Attention an altar and its inscription. They knew that altar. They knew that inscription. At once he had their attention. By a most skilful use of what they knew he led them to How Paul Secured understand what they did not know. The interest they had in what they knew was splendidly carried over into the region of truth which Paul wished them to know. Read the discourse carefully. See how, step by step, he led them from altar and inscription to God, the earth-creator, the life-giver, the brotherhood-builder, the omnipresent, the true God, the Father of the resurrected Christ. How simple his opening words, how skilful his leading to the one thing he always preached, the Christ. In the familiar parable of the sower the Great Teacher begins his discourse with a plain recital of an every-day event familiar How Jesus Secured to his disciples. He leads them by most skilful transition to the Attention race-wide work of his people. When Socrates was an old man, he one day walked the streets of Athens alone. His head was bowed, his body was bent, his step was unsteady, in his hand he carried a massive cane. Under his shaggy eyebrows darted out the keen eye of an observant man. Coming up the street was a young man. He How Socrates Secured Attention walked erect, his head well poised, his step elastic, his bearing worthy the Ephebi group to which he belonged. Socrates saw all this. He was pleased. As the young man came near he stepped aside that the old sage might pass. Quick as a flash the heavy cane of the philosopher seemed to slip and trip the young man. The latter instantly recovered himself, and showed regret that he might in any way have annoyed one so old and so feeble. Suddenly Socrates turned, and, looking the youth full in the face, said: "My son, can you tell me where in this city I may buy bread?" The youth promptly replied, "Sire, up yonder street and two doors to the left." Pleased at the directness and politeness of the youth, Socrates said: "And, my son, can you tell me where in all this city I may buy wisdom?" The youth replied regretfully, "Indeed, sire, I know not." "Then," said the sage, "follow me and learn." That youth was Xenophon, the life-long friend and follower of the great Attic philosopher. Great teachers are these. Note how each grasped the fundamental law of teaching through the interest aroused in his hearers. There is a third type of attention that is worthy Expectant of more than a passing notice. It is usually characterized as expectant attention. The soul seems at times to anticipate what is to occupy the focus of consciousness, to be in a way aware of objects in consciousness before they are really in The soul at times seems to sense facts in advance of their clear definition in consciousness. the focus. Sometimes just an instant before the clock strikes or the bell rings we seem to be aware of the coming experience. The nerves seem to be set to catch a certain sensation, the sensation we desire, and lo! it comes. This expectancy is at times very marked. It is as if we set attention to watch for a certain fact or series of facts before they arise in consciousness. This is then followed by the facts expected arising in the focus of consciousness. Under this aspect of attention one may find a clew to the power of suggestion, of hypnotism, of mind-reading, and perhaps of so-called Christian Science. Of these phenomena we need not now take special notice. We do seem to get a more vivid impression if we set the attention trap in advance to catch the fact when it does enter the focus of consciousness. If we enter the class-room to teach, confidently expecting to succeed, we are thereby predisposed to success. A wise teacher always seeks to prepare Use of Expectant Attention the mind for the best things of the lesson. Tactfully the discussion leads to expectant attention on the part of the pupils, and then the best things are presented. Sometimes a pause, a stress of voice, a kindling eye, a pertinent question, or some kindred action, is enough to arouse in advance the attention of the pupils. Again it may require repeated approach by incident and illustration skilfully presented to accomplish the result. Instinctively a good teacher will endeavor to predispose the soul to receive the best things. When once the teaching process has been carried well along in this manner, it is frequently possible for the pupil to run ahead in thought, and predict for himself the issue of the narrative. Here lies a law of teaching well worth our attention. If we make our narrative so tedious, so full of petty details, so annoyingly full of qualifications, the mind of the pupil in a burst of impatience sweeps all this aside, and demands the next vital step in the series of incidents that lead to the final issue; or, what is worse, the mind of the pupil may become Value of Expectant lost in the maze of detail, and fail utterly to come at last into a clear understanding of the central truth arrived at by the teacher. Hawley Smith, the au Attention thor of "The Evolution of Dodd," once told me the hero of that story attended school one day, and was absent the next. The parents of Dodd sought the reason. Dodd explained that on the first day the teacher taught dog to the class, and that the following day dog was to be reviewed. Dodd said he knew dog already, and he was simply out of school till the teacher on the following day meant to take up the dog; "then," said Dodd, "I am going to go again." The teacher's method did not keep pace with Dodd's unfolding, and hence the difficulty. It is a good teacher who knows how rapidly to move forward to the new things. Too slow is as unwise as too fast. It may be well to note that mere bodily attitude is not a guarantee of attention. Pupils may sit at attention, and yet their attention may be far from the matter in hand. A young woman once thanked me for the close attention I gave to a paper she read at an educational meeting. My eyes were fixed steadily upon her. I was really not attending to the subject-matter of her address, but I was absorbed by an enormous comb stuck loosely in her hair. Every movement of her head threatened to cast the valuable adornment to the rostrum floor. I was absorbed in the fate of her comb and not at all in the subject she discussed. An Illustration |