190 BULLETIN 0? THE UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN. 



Looking now at some of the regulations in accordance with 

 which one's study should be prosecuted, it may be seen that one 

 of the most important requisites for economy is the concentra- 

 tion of attention upon any given topic for unbroken periods, dif- 

 fering in length with individuals, with age, and with the nature 

 of the subject attended to. Common-sense tells us that one may 

 accomplish more with less effort when he holds his mind to a 

 task than, when it is constantly wandering into by-paths ; and 

 neurology has produced some evidence giving warrant to this 

 view. It has pointed out that there is what one might call divi- 

 sion of labor in the cerebral factory. In one section is carried 

 forward a certain variety of work, in another a different kind ; 

 and so each department has its special duties. r jSTow if one be 

 attending to mathematics, for instance, it is probable that a 

 special department of the brain is particularly active. The 

 memories and the associative functions in that region are aroused 

 and energetic. And the longer one holds his attention to this 

 subject, up to a certain point, the clearer are obscure relations 

 discerned and the more rapidly does thought proceed. In a neu- 

 rological sense this means that the inertia of the brain in a 

 special area is overcome and energy moves along desired lines 

 with less resistance than at the outset. But now let the atten- 

 tion wander unbidden into another field ; it must arouse inactive 

 regions of the brain that for the time being ought to remain dor- 

 mant. This dissipates both time and vital force. 



It must be familiar to every one that solving a problem and 

 learning a poem at the same time is bad economy. So, too, it is 

 a wasteful practice to try to master one's psychology or literature 

 or mathematics while listening to the conversation of a room 

 mate, or while one's mind is idly straying off into neighboring 

 regions of either study or anticipated pleasures. The conserva- 

 tion of mental energy requires that a student should have cer- 

 tain periods when he is wholly uninterrupted and can give his 



1 See Donaldson, op. cit., Chapter on Localization of Function for an exposition 

 of the theory. The literature of the subject is very extensive and any one in- 

 terested might consult Flechsig, op. cit.; Ferrier, Localization of Function. Munk, 

 Horsley, Schafer, Hitzig, Meynert, Brocca, et al., have written much on the 

 subject. 



