Part 4

In the meantime the tortoise plodded on, slowly but surely. After a time, he passed the hare, who, sure of reaching the goal first, still slept, and who awoke only to find the tortoise had reached it before her.

Somebody's Mother

(From Harper's Weekly--Author Unknown)

The woman was old, and ragged and gray, And bent with the chill of the winter's day. The street was wet with the recent snow, And the woman's feet were aged and slow.

She stood at the crossing and waited long Alone, uncared for, amid the throng Of human beings who passed her by, Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.

Down the street with laughter and shout, Glad in the freedom of "School let out," Came the boys like a flock of sheep, Hailing the snow piled white and deep.

Passed the woman so old and gray, Hastened the children on their way, Nor offered a helping hand to her, So meek, so timid; afraid to stir, Lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet Should crowd her down in the slippery street.

At last came one of the merry troop, The gayest laddie of all the group; He paused beside her and whispered low, "I'll help you across if you wish to go."

* * * * *

And "Somebody's Mother" bowed her head, In her home that night, and the prayer she said, Was, "God be kind to the noble boy, Who is somebody's son and pride and joy."

These examples will serve to show the attempt of the author to paint a picture with words, just as does an artist with paint. Have the child make his own picture and repeat the story as fully as possible. Older children should learn them so as to repeat them verbatim. In the next book on--How to Study and Remember--this subject will be taken up more fully.

To Preserve Early Memories

We sometimes doubt when people tell us of things which happen when they were five years old. Children that are eight or nine can often tell of things that took place when they were two or three. Almost without exception you will find that these memories are eye impressions--pictures. Have the child review those which you wish him to retain and he will preserve the memory of them.

It is often the case that children have advantages of travel and see many things that older people have not. Many of these advantages, however, are wasted because the child does not review these interesting things which he has seen. Children are seldom interested in remembering. Parents should preserve the child's memory of important sights and circumstances by asking him to carefully revisualize the scene--to see it again in the mind's eye. Thus can the impression be deepened and the child's memory and appreciation of the thing be made to continue throughout his life.

Especially all unusual scenes which he may not have the opportunity of seeing again for a long time should be visually reviewed a couple of times during the first week and a number of times during the following month. Two children had been camping in the north, where they one evening saw a particularly brilliant display of Northern Lights. A few months after this the children were asked, "What are the Northern Lights? What do they look like?" The younger one had forgotten, but the older one could describe them. When the two had thoroughly reviewed the picture they had re-impressed it upon their minds. By doing this a few times the children were able to permanently retain this memory.

HOW TO REMEMBER FIGURES

A child soon comes to the necessity of remembering numbers. With some this is not difficult for they possess unusual powers of visualization and can see the numbers clearly in their mind's eye and thus recall them with ease. There are many examples of men and women who have this visual memory for figures. On the other hand only a very small proportion can do this.

It is a common failing among children, as well as adults, to be unable to remember numbers easily. The reason is simple. Numbers have no meaning, they convey no impression to the mind which can be retained.

Words convey the picture of objects, thoughts and actions which you can visualize. Numbers are cold, inanimate things which have no life nor interest, they do not present a picture and are not easily retained.

=Things that have no meaning are difficult to remember.=

The simple transference of the meaningless number into something of interest and within the child's knowledge and experience will be helpful. He will remember 15 apples easier than just the number 15. Numbers are easily dealt with when they become objects. You teach the child to add and subtract by the counting board, or by using a group of objects. Fractions are most easily explained by cutting an apple, or something which we can see.

A man had received a new auto license number and wondered how he could remember it, 218515. He knew the easiest way was to make it mean something. He thought that 21 was the age when a young man reaches his majority. If he lives to be 85 he will be an old man, and he might be entirely destitute but for the 15c. So he had the figures 21-85-15. After that he had no difficulty in recalling this number at any time.

Be original and make the figures mean something.

Familiar Numbers Helpful

Any number which has come to mean something to you is easily recalled and may be helpful in remembering other numbers. As 1492, the date of the discovery of America by Columbus. 57 immediately recalls "Heinz 57 varieties" and if you wish to remember 59 you can easily associate it as being two more than the 57. 1775 means something to you, it conveys a definite thought, but it is more likely that 1947 does not and will be quickly forgotten.

If you have lived in a house with the number 1947 for a good while you will remember it as easily as the number 1775.

Analyze Numbers

There are many helpful ideas which can be used to aid in remembering numbers. To divide the number into pairs of digits, keeping them below one hundred, is helpful. It is easier to remember 14-67 than 1,467.

Even numbers which are familiar to us are easily remembered as 10, 20, 30, 40, or 100, 200, 300, or 1000, 5000, 10,000. To compare other numbers with these familiar groups will help, as 29 is one less than 30, 996 is just four less than 1000.

Numbers having sequence of digits if noted carefully will be recalled accurately, as 1357 or 2468.

The telephone number 2430 is easily remembered because of the even numbers, 24 and 30. Also 2+4=6 and 24+6=30.

Sometimes the first digits added together make the other, as the license number 1247, the first three added make the fourth.

All these ideas are at times helpful, but we need a method which can be used any time, by any one, for any figures. This need is adequately met by the Number Code following. It is not new, but supposed to have originated among the Romans and has been used by almost every generation since that time. You find it easy to impress upon the brain any thing which has a meaning and which can be visualized.

Figures carry with them no associations, no images. It becomes necessary, therefore, to devise some means by which they may be photographed upon the brain in such a manner that they will mean something, as definitely as a word represents an object.

The Number Code

The simplest and most practical basis which can be selected is the idea of choosing a SOUND to represent each one of the ten digits. These sounds can in turn be indicated by various consonants of the alphabet. By combining the ten digits we are able to make all figures, and by similarly combining the SOUNDS we can easily convert the figures which we wish to remember into words. The words will represent objects and can easily be impressed upon the brain. Your use of this idea is based upon your becoming thoroughly familiar with the ten SOUNDS representing the ten digits.

By combining these sounds corresponding to the arrangement of the digits, words can be formed to represent the figure. The word can be remembered. It has a meaning. It can be visualized and recalled, then easily translated into the corresponding digits.

Here are the ten digits and their corresponding SOUNDS. The sounds are indicated by the letters. Use the sound as spoken in the word, as "T" in "Ten." The sound used is always the same as in the spoken word, but not as a single letter. Not the sound "en" as a letter, but the sound of "N" in "Nell." Note this difference; it is important. Following is the Number Code:

Note carefully this cut in which the digit and letter used to represent the sound is made into a combined figure. This places the digit and the corresponding sound into your mind together. The picture of the combination should be impressed by concentration. Look at the digit letter and then close your eyes and see the same picture in your mind's eye. Exaggerate them. Take a pencil and paper and draw them for yourself. Note that the second letter N if stood on its side is 2, in the picture it is half way, which will suggest both to your mind. The M and 3 are the same. Become familiar with these so that there is no possibility of hesitation in recalling the SOUND for each digit.

The T and 1 are simple. The 2 and N and the 3 and M have been explained. The 6 turned to the left makes a J. The K for 7 is made of two 7s back to back, one leaning against the other. The P for 9 is turned as the 6 and J. Dwell a moment on this picture and you will know the Code.

There are other associations which will help to fix the digits and their corresponding sounds in mind.

T is selected for 1 because both are made with one down stroke. One down stroke with a short cross stroke makes the T.

N, for 2 is the same, two down strokes make the N.

M represents the 3 and there are three down strokes in the written M.

R is the last letter and principal sound in the word fouR, which has four letters.

L is the Roman numeral representing 50, similar to 5.

F selected for 8 has the two loops, when written.

C is the first letter and sound of the word Cipher.

Acquaint Yourself With the Code

Work entirely by SOUND, remember it is the sound M in the word Make that has the value of 3, and if not =sounded= would have no value. Become familiar with these ten digit sounds so that when you see a digit you can immediately recall the sound. Then practice sounding words and telling the number value of each SOUND in the word. Pay no attention to the letters; only the sounds have value.

The ten sounds alone will not form words, but will by adding the vowels A, E, I, O, U. The vowels have no figure value and can be used at any time and in any manner desired without altering the number value of the word. In the same manner we use the consonants W, H and Y. These have no figure value and with the vowels may be used to bind the digit sounds into words.

A, E, I, O, U and W, H, Y Are Valueless

For practice translate the following numerals into their corresponding sounds.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 3 6 5 8 3 2 8 0 5 3 6 8 7 4 2 8 5 1 7.

In the same manner translate the following letters into their corresponding digit value. Remember the vowels and W, H, Y have no figure value.

T N M R L J F P C E F H R K Y F R N L Y F W K N R T E O K L A Y E R P M U N P L T H F Y E R O M I N K O U N L P T R N W M F.

Keep up this practice with both digits and letters until you can translate each without hesitation.

Forming Number Words

It is a simple matter to form a word for a figure by selecting the sounds which represent the digits and fill in vowels until the word is found.

14 is represented by the sounds T-R. Between the consonants T and R run the vowels a, e, i, o, u. Do this by sound and the result is TaR, TeaR, TiRe, ToR (tore), TuR (tour). In this way you have three or four words which will represent the number 14.

15 can be converted into TaiL, TiLe, TeLl, or TooL.

41 into the words RaT, RaTe, wRiTe, RooT, RuT.

91 into the words PaT, PeT, PiT, PoT, PuT.

Make yourself thoroughly familiar with the Number Code. Master the ten digit sounds and you have the foundation with which to work. This is not a difficult problem. Children learn without difficulty the 26 letters of the alphabet and their many combinations. In this case there are but ten to be mastered and many combinations to choose from. A little practice will work wonders in the ability to use this Code. Change the following words into their figure value:

PaN................ JaR................ NoTe............... RaiN............... CoaL............... TaN................ KiTe............... PiLe............... MoP................ RaKe............... PoP................ JaiL............... LaP................ TaNK............... PaiL............... LeTTeR............. PiNK............... PeaR...............

Note the following translation of numbers into words. Do the last sets yourself, make others for practice in this idea:

38 M F MuFf. 92 P N PaN. 63 J M JaM. 142 T R N TuRN. 315 M T L ............ 415 ............ ............ 912 ............ ............ 951 ............ ............ 421 ............ ............

Add the necessary vowels to make these into words:

82 F N 921 P NT 327 M NK 21 N T 627 J NK 9521 PL NT 48 R F 295 N PPL 91420 P T RNS

Make complete words for the following:

29.............. 97.............. 57.............. 470.............. 742.............. 515..............

Additional Letters

The simplicity and ease with which you will be able to use this idea can be increased by noting that there are certain letters which have practically the same sound as those selected to represent the digits. Yet these sounds are entirely different from any other digit sound. You can greatly increase the list of words which you can make for certain numbers by taking advantage of this idea. This is a very helpful suggestion; note it carefully.

All letters having the same sound stand for the same digit value:

D and T are similar in sound and therefore either can be used to represent the digit 1.

G as in George (known as soft G) has the same sound as J, therefore soft G also represents 6.

Sh as in Shot, and Ch as in Chain are similar to J in sound so Sh or Ch represent 6.

C as in Can, hard C, has the sound of K and is 7.

G as in Gag, is the same as K and also is valued as 7. K, hard C or hard G are all used for 7.

V has the sound of F, and either may be used for 8.

B has the sound of P and is 9.

S as in Sauce, and Z are sounded as C (soft) so that either C, S or Z can be used for 0.

The Complete Code

Letters and Sounds Seldom Used

The following are sometimes used and from their SOUND have digit value and should be noted for completeness:

Q sounds similar to K and is 7.

X is pronounced EKS, has the KS sound and is 70.

Hard Ch as in ACHE has the K sound and is 7.

Gh and Ph as in Cough and Phone have the F sound and are 8.

By using the suffix ING to represent 7, which is an arbitrary exception to fill a need, you can get a great deal of help in forming words for difficult numbers which end in 7, as 447 RoaRING, 117 DoTING, 577 LacKING, 397 MoPING.

Silent Letters Have No Figure Value

In addition to a, e, i, o, u, and w, h, and y, which have no figure value, all silent letters have none, because they are not SOUNDED. SOUND is the one and only indicator of digit value.

NIGHT is 21 for the GH is silent. KNIFE is 28 for the K is silent. MADGE is 36 for the D is silent.

Double Letters Are Sounded as One

Because they have but the one letter SOUND they have but the single digit value. This is merely another fact which is unalterable, because the basis of the Code is sound.

HUMMER has the sound of HUMER and is 34. BITTER has the sound of BITER and is 914. SPARROW has the sound of SPARO and is 094. BILL has the sound of BIL and is 95.

The important thing to keep in mind in the use of this Code is the fact that all is based upon SOUND. Silent letters and double letters are treated as they are, simply because of the SOUND basis. There are many exceptions to the number value of the letters but none to the number value of the sounds of the word.

The word NATION is a good example. NATION is 262. In this case the T as a letter would represent 1, but as a SOUND it is "SH" and is 6. C is 6 in OCEAN.

Number Value of Code Words

You now need to have a series of words, the figure value of which you are thoroughly familiar with, to use as a basis for quickly forming word pictures for numbers which are given you to remember. A list of words representing the number 1 to 100 would be of the greatest value to you. These words you would be familiar with and as soon as any number of two digits was mentioned a word-picture of this value would come into your mind. The word-picture you could easily retain in mind, the number you could not.

Take for example the number 1. This is represented by either T or D. For this illustration we select the T. Now in order to make a word which you can visualize you use the vowels or the extra consonants W, H or Y. From these we can make a word for 1.

Let us take the T and the vowels I, E, which have no value, and we have the word TIE, which has the value of 1. Many other words could have been made which would have the same number value as Hut, Hat, Head, Hood, Weed, Wheat, Tea, Toe, Dew, Dye.

SNOW is 2; the S, O and W have no value, leaving the N for 2. HOME is 3; H, O and E have no value, leaving the M for 3. WIRE is 4; W, I and E have no value, leaving the R for 4. WHEEL is 5; W, H, EE have no value, leaving the L for 5. SASH is 6; S, A have no value, leaving the Sh for 6. EGG is 7; E has no value, GG has but one sound and is 7. IVY is 8; I and Y have no value and V is 8. WHIP is 9; W, H and I have no value, leaving P for 9. TOES is 10; O and E have no value and T and S are 1-0.

By the use of the Number Code each of the words selected for the Child's Code List has a number value running consecutively from Tie which is 1 to Daisies, which is 100. Each word stands for its corresponding number always; by sound they are interchangeable with the number at any time for any purpose.

Figure out, by the Number Code, the value of each word of the Code List as given here, in disorganized form, and write it opposite the word.

Tie........ Lair....... Nail....... Veil....... Dime....... Judge...... Roach...... Bomb....... Sash....... Lap........ Movie...... Cook....... Taffy...... Meat....... Mouse...... Beehive.... Lady....... Enemy...... Bath....... Puss....... Jam........ Rower...... Foam....... Home....... Ledge...... Mush....... Glue....... Towel...... Chief...... Knife...... Beach...... Ivy........ Dot........ Robe....... Fife....... Nose....... Horn....... Foot....... Office..... Limb....... Hammer..... Gum........ Town....... Jail....... Hinge...... Pear....... Wheel...... Wolf....... Rock....... Fish....... Duck....... Goose...... Mop........ Coffee..... Toes....... Moon....... Kite....... Papa....... Ocean...... Nero....... Pony....... Snow....... Lily....... Roll....... Fur........ Deer....... Chalk...... Mike....... Cage....... Egg........ Ashes...... Knob....... Book....... Tub........ Nun........ Lasso...... Fob........ Lion....... Army....... Vine....... Net........ Chair...... Mail....... Car........ Wire....... Log........ Ink........ Pail....... Dish....... Ship....... Roof....... Fig........ Whip....... Heart...... Rose....... Cap........ Shed....... Mama....... Cane....... Daisies....

After you have worked out the number value of each of the Code Words, turn back to them on page 80 and check them there, noting how each follows in proper sequence by number value.

The Game of Number Code

After becoming familiar with the values of the number Code, the Game Code, given on page 42, can be very much improved in its complexity, and consequently, in its resulting mental development.

Have the one hundred words on one side of the card and the corresponding numbers from one to one hundred on the reverse side as illustrated. Deal all the cards, have no draw pile. All cards in the hand and in reserve piles on the table are to be with the words up and the numbers down. Start by playing the cards into the middle of the table with the numbers up, beginning with cards which bear numbers ending in 1. The next card is played word up upon the pile; then, if no one calls "Code," turn the card over and if it should be that this card does not bear the following consecutive number the card must be replaced in the player's hand and the player ceases with no penalty. If, when the word is played, some other player, who knows by the number value of the word that it is an error, calls "Code" before the card is turned over, then, if correct, he is entitled to give the player a card from his hand. The game is played and scored as in Code, but has the added value of requiring the players to know the number value of all the words.

The Number Game

This game will assist in learning the number value of the words and the word for each number. Shuffle the cards from the Code Games, have one person hold these cards out of sight of the players. The reader turns all cards with the words up and reads the word on the top card. The first one to tell the proper number value of the word gets the card. In this way go through the entire pack, each person retaining the cards which he obtains by first speaking the number. The one holding the most cards at the end of the game is the reader for the next game.

The same game may be played by reading the numbers and seeing who can first speak the Code Word.

The Game of Solitaire

If you wish to practice alone, take the Code cards and shuffle with the words up, noting the time when you begin. See how quickly you can go through the entire set, naming the numbers for the words. Then reverse the process and name the words for the numbers.

Now try it again and see if you can cut a few seconds off the time. Keep a record of the time required to go each way and strive continuously to reduce it. Keep at this until you can go through the 100 cards in two and a half minutes or less.

Another Game of Solitaire

Take the Code cards and shuffle them thoroughly then arrange them in their consecutive order, beginning with Tie and following with each word in its proper place. For another test start ten rows of cards upon the table, each starting with a Code word ending in one, as Tie, Dot, Net, Meat, Heart, etc. Now follow each card with the next word in its list, placing the cards in their proper lists as you come to them. This will help you to become acquainted with the words in their proper order and to become familiar with them.

The above exercises will increase in interest if you consider them from the number value. Shuffle the set and arrange them in consecutive order, thinking of the number value of the word, but not referring to the number on the back of the card unless forced to do so. The second test will be arranging them in sets of ten, beginning with 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, etc.

Shuffle the cards again and arrange them in the following order, always using the words but figuring their number value for your guide in the arrangement. Arrange them in horizontal lines thus: