The first one of five groups of familiar pictures of proper names is
the Geographical group. You meet a stranger by the name of Mr. Lansing,
and the name immediately suggests the city of Lansing, Mich. If you are
familiar with the city of Lansing you can very easily make a visual
picture of this person standing in some particular street or familiar
corner of the city.
It is not necessary, however, to have a personal knowledge of the
geographical location. The picture association of a stranger's face
with the geographical location will be sufficiently strong if you see
him holding the map of Michigan and pointing out the spot where Lansing
is, or any other similar picture which may suggest itself to you.
Use this picture for Mr. Holland. This name immediately suggests
a picturesque country of Europe. See this strange face by a Dutch
windmill and the people in their distinctive costumes grouped around,
see motion in your picture, the windmill turning and the people passing
by.
[Illustration]
A few common geographical names follow:
Mr. Birmingham (Ala.) Mr. Ogden (Utah)
Mr. Billings (Mont.) Mr. Platte (River)
Mr. Davenport (Ia.) Mr. Cleveland (Ohio)
Mr. Lyons (France) Mr. Patterson (N. J.)
Mr. Hudson (River)
In some cases you can make a change in the spelling of the name and in
this way associate it easily with a geographical picture. As:
Mr. Bostrom (Boston, Mass.)
Mr. Knoble (Knoblesville, Ind.)
Mr. Molan (Moline, Ill.)
Mr. Haig (Hague, Holland)
Mr. Jameson (James River)
Mr. Bixby (Bisbee, Ariz.)