The most necessary task of civilization is to teach people how to think. It should be the primary purpose of our public schools. The mind of a child is naturally active, it develops through exercise. Give a child plenty of exercise, for body and brain. The trouble with our way of educating is that it does not give elasticity to the mind. It casts the brain into a mold. It insists that the child must accept. It does not encourage original thought or reasoning, and it lays more stress on memory than observation.

I know of over 3,000 ways [that] a light bulb does not work.

Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless.

Having a vision for what you want is not enough...Vision without execution is hallucination

Show me a completely contented person and I'll show you a failure.

It is astonishing what an effort it seems to be for many people to put their brains definitely and systematically to work.

Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.