things with which we work daily, and in which we are interested, will be often
thought of together, and hence will become well associated. They will be
frequently recalled, and hence more easily remembered; they will be vividly
experienced as the inevitable result of interest, and this goes far to insure recall.
7. MEMORY DEVICES
Many devices have been invented for training or using the memory, and not a
few worthless "systems" have been imposed by conscienceless fakers upon
uninformed people. All memorizing finally must go back to the fundamental
laws of brain activity and the rules growing out of these laws. There is no "royal
road" to a good memory.
The Effects of Cramming.—Not a few students depend on cramming for much
of their learning. If this method of study would yield as valuable permanent
results, it would be by far the most sensible and economical method to use; for
under the stress of necessity we often are able to accomplish results much faster
than when no pressure is resting upon us. The difficulty is, however, that the
results are not permanent; the facts learned do not have time to seek out and link
themselves to well-established associates; learned in an hour, their retention is as
ephemeral as the application which gave them to us.
Facts which are needed but temporarily and which cannot become a part of our
body of permanent knowledge may profitably be learned by cramming. The
lawyer needs many details for the case he is trying, which not only are valueless
to him as soon as the case is decided, but would positively be in his way. He
may profitably cram such facts. But those facts which are to become a
permanent part of his mental equipment, such as the fundamental principles of
law, he cannot cram. These he must have in a logical chain which will not leave
their recall dependent upon a chance cue. Crammed facts may serve us during a
recitation or an examination, but they never really become a part of us. Nothing
can take the place of the logical placing of facts if they are to be remembered
with facility, and be usable in thinking when recalled.
Remembering Isolated Facts.—But after all this is taken into consideration
there still remain a large number of facts which refuse to fit into any connected
or logical system. Or, if they do belong with some system, their connection is
not very close, and we have more need for the few individual facts than for the
system as a whole. Hence we must have some means of remembering such facts