to which each of the orig- inal States was to be entitled prior to the taking of the first census. The last point might be covered by "THE AUTOMATIC I:N^STRUCT0R. 33 questions to bring out the number of rep- resentatives allowed each State, but it would be useless to burden the memorv with such details. It should be quite sufficient to know the total membership of the first House of Representatives. In a similiar way a mental analysis is made every time a question is prepared, and the essential point is emphasized by writing the question on the card. This concentration and analysis^ in them- selves, strongly impress the essential points on the mind. Answering the questions on the cards is the repetition necessary to retention. Laying aside the cards containing ques- tions which cannot be answered is the separation of the unknown from the known. Looking up the correct answers to only those questions which could not be an- swered, impresses the mind strongly with whatever remains to be learned. Finally, going over all the cards, ar- ranged first in numerical and then in hap- 34 THE AUTOMATIC INSTEUCTOE. hazard order, is both a general review of tlie subject and tlie examination necessary to assure tlie student of Ms thorougli know- ledge thereof. As another illustration of the use of the System let us take " Algebra," a repre- sentative text -book of the conventional ^ype. Chaptee I.* 1. Quantity and Number. Whatever may be regarded as being- made up of parts like the whole is called a quantity. In other words whatever admits of division into parts all the same in kind as the whole^ is a quantity. To measure a quantity of any kind is to find how many times it contains another known quantity of the same kind. A known quantity which is adopted as a stan- dard for measuring quantities of the same kind is called a unit. Thus the foot^ the pound, the dollar, the day, are units for measuring distance, weight, money, time. A number arises from the repetitions of the unit of measure, and show how^ many times the unit is contained in the quantity measured. * From Wentworth's College Algebra. THE AUTOMATIC INSTEUCTOR. 35 Concentrating the mind upon this para- graph and analyzing it, the essential points may be covered by the following questions. (1) P. 1. Par. 1. What is quantity ? How is quantity measured ? What is a unit ? What is a number ? Proceeding in like manner, we have Par. 2. When a quantity is measured, the result obtained is expressed by prefixing- to the name of the unit the number which shows how many times the unit is contained in the quantity" measured. The result is called the measure of the quantity. The number which shows how many times the unit is taken is called the numerical measure of the quantity. Thus 7 feet, 8 pounds, are respectively mea- sures of distance and weight; the numerical measures being- respectively 7 and 8, 36 THE AUTOMATIC IISTSTEUCTOE;. (2) P. 2 Par. 2. How is tlie result obtained by measuring a quantity expressed ? What is this result called ? What is the numerical measure of a quantity ? Par. 3. For convenience, numbers are repre- sented by symbols. In arithmetic the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and combinations of these symbols, are embloyed to represent numbers. The series 0, 1, 2, 3, „, obtained by counting- is called the natural series of numbers. Any figure or combination of figures repre- sents one, and but one, particular number. THE AUTOMATIC IJVSTRUCTOR. 87 (3) P. 2. Par. 3. How are numbers represeni :ed for convenience ? What is tlie natural series of numbers 2 Par. 4. Numbers in General. Numbers pos- sess many g^eneral properties, which are true, not only of a particular number but of all numbers. For example, the sum of 12 and 8 is 20, and the difference between 12 and 8 is 4. Their sum added to their difference is 24, which is twice the g^reater number. Their difference taken from their sum is 16, which is twice the smaller number. We shall see later on that these are g-eneral properties of numbers, viz : The sum of two numbers added to their difference is twice the 2^reater number ; the difference of two numbers taken from their sum is twice the smaller number. Or, (1) (greater number -f smaller number) -\~ (greater number — smaller number) = twice greater number. 88 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOE. (2) (greater number + smaller nuraiber) — (g"reater number — smaller number) = twice smaller number. But these statements may be very much shortened; for, as greater number and smaller number may mean any two numbers, two letters, as a and &, may be used to represent them ; then 2a will represent twice the greater number, and 2b twice the smaller. Then these statements become : (1) (a + b) + (a - b) = 2a. (2) (a + b) — (a — b) = 2b. In studying the general properties of num- bers, letters used to represent numbers may represent any numerical values consistent w^ith the condition of the problem. (4) P. 2. Par. 4. What is meant by " general properties" of numbers? THE AUTOMATIC IJ^STEUCTOR. 39 (5) P. 2. par. 4. Grive example of general properties of numbers based upon relation between sum and difference of two numbers, and express tlie statement of the general property in three ways ? (6) P. 2. Par. 4. In studing tlie general proper- ties of numbers, what numerical values may be represented by the letters used to represent numbers ? 40 THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. IV. FORMULATING QUESTIONS. Tlie value to the student of a series of questions carefully prepared to cover tlie essential points of a subject is fully recog- nized by authors of text books. A list of sucli questions is not infrequently found at tlie bottom of each page, or at the end of each chapter, or sometimes at the end of the book. As a rule, the questions are intended more for the use of the student than for the teacher, and the object is evidently to emphasize the points essential to a thorough knowledge of the book. In the class-room, questions are used to bring out the important points of the lesson quite as much as to test the student's THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOK. 41 knowledge. A lecture is often closed by a " quiz." In examinations of all kinds tlie student's knowledge is more often tested by questions tkan in any other way. These questions are prepared by author or instructor. Perhaps the most important step in the system herein described is the preparation of an exhaustive series of ques- tions hy the student. In the framing of these questions, the important points of the book are introduced to the mind of the student individually and the acquaintance is cemented and catalogued by the process of ^vriting the question and the reference on the card. Should the system be applied to a book containing questions already prepared, those of the author should not be used until after the student's o^vn questions have been formulated. The latter may then be compared with the former, and modified, if by so doing they will be im- proved. In certain text -books, especially those 42 THE AUTOMATIC IlfSTEUCTOE. pertaining to matliematics, pure or applied, tlie demonstration of theorems and tlie solu- tion of problems are most important. Tlie solution of problems is merely an adjunct to the system herein described, but should never be neglected by the student. After he has solved all the problems, one or more of them should be selected and copied on a card as in the case of the questions, to be solved during the reviews and ex- aminations prescribed. A theorem to be demonstrated presents no difficulty. Take for example the fol- lowing : PROPOSITION XVII. THEOREM.* In any triang-le, the straight line which bisects the ang-le at the vertex, divides the base into two segments proportional to the adjacent sides. * Davies' Legendre. THE AUTOMATIC I]S^STEUCTOR. 43 (105) Proposition XVII. Book IV. How is the base of any triangle divided by tlie straight line wliicli bisects tlie angle at the vertex ? Demonstrate. Here the answer to the question is the theorem to be demonstrated, and a know- ledge of the subject requires the ability to make the demonstration. Whenever a rule is covered by a ques- tion, the question should be followed by " Why V\ and the student should invari- ably be able to give the reason. In the study of languages, this system is chiefly valuable in learning the prin- ciples and rules ; the exercises of course must be worked out separately ; but, as in the case of the problems, it is well to make out occasional cards containing parts of exercises suitable as illustrations. 4,4 THE AUTOMATIC IIS^STRUCTOK. y. MEMORY TRAINmG. It is claimed that this system trains tlie memory by tlie most natural and therefore the most logical of processes. Weak mem - ory results from the inaptitude of the mind to receive strong impressions in ordinary cases. The remedy is evidently either the re- moval of this inaptitude, or a means of making the impression strong enough to be retained. The oftener a mental pro- cess is repeated, the easier it becomes, and therefore the use of a device for making an impression strong enough to insure its retention by the mind will gradually re- THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. 45 move the inaptitude of the mind to receive sucli an impression. If we may be pardoned for comparing tlie mind of a person possessing a weak memory to a block of wood, tke operation of this system may be likened to driving a nail into this block. Formulating and writing a question corresponds to the start- ing of the nail ; each successive effort to answer the question corresponds to the effect produced by the blow of a hammer on the nail, which by repeated blows may be driven to its head. Painstaking effort in the application of this system cannot fail to greatly improve a weak memory. Page after page of a book may be read without producing a lasting impression ; but a question cannot be formulated and written down mthout leaving an impression of the point it covers, and by repetition and separation the first impressions are necessarily deepened. That which has been learned and remem- bered is filed away in the mind to be pro- 46 THE AUTOMATIC IT^STEUCTOE. duced wlien required ; while that wMcli is still imperfectly known is studied and re- studied until it also is learned, remem- bered, and filed away. Concentration of tlie mind and analysis of tlie subject are prerequisites in any system of memory training. Tlie only otlier element of such a system is a device for insuring retention. All such devices are primarily based upon repetition. The system herein described, since it covers all these essentials, and insures concentration, analysis, and retention, cannot fail to train the memory and the mind of the student who applies it conscientiously. It is the simplest and most natural system for train- ing the memory, and is therefore believed to surpass in the excellence of its results, the more confusing and complex systems for accomplishing the same result. THE ATTTOMATIC IJS^STRUCTOR. 47 . VI. LEAKNING A BOOK IN ONE EEADING. The statement that a book may be laarned in one reading might properly be questioned if no explanation were made of its exact meaning. The manner in which a book is to be learned depends upon the object of the reader. If this is to prepare for an ex- haustive examination, great attention must be paid to every point of importance. But the object in general reading is to obtain a general knowledge and the reader is at liberty to choose the points to be specially remembered. Moreover in 48 THE AUTOMATIC II^STEUCTOE. general reading, many of tlie important statements in tlie book are often already known to the reader, having been met with and learned elsewhere. When this is the case, there is a corresponding reduction in the amount remaining to be learned. It is evident that good judgment is re- quired in determining the salient points of a book. Perhaps no two readers would agree as to what is absolutely essential. A distinguished scholar would no doubt reject much that would be regarded as material by a beginner. To be of maximum value, a system for learning a book in one reading should be adapted to the use of those who are most in need of assistance. The system hereinbefore described, while suited to beginners becomes more and more valuable the oftener it is used and trains the mind automatically to grasp the ma- terial and reject the immaterial. A novel is perhaps most thoroughly en- joyed when a reader sits in a capacious THE AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTOR. 49 arm cliair by an open fire or lazily reclines on a comfortable couch. Such reading, if too frequently indulged in, is a mental dissipation. The impressions on the mind are light and evanescent. No eifort need be made to deepen or retain them, for as a rule it is of no importance to remember what is read. Books worth learning are fi'equently read in the same way, and the mental im- pressions produced are like "foot-prints in the sand."" It would be palpably absurd to claim that any system could be debased for learning a book in one such reading. But when a profound student takes up a treatise on some subject in which he is deeply interested, his mind gathers the salient points as a powerful magnet draws particles of steel from a mass of chalf. Such a student has no difficulty in learn- ing such a book in one reading. He un- consciously applies the essential and funda- mental principles on which must be based 50 THE AUTOMATIC Il^STRUCTOK. any practical system for accomplisliing a similar result. These are the principles of the system hereinbefore outlined. In this case the mind of the student is trained and retention is assured by the strength of the original impression. In this kind of reading, the analysis consists in determining the essential points which the reader considers it necessary or desirable to remember. Upon coming to such a point, if it is not already known to him, he should formulate a question cover- ing it, and write the question and reference on a card in the usual way. This should be repeated whenever such a point is en- countered. The mental impressions produced by this process may or may not be sufficiently strong to enable the reader upon finishing the book to answer all the questions pre- pared. If not, the device for deepening the impressions is ready for use and easy of application. With practice the necessity for the use THE AUTOMATIC I]S"STRUCTOR. 51 of this device will gradually cease ; but it will be an advantage to have the cards always at hand for reviewing the book at any future time. It is evident that such a review can be most quickly and thoroughly made. If it is objected that this is not an in- fallible system for learning a book in one reading, it may very truthfully be said that it is as nearly infallible as any other system proposed for accomplishing such a result, and that it is unquestionably the simplest of them all. The preparation of the questions ne- cessitates the making of a mental abstract of the subject, and the device for learning and remembering this abstract is incom- parably simpler and quite as efficacious as any of the complex mnemonic systems sometimes recommended for the same pur- pose. 52 THE AUTOMATIC IT^STEUCTOR. VI I. EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEM. Tlie accumulation of information upon a special subject from any number of different sources is easily and completely effected by using this system. For ex- ample, suppose a student is specially in- terested in a particular subject. In Ms gen- eral reading, he will frequently be struck by some statement bearing on this speciality. This may be an essential point also of the book or article which is being read, or it may be merely an example illustrating such a point. In the former case write the question covering the statement, with the proper references, on two cards, one of which is THE AUTOMATIC IISTSTRUCTOR. 53 to be kept with those pertaining to the book itself, while the other is to be filed under the particular subject to which it pertains. In the latter case, it is only necessary to make out one card for file. It will sometimes be practicable and advantageous to write the answer on the back of the card. In this way interesting facts relating to any number of special subjects may be accumulated and filed in the course of general reading ; the cards containing the questions and references being placed in envelopes or pigeon-holes marked with the title of the special subject. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 029 453 441 6