A System of Memory Training

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1916

A System of Memory Training

JAMIE’s mother said he never remembered anything. The simplest direction must be repeated two or three times for him. But an observant person might have said that the reason Jamie did not remember was that he did not need to. His mother always said things over for him.

When Jamie’s mother was ill, his grandmother came to take care of the family. Grandmother knew a great deal about boys because she had brought up five, and all were men to be proud of. Jamie’s father was one of them, and Jamie and his mother were sure he was a man to be proud of, even if grandmother had not thought so.

The first day grandmother was there, Jamie forgot to go to the grocery, and forgot to bring the jelly from the preserve closet, and forgot—there were just seven other things that he forgot.

“You have to tell him a dozen times before he remembers,” said poor mother from her pillow.

“Oh, no, dear! Let us teach him to remember with only one telling,” said grandmother.

The next morning grandmother said, “It’s time to feed the chickens, Jamie.”

Just then Raymond called from the back yard. He had a new ball mitt, and Jamie went out to admire and try it on.

“Jamie,” said grandmother from the doorway, “come here, please. Did you do what I told you?”

“What did you tell me, grandmother?” said Jamie pleasantly.

“Sit down here until you can remember,” said grandmother.

Jamie scowled fiercely, but he sat down. He wanted very much to play ball with Raymond, so he hurried and thought of everything he might be asked to do. When his eye fell upon the pan of chicken feed he remembered, and was off like a flash to do his work.

When he started to the grocery that day, he came back to say that he had forgotten what he was to get.

“Sit down here, and think until you remember it,” said grandmother. And it took much longer that time.

Every time that day that he forgot what he had been asked to do, he was required to sit down and try to recall it. Once he could not, he simply had not listened at all, and grandmother had to tell him again. But that was not until he had spent nearly a half hour trying to remember. No fellow likes to take a half hour to remember, when the boys are out in the back yard waiting for him to help build a merry-go-round.

Before a week had passed, Jamie’s memory was improved to such a degree that he could listen to grandmother’s grocery list once, and then repeat it correctly to the clerk when he got to the store.—The Mother’s Magazine.