THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND EMPLOYED IN NEW SUBJECTS. Every problem in the schoolroom with which the educators are tussling in the sense or conscious mind of the child will be more easily reached by a recognition of the inner instrument, the subconscious mind. It is a great builder and ideals given it through the imagination become the models from which it builds the physical entity. Therefore, to make use of this law will insure good structures with methods lacking the stress and strain of sense accomplishment. Employing it in the presentation of new subjects the grasp becomes easy and thorough. If, for example, the subject of square root is about to be presented to an arithmetic class, there would probably be a certain number in the class who would readily understand the explanation of the teacher, work the problems without trouble and declare it fun. Again, probably these pupils have inherited a mathe matical tendency. All inheritance is in the subconsciousness, and in these particular pupils the mathematical tendency is one of the strongest, lying near the surface and readily accessible to expression. But there is also contained in the subconsciousness the memory of the race, of the world, and in every child, through the unity of the spirit, there is an acquaintance with all the things the race has lived. So in every child there lies the race knowledge of square root, and this may be brought into personal experience more readily by awakening the subconsciousness. This awakening may be accomplished by a talk in the class one day or several days previous to its introduction and by positive suggestions by the teacher, pointing out that within each mind already lie the principles of square root and that it will be a pleasure to build it up in the conscious mind. The faculty of imagination should be used strongly and each pupil should picture himself solving the problems readily. Thus the subconscious which works in the silence will be awakened in the realm of this particular subject, and when later it is presented to the conscious mind, the ease in grasping the subject will be remarkably greater than if the subconscious was not alert in the matter and seeking to build this knowledge in the conscious mind. PHYSICAL ATTAINMENTS. This law is also true in the attainment of physical perfection, for the subconscious mind is the builder of the body. In manual training, where the hand is to become apt in the handing of new tools, in the gymnasium, where new postures are assumed, greater facility may be realized by instructing the pupils first to form in his mind the picture of the correct position and of himself assuming this position. Let the pupils carry the picture as deep as is his ability to convey it and the real action will find ready expression in the body. ORIGINALITY. There is no problem too difficult for the subconscious mind to solve, and it is from this source that all originality issues. Every original thinker makes use of this realm of his mind, whether consciously or unconsciously. If the pupil is taught to appeal to this source for ideas in design work or where thoughts of his own are demanded, he will experience the joys of fruition in receiving from the inner mind the combination desired to fulfill his production. And even if the original thoughts or designs which the limited mentality of the pupil expresses are valueless to the world, he will at least be started on the way to achieve that conformity to law which must be followed before he can produce an idea of value. MEMORY. The art of memory becomes one of the easiest acquirements when approached from the reservoir of all memory, the subconscious, and the teacher and the child are thus relieved from the strain and nagging of forgetfulness. All conscious mentation and impressions of depth are remembered forever in the subconscious portion of the mind. It is only the conscious mind which forgets. An acquaintance between the two and a familiarity in giving the subconscious directions and in return receiving from it, solves the memory problem entirely. The teacher may assist by positive suggestions, which the subconsciousness of the pupil receives, that a certain fact is to be remembered and that it is to be recalled whenever the will desires it. BAD HABITS. For the healing of the irregular child, the child who is distinct from the class through some undesirable trait, the reaching of the subconsciousness is an absolute necessity. The continuance of action known by psychologists as habit has its cause beneath the conscious mind. Sometimes this is an inherited tendency in the child which had its beginnings beyond a first conscious action. To eradicate this the subconscious mind must be cleansed by denial and then refilled by suggestion. The subconscious mind may be likened to a garden plot in which the unhappy traits are the weeds, and in the pulling of the weeds there must be a skill which does not scatter the seeds, thus making a greater profusion of weeds. Constant denials emphasizing the fault will increase the fault, as the denial itself becomes a suggestion. The garden plot once freed from weeds must be planted with good seeds, good thoughts, that a harvest may be reaped. Sometimes, if the plants are hardy and luxuriant, their nurture will overgrow the weeds, which die from lack of nourishment. This is overcoming evil with good. But in all cases the roots of the undesirable habits lie in the subconscious realm, and any amount of scolding or praise, punishing or coaxing will not change conditions if these are directed to and reach only the conscious mind. For deficient children the awakening of the subconscious mind into action in the lines of efficiency will prove a great blessing. This may be done, as in the presentation of a new subject, with greater concentration on the quality to be aroused. All qualities exist potentially in every individualization of mind, requiring only the skillful touch to bring them out. REALIZING IDEALS. For the ambitious child, the brilliant child, his introduction to the wonders of the subconscious realm is opening the road to ful filment. By a familiarity with the use of the whole mentality the bright child is taught how to realize the ideals which are urging him to expression. He learns how to use them, how to use the obedient tool of his mind, and by experience knows that what he plants in the garden of the subconscious comes to fruition. In this way he is given assurance that his ideals are capable of realization and his star of faith is kept beaming. PERMANENCY. Metaphysicians recognize that all help to be permanent must be laid in a foundation deeper even than the subconscious, which is the portion of the human entity touching the Universal Mind and called by them the superconscious. This is the innermost mind, the spirit or soul of the inner or subconscious mind. The positive suggestion of the instructor may transform the child's life only so long as a stronger one does not rout it. Permanent transformation comes only from the awakening of the superconscious which will continue to radiate its beneficence through the subconscious. But as the subconscious mind is a tool, a servant, its laws should be understood and applied. It is one of the parts of the body temple and as such must receive recognition that the temple may be wholly light. In the evolution of thought that which is outer is first understood and applied. The outer mind has been carefully studied and trained; the inner or subconscious is at the threshold of the domain of education, and its training is the next step. T Poe and Hawthorne As Writers of the Short Story HE most artistic form of prose literature is the modern short story. It deals with a single event or a closely connected series of events, having to do with a very few characters. Each element in it contributes to the climax, or end, that is determined by the beginning. It consists of narrative, characterization, and setting, any one of which may be emphasized more than the other two. Its dominant characteristic is simplicity. The effectiveness of the short story was discovered, for Americans at least, by Washington Irving. In three of his works, "The Sketch Book," "The Tales of a Traveller," and "The Alhambra," he proved himself the first American master of the short tale. Since his time this form of literary art, with minor variations, has been a favorite among American prose writers. None, however, have developed it more perfectly than Irving's immediate successors, Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. In a consideration of these two writers of tales we find some points of comparison, but contrast predominates. A study of their subject-matter must include a study of the influence of their inheritance and early environment, the scope of their themes, and their treatment of charatcer, the supernatural and the symbolic, while an analysis of their style serves to bring out their artistic devices and their perfection in technique. In so far as we understand the materials they used and the elements of their style are we able to discuss Poe and Hawthorne as writers of the short story or tale. The author of a certain text book on American literature introduces his biographical sketch of Poe thus: "It is difficult to form a just and satisfactory estimate of Edgar Allan Poe." Of Haw |