As in the Pelm--(I had very nearly written it)
system, he made great use of memoria technica, and always taught
us to link one idea with another. At the age of ten I got puzzled
over Marlborough's campaigns. "'Brom,' my boy, remember 'Brom,'"
said Mr. Chittenden. "That will give you Marlborough's victories
in their proper sequence--Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde,
Malplaquet, 'Brom'"; and "Brom" I have remembered from that day to
this.
Though it is now many years since Mr. Chittenden passed away, I
must pay this belated tribute to the memory of a very skilful
teacher, and an exceedingly kind friend, to whom I owe an immense
debt of gratitude.
My own experiences as a pedagogue are limited. During the War, I
was asked to give some lessons in elementary history and
rudimentary French to convalescent soldiers in a big hospital. No
one ever had a more cheery and good-tempered lot of pupils than I
had in my blue-clad, red-tied disciples. For remembering the order
of the Kings of England, we used Mr. Chittenden's jingle,
beginning:
"Billy, Billy, Harry, Ste,
Harry, Dick, Jack, Harry Three.
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