In chapter XII, in reference to another subject, I stressed the importance of remembering certain facts, statements, or questions in connection with a group of persons. As examples of this contingency in everyday life, let me cite the instance of a speaker who finds it necessary to answer in his finishing remarks, after a debate, statements or questions raised during the discussion. Let me also point to the advantageous position a chairman finds himself in if he can remember the suggestions or desires of the persons attending the convention or meeting—and not only the suggestions themselves, but also the persons who made them.

How highly personality and a good memory are prized is evidenced by General Marshall's interview with the press, which I mentioned in Chapter XII and which was printed in newspapers throughout the United States and England.

If we compare such a feat of memory with the playing-card experiment described in the preceding chapter, we can claim with calm assurance that it is not harder but, rather, easier than the latter. It is easier because no linking thought is necessary, as there is between the playing card and the word in the basic list; and the associations are simpler anyway, for the various questions or remarks are all in the same general field and therefore simpler to connect. Otherwise the method employed is the same, and so there is no reason why you cannot repeat Marshall's feat at your next interview with the press.

To furnish a practical example, let us make these assump- tions: the persons mentioned in the preceding chapter are again gathered together; a lecture entitled "The Art of Public Address" is being delivered to them; and some of those present ask questions and make remarks which they would like to have treated in a comprehensive summary at the end of the lecture. We think it especially important to know, with each reply, the name of the person who asked the question originally. In order to accomplish this feat, proceed as follows:

1. Mr. Black asks: "Is it necessary for me to make an outline before I start working out the address itself?" In order to remember the person who asked the question and the question itself, visualizing an outline written in black ink might suffice.

2. Miss Warter asks: "Should I rely on a manuscript when I deliver a speech?" Association: see a manuscript floating on water (water being a substitute for Warter).

3. Mr. Gold asks how to go about collecting material for a speech. Association: Gold is the most precious material in the world.

4. Miss Adams asks how to make clear the aim and purpose of a speech. Association: Adam, the first man—aim and purpose of mankind.

5. Mr. Singer asks how to limit a speech to the time allotted to it. Association: Every song (song as a substitute for singer) requires a certain length of time.

6. Mr. Tunis asks how to keep an audience from growing restive. Association: Tunis—battle—tension—restive.
 
Following this procedure, any number of questions may be asked by any number of people. When the question period has come to an end and we are to begin with the answers, it is absolutely necessary to take the name of the questioner as the point of departure in order to get on the right path of association, in our accustomed manner, between the person and the question he asked. When we look at Mr. Black, we immediately reconstruct the association Black—black ink—outline. When we look at Miss Warter, water will come to mind, then a manuscript floating on water.

Here, as in all preceding chapters, theory will not turn the trick. It needs training and I can only advise everyone to seize every available opportunity in business and private life to put the theory into practice.

Up to this point we have confined ourselves to remembering questions and associating these questions with the persons who asked them. How to reply to the questions remains to be discussed. Two possibilities present themselves. The simpler one is to answer the questions singly without regard for any relationship among them and, in so doing, reply to the questioners in the order in which they are seated. The more difficult one is to assemble the questions in our minds, before answering, in such a way that the answers themselves constitute a logically arranged speech or story. This, of course, is the goal of every lecturer, chairman, or president of a meeting.

Miss Irene Baker and Mr. Frank Murray were able to answer about thirty questions in coherent and excellent speeches, even before their course was completed. And many others among my students are capable of doing the same.

As an example of how the questions listed above can be answered in an orderly, logical way, I refer you to Chapter XXV of this book, which contains the solution.

Finally, the following is to be noted: In rare individual cases it may be necessary to remember the remarks or questions in the exact order in which they were uttered. I need hardly call attention to the fact that in these cases the basic list of words must be put to use. In the example given above, the following connections should be set up:

(1) tea — outline
(2) Noah — manuscript
(3) May — material
(4) ray — aim and purpose
(5) law — time
(6) Shaw — restive

This method is obviously the more difficult. Yet the need for applying it in everyday life is rather rare.

On the other hand, the method for associating remarks or questions with a speaker or questioner in everyday life is easier than reading about it in this chapter would indicate. The reason is as follows: Since my readers do not themselves know the persons I chose as questioners, I was forced to take their names alone as points of departure. In reality, however, a speaker or chairman of the evening knows many of the assembled group personally, so that the connection need not necessarily be made with the name of the questioner but may be made with his business, traits of character, hobbies, or the like—a procedure which, as I mentioned at the end of the previous chapter, makes the association much easier. But even in dealing with strangers, a connection with the appearance of the questioner, or with the place from which he is asking the question, is considerably easier than a connection with his name.

If you put this experiment into practice and thereby astound an audience, please let me know about your triumphs.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...