43. Memory is of little use unless it is simply the power to hold things clearly understood by the soul. It is not good teaching to burden the memory with masses of things not clearly perceived and conceived, although it may be at the beginning not at all objectionable to commit to memory certain great utterances from the Bible and other standard literature, even when the meaning is not clearly and fully apprehended. But at the earliest time possible these should be analyzed and the meaning worked into forms of clear knowledge.
44. Imagination.—Imagination is the power of the soul to work up into new combinations the things in memory. Memory keeps things as the soul got them through the senses. The products of memory have a basis in experience. The products of imagination have no such basis in experience. Imagination is the creator of new products. It cares not for facts, but works after its own fancy. It is a more dangerous power because more free. To curb it at the outset is necessary. To allow it free range is to open the way for statements from the child that often alarm the parent or teacher. But when once the moral sense is awakened and governs imagination the latter becomes the agency that creates all art and enriches all life.
45. Teaching aims to develop by appropriate exercise all these powers of the soul. What the pupil learns is not so important as what power he gains in the control and use of his thinking processes under the guidance of a skilful teacher.
Test Questions
1. What is teaching?
2. When does teaching end?
3. What is consciousness?
4. What marks the completion of the teaching act?
5. What is attention? Voluntary? Involuntary?
6. What will most easily attract the attention of a young child?