he practical consequences of this factor in teaching are, of course,
evident. Both teachers and parents should take great care in the matter
of the first experiences of children. If the idea-connections of first
experiences are likely to persist, then these connections should be
desirable ones. They should not be useless connections, nor should they,
ordinarily, be connections that will have to be radically undone later.
Usually it is not economical to build up connections between ideas that
will not serve permanently, except in cases in which the immaturity of
the mind makes such a procedure necessary.

=Recency of Experience.= The most recent connection of ideas is relatively
strong, and is often the determining one. But the most recent connection
must be very recent or it has no especial value. If I have seen a
certain friend to-day, and his name is brought to mind now, to-day's
experience with him will likely be brought to mind _first_. But if my
last seeing him was some days or months ago, the idea-connection of the
last meeting has no great value. Of course, circumstances always alter
the matter. Perhaps we should say in the last instance that, other
things being equal, the last experience has no special value. If the
last experience was an unusual one, such as a death or a marriage, then
it has a value due to its vividness and intensity and its emotional
aspects. These factors not only add strength to the connections made at
the time but are the cause of frequent revivals of this last experience
in memory in the succeeding days. All these factors taken together often
give a last experience great associative strength, even though the last
experience is not recent.

=Frequency of Experience.= The most frequent connection of ideas is
probably the most important factor of all in determining future
associations. The first connection is but one, and the last connection
is but one, while repeated connections may be many in number.
Connections which recur frequently usually overcome all other
connections. Hence frequency is the dominant factor in association. Most
of the strength of first connections is due to repetitions in memory
later. The first experience passes through the mind again and again as
memory, and thereby becomes strengthened. The fact that repetition of
connections establishes these connections is, of course, the
justification of drill and review in school studies. The practical needs
of life demand tha