The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1921-03-25
EDITORIALS
HAVE YOU ANY IMAGINATION E?

One Of the most successful and
wealthy business men in Trenton once
said; Imagination is one of the
greatest assets in business"
To be able to put yourself in the
other fellows place is the work of
the imagination. If you can put your
self in the other fellows place, you
can understand how to approach him.
You can be able to meet his argu-
ment on a business proposition, and
thereby win your point.
We are coming to realize that the
imagination is not limited to the ar
fist and the writer and the actor. 1t
is AN ASSET IN BUSINESS!
1t is the imagination that leads
the merchant to visualize the de
mands of his trade, and to supply
those demands. 1t is imagination that
enables a man to start in business at
all. He must first visualize what he
is going to do for himself and those
with whom he does business.
The architect who designs a build
ing must see that building in his
minds eye. He must have imaginat-
ion to show him how his finished
structure will look. The designer of
an automobile must first have an
idea how his finished car will look be-
fore it is ever finished. He imagines
it completed he can see it spinning
along the road. The mechanical en-
gineer who builds a machine must
first be able to see that machine in
his imagination before he can COM
plete it. Always the details must be
worked out, but the essential image
must proceed the finished job.
A famous French actor said in his
memoirs that he began to be an ac-
tor in his fathers bake shop. He
placed a mirror on the wall above
the table on which he kneaded his
dough He occupied himself by max
ing faces into it. As people came and
went in the shop he studied them and
tried to imagine what thoughts were
passing in their minds. He would i'm
agine they thought certain things,
and then thinking with concentration
he would try to reproduce their eX
pressions of face When he finally
stirred all France by his masterful
acting it was because he had such a
vivid imagination that he could place
himself in another's place and repro
duce their character.
Use your imagination. Cultivate
more of it. Encourage your children
to develop it. 1t is deplorable that
many parents rebuke and punish their
children for make belief" 1t is one
of the natural attributes of the child
in development.
Johnny came running breathlessly
to his mother one day. 30 mother
he said, "There's a great big lion out
in the street," The mother went to
the window and saw a big Newfound-
land dog. Turning to Johnny, she
scolded him severely. Feeling sorry
for him when he appeared so downcast
she decided not to punish him, but
to send him upstairs to get down on
his knees and ask God to forgive him.
When Johnny returned she asked if
God forgave him, and what did he
say. Johnny replied: "He said oh
that's all right. | thought it was
lion too when l first it,
Encourage your children to de
develop this talent. 1t will help them
in after life. And it is a source of
pleasure to them now. They will give
you much to amuse you in their make
belief"
In the meantime, use your own
imagination When you talk with a
man or woman it will be interesting
to try and think what they are going
to say next. 1t will enable you to
"get line" on things You will prof
it by it.