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TODAY

A HIGH SCHOOL MANUAL

BY

FRANCIS CUMMINS LOCKWOOD, PH.D.

DIRECTOR UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

AND

CLARENCE DEWITT THORPE, A. M.

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

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COPYRIGHT, 1921

By BENJ. H. SANBORN & CO.

TO OUR PARENTS

WHOSE CHIEF ELOQUENCE

WAS THE ELOQUENCE

OF KIND THOUGHTS AND LOVING DEEDS

THIS BOOK

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

474807

PREFACE

PUBLIC SPEAKING TODAY is planned as a practical textbook for use in a general year's course in high school public speaking. The authors believe that in public speaking classes there is usually too much talk by the teacher, too much reading about principles of elocution and oratory, too little speaking by the students. They have therefore, above all else, provided an abundance of exercises.

In its special field, this book seeks to show the young student that public speech, if it achieve its true place of honor and usefulness, must be natural, simple, and direct. The authors do not belittle in any measure the noble and thrilling oratory that has come down to us out of the past. Yet, sincere and noble as was the oratory of the past, it is not adapted to our times and ways. The kind of public speaking that men care most for today is plain, strong, earnest talk; like everyday conversation, only more carefully considered, more orderly, more forceful.

The chapter on the spoken drama is included in response to what seems a pressing demand for a simple treatment of the subject that will serve the teacher of dramatics both for reference and as a guide for from six to eight weeks' class work. There could scarcely be a better means for a natural development of the direct conversational manner than practice in the vocal interpretation of the lines of good plays.

The book is intended for use in high schools in the junior or senior year, taking the place of the usual rhetoric or literature, or both. It is not unreasonable to believe that there will be a distinct impetus given to the work in English by thus presenting the subject from a fresh point of view. Composition work there would be a-plenty, but with a new motive-that of addressing a definite audience for a definite purpose. There would also be literature study of the most vital type—that included in the field of living oratory and the spoken drama—which would open new fields of thought and feeling for the pupil.

Public speaking courses of today should train for expression on such occasions as ordinarily confront the average educated man or woman. One of the most sincere advocates of public speaking we know is the dean of the engineering college in one of our state universities. He insists that successful engineers must know how to talk in public if they

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