Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-04
MAKING ORATORS.
4 Professor Discourses the Art o<
Public speaking.
N Y Sun1


In an uptown street there is a small and
unpretentious brick house, the front door
% which is ornamenfed with tin sign that
informs the public that the man within
teaches elocutio1, oratory AMI public
speaking 70 youths OF all ages and both
sexes The Professor, who was found
standing in the middle of the rear parlor,
wore a frock coat, held in place around the
waist by a single button. The rest of the
coat was unbuttOned and allowed 10 bulge
out the chest IN the conventional style of
public speakers. His trousers were very
baggy at the knees, and he wore pair of
carpet slippers quite run down at the heel
He had towering brow. of which the
hair was brushed back briskly. From the
waist 1p be looked ike public man.
'.Oratory," he said, sitting very straight
on the edge OF a chair and waving his hand
eloquently. lis not, as many people sup
pose, natural gift; it is acquired. OF
course, there are certain natural gifts, such
as physiquer-here he swellel his chest
gently, but firnly-s'voice"-a deep intOn-
alton here-~and a sort OF what YOU might
call grace" Here the Professor waved
both hands and burst into dazzling smile.
His voice rose and fell after the habit of
p OCCASIONAL eiocGtionists. and each word
was uttered with the utmost distinctness.
The room was sparsely furnished, and the
ingram carpet was worn 20 the color Of
damp straw ia the middle OF the room-
The Professor apparently looked upon this
spot a sort Of forum, and whenever he
had particularly important sentence, or
st least which % him was very important,
he stepped. from force OF habit, ON the
threadbare spot in the room and assumed
an attitud>
II suppose the majority Of your pupils
expect - 90 on the stages'
II believe that il the i-dea-ah which
sctuates most u them: but 20 be perfectly
frank. do not think that elocution. as it Is
taught BY myself and men Of my standing,
= II any particular use 70 people propos-
ing T. enter the profess on IL gives them
a clear aud distinct utterance, il il true,
but il tends % make their speech artificial
and unnatural. ! suppose everybody win
agree that an actor is at his best when he
F Is perfectly natural. and IL j. not true that
people generally speak in a natural man
ner trust added the Professor. "thas
F you'll overlook the too often use Of the
word natural Il "a the only word which
exactly expresses my meaning
T "Hsve you many pupils who train for
E political speskersf-
Nearly al young men who come here
have the i-dea-ah of public speaking in
view when thev begin 70 study. I have
several pupils who belong g. debating So
cietieS IN The Cooper Union and eisewh ere.
and they devote special attention % what
nav he called original orstory. The trails
ug for q - very simple. The majority Of
men. OF At least many men. can talk well
wish enc another. bus ss soon ss they get
,n their Feet before an audience. or are
Shhged 20 speak in an unusually loud tone.
hey become embarrassed. ami n8nrter their
words Therefore I teach a man q cuiti-
vate tun distinct icps-conversstional
and public voice. For this purpose I
generally have one Il my pupils resd aloud
Tor haH an hour at the beginning Of his
iesSen every day IN a slow, deliberate ami
rerfectl distinct voice. one that ceud 81
searsl RI a large hall The eject II thfs
AZ irst r. - make sbe punt slightly hoarse.
ent he saon becomes accustomed - Il.
After re residing. I sdoVt fhe method Of
.onversiax vita him IN the same ssue II
raice 20 few minutes. sns Their be Tses
1rpr one ~ The celebrated crations u
Shakespeare ~ the classics IN tha course
~ a fsv nonths he sftains wat i af prins~
.rircrtance IN putlic speaSinE- DIST Hct
ieiivery. ~ eosrse canf give Ann i-siea-
shs. astend ssltfed she professor with
modest ar. 80 whsf I may ter1n sbe
suess,fe sersiisnces - greatness. can
make a. ,rafer. ~ far ss Voice sn3 manner
are csacerae4 icave sbe rest = ne uass
hisnseif~