The Importance of Memory

The study of memory has fascinated me for many years, for it varies from person to person. It seems to be basically a selective trait in numerous people, perhaps much to their detriment. Memorization in elementary school has proved over and over again to be a good exercise, and I had plenty of that. Not just the multiplication table in math, and the rudiments of grammar, but also facts in geography. I recall learning the boundaries of countries with such wording as, “On the east, Asia,” in giving the boundaries of Europe. And I remember, “The most important weapon in Australia is the booomerang.” I wonder if boomerangs still exist today. I must ask one of my sons, who’s headed there in a few days.

But the memory item I want to mention here is one sentence from my geography book in fifth grade. On the first page of chapter one was a tiny photograph right in the center, surrounded by two columns of text. The picture showed laborers in a field. In the left column, a little south of the picture was a sentence in italics. I can see it now. Geography is the study of the earth and of the way men work and live. We were told to memorize that. Big deal! Read it once and you have memorized it.

Many years later, when I met with a group organizing a private high school in my town, we got onto subject matter and for some reason I quoted this definition of geography. The chairman of the session thought it worthy of remembering, and asked me to mail her a copy of it! I did, but I wondered why she thought she couldn’t remember it.

My father had a remarkable memory (but he wasn’t a good speller though a genius at math). I have a good memory and all of my children and some of my grandchildren have remarkable memories too. But I don’t cloud my brain with the dates of people’s birthdays, graduations, weddings, and deaths. Those dates, if one wishes them, can be preserved somewhere else for reference. But for intelligent conversation, one needs to know some dates, places, and events of history, including today’s history. By many indications, current high school graduates lack this ability, a sad mark against us. Innovation isn’t always a good thing. We need to embrace the proofs of past learning techniques to move ahead.

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