There are two kinds of Serial Facts.
(1) One is where names or facts are stated in a certain order, as in
alphabetical order, for instance, and yet a different order could be
given. Lists of exceptions in Grammar are usually stated in the
alphabetical order, yet if the component parts or words of the list are
remembered, the alphabetical order is of no consequence. One teacher has
re-arranged Series in Foreign Grammars in such a manner that he finds a
natural suggestiveness between the words. No doubt such a re-arrangement
can be made, but I question whether his doing it for another would help
the latter much. For the pupil to benefit, he should re-adjust the
Series for himself. My Pupils, when trained in Analysis and Synthesis,
have no difficulty in correlating the Series just as they may find it.
No time is spent in trying to discover relations that may not exist. At
best, when found, they will be weak; but, by correlating the series
together, my Pupils make a strong and vivid relation between all of the
words of a Series to be memorised, and at the same time exercise
attention in both its functions, and increase appreciation of In., Ex.,
and Con.
1. How many kinds of Serial facts are there?
2. What are the characteristics of the first kind?
3. Is it advisable for the pupil to re-adjust Series in Foreign
Grammars?
Suppose we wish to memorise the 11 prepositions which form part of
certain Latin verbs which are followed by the dative, to wit:--_Ad._,
_Ante._, _Con._, _In._, _Inter._, _Ob._, _Post._, _Pre._, _Pro._,
_Sub._, and _Super_. This Series is usually learned by _endless
repetition_, as a succession of sounds to the ear, or sight to the eye,
by mere _rote_. What a waste of time to attempt to re-arrange it in
order to learn it more easily. Yet such a Series can be learned by
correlating the words together in a very short time, thus:--
_Ad_ ... addition ... front addition ... _ante_-room....
_Ante_ ... antecedent ... _con_sequent....
_Con_ ... converse ... _in_verse....
_In_ ...
_Inter_ ... interject ... _ob_ject....
_Ob_ ... obligation ... _post_poned obligation....
_Post_ ... post-office ... _pre_payments....
_Pre_ ... predilection ... _pro_pensity....
_Pro_ ... produce ... soil products ... _sub_soil....
_Sub_ ... subordinate actor ... _Super_.
And, similarly, we can deal with any Series in =Grammar=, or elsewhere.
1. Do my pupils ever find any difficulty in correlating the series
as they may find it?
2. What training must they have in order to do so?
3. Is any time misspent in trying to discover a non-existing
relation?
4. What are the eleven Latin prepositions here given?
5. How are they usually learned?
6. Is time gained thereby?
(2) The other kind of Series is where the words, facts, or things _must_
be memorised as given. The seven primary colours are given as they occur
in nature, thus:--Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red. The
unconscionable word VIBGYOR has been given as a means, through the
initial letters of the colour words, to enable us to remember those
words, and ROYGBIV to enable us to remember the Series backwards. To
such a pass are educators driven when they lack my Universal Method of
cementing Extremes. We know the Series both ways if we Correlate the
words, thus:
_Violet_ ... let go ...
_Indigo_ ... indigestion ... "blues" ...
_Blue_ ... blue sea ... sea green ...
_Green_ ... green corn ... ripe corn ...
_Yellow_ ... yellow fruit ...
_Orange_ ... orangemen ... fights ... blood split ... blood-red ...
_Red_.