Thus facts that are well known lead to new ideas. No matter what we
hear or read, or what topic is given to us to ponder, thoughts
additional to those directly presented are likely to be reached by
reference to past related experience. That one should look to past
experience as an almost unlimited source of new thought is one of the
most important truths for any person to bear in mind who is
endeavoring to learn to think.

_(2) The common neglect of experience._

It is very common, however, for persons who are rich in experience
touching some subject that they are studying to fail almost entirely
to use it. This was once well illustrated by about twenty young women
who were specializing in domestic science. At their own suggestion,
they prepared written plans for teaching how to bake sweet potatoes;
the writer was to correct these and discuss them with the class. But
after carefully examining all the papers and finding remarkably few
facts included, he asked the class what was really necessary, after
all, in the baking of sweet potatoes, beyond putting them, clean, into
a hot oven and taking them out when done. He requested them to
enumerate the facts that really needed to be taught. After perhaps two
minutes of meditation they sheepishly admitted that there was really
very little to present on the topic, and that they had carefully
written out plans only because "plans" were expected, and they wanted
some practice.

Since it was subject-matter, rather than method, that was needed, the
discussion was then directed to the facts involved in baking the
potatoes. A dispute soon arose when one remarked, "You should never