In every decision of life we depend largely upon our observation; upon the things we see. A keen observation is of great help to the salesman in finding a point of contact with the prospective buyer. When he enters the man's office his eyes are keen and alert. He sees the golf bag or tennis racquet in the corner, or a book on the man's desk, the title of which he can read at a glance. These things reveal to him the things in which this man is interested. If all faces look alike to you you will of course call them all by the same name. Your friends are all different in their appearance. It is your observation which detects this difference. You may have thought that Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith look very much alike, but when you see the two side by side you are surprised that you ever thought they resembled each other. Such cases are not at all rare, and show that the observation has not been as keen and accurate as it should have been. The Neglected Faculty Observation can be improved easily and quickly. This is one of the faculties which is used so habitually that we have overlooked its importance and almost entirely neglected its improvement. The following pages will give some tests by which you can determine the child's power of observation and which will convince you of the need of its development, and also suggest some simple games by means of which you and your children can improve this important mental faculty. It is a great aid to observation to have the ability to place upon the brain a physical eye picture which is so clear and distinct that later, when you reproduce the picture in the mind's eye, you still see the details accurately. To develop this power of visualization will help to develop the ability to observe. The exercises in the development of observation which follow will also improve the visual power of the mind's eye. Method of Developing Observation The story is told how the French magician Houdin trained the observation of his son. They would go down the street together and stop in front of a shop window. The father and son would both take a good look at the contents of the window, and then walk on a little farther and stop and write on a pad all the objects they could recall. Then they would go back to the window and compare the lists, and go on to a second window and do the same thing. This exercise was followed until the boy had developed an unusual ability to remember what he saw.