Observe the Facial Appearance
The peculiarities of appearance which are easily detected by the physical eye constitute one of the most helpful methods of associating the face and the name together. You will find as you practice that this means is very often available. It is not possible to take advantage of this opportunity, however, unless you are observing. In fact, to the unobserving person there is no peculiarity about the appearance and therefore no aid.
For this purpose it will pay to give considerable attention to the development of the observation. You will find the stranger's appearance more and more helpful to you as you develop your ability to observe keenly the faces of the persons whom you meet. Many people have some distinctive or prominent characteristic which will directly suggest the name, or with which the name may be associated.
Note this peculiarity of the stranger's face, and quickly associate it with the name as you hear it. Use your imagination and strengthen the association as much as possible, enlarge and make more prominent the peculiarity which you have noticed. If you meet a Mr. Cole and his hair is dark, note the fact. See his hair as black as coal, in your picture. Imagine taking a big piece of soft coal and rubbing it over his hair to blacken it. The picture here is for Mr. White; note his snow-white hair and mustache; note these facts carefully, they will suggest the name immediately upon your seeing the face again.
Sometimes you can use the whole face, sometimes only certain peculiarities, a deep wrinkle, a scar, a blemish, etc. Sometimes it will be the general build of the body or the expression of character. Sometimes the similarity will be very noticeable. Other times the decided contrast will be as useful in fixing them in mind.
Color of hair or complexion is often helpful and may be more apparent if you use the idea of changed spelling, or taking the name as it sounds rather than as it is spelled. A few examples follow:
Mr. Short is a small man—short.
Mr. Biggar is short and slender, suggesting that he could be bigger.
Mr. Stout—is very slender.
Mr. Smiley—is stern and cross looking.
Mr. Gray—has gray hair.
Mr. Redman—has rosy, pink cheeks.
Mr. Molar—has a large mole(r).
Mr. Fisher—has deep wrinkles, fissures.
Mr. Baldy—is very bald.
Mr. Reddish—has sandy hair, reddish.
Mr. Remlinger—is bald with a rim of hair lingering.
Mr. Eyer—has bright, keen eyes.
Mr. Cloes—looks close and stingy.