Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-02-10
THE UNIVERSITY.
Remarks by President Buckham to the
students Saturday Morning


students Saturday Morning.
One of the students furnishes the fol
lowing as an abstract of the remarks Of
President Buckham to the students of the
university on chapel speaking, and the
Importance of this department of the col
lege course He could not say too much
Of his appreciation of this department
We, like the Athenians, are an oratOrv-
loving people. When we get together we
wish to hear speaking, and we all covet
the ability to speak. TO some this is a
gilt but ordinary men require training
Tor 1t, and any man of fair ability car
learn to speak effectively and apreeahlv
II Is with pity that we see able men in orr
Legislature ana elsewhere, who cannot
stand on their feet and say what they
think. The college training for four years
doeS away with most of this tlmidity. |
urge you TO make the most of this o1nor
tunlty. This is good audience and an.
preeatlve They know when ANYTHING Is
wen sad. Ana now few suggestions a.
to oratiOns.
real GRAFTON takes into account the
law or subject as well as object 1t per
suaueS some to come to decision
n preparing an Grafton you should keen
IN MIND that you are going to speak t.
thlS audience. AS to subjects for orations
we want great variety of themes ANY
| llVlng theme Is a proper one on which 10
| speak TO an audience. As to preparation
there Is right and wrong use of material
III Is lmpractlcable for a student to shnt
! himself up and develop his theme ont of
ms own consciousness, lie has a right to
consult the works and opinions of Others
but when this is done, then he should lay
aside his aids and write his own thouphts
DON'T take the words of another. You
90 not want to start the question as to
Whlch OF the two or three living writers
h rrft
what Is really and honestly yours is bet
ter for this audience. AS TO delivery. one
student Will give an essay from memory
as though he read it from a book. An
other Will deliver it as though it were an
eXtemporaneous speech. The latter way
should be cultivated. Commit the piece
to memory but have care this be done SO
as to have the mastery of it. This ought
to be provided for in the way that the
speech is laid out
A number of figures thrown
together promlscuously will not be
remembered, but when they are put
together with some order and system.
then the memory of them is easy This is
the secret OF delivering piece. Let each
thought prepare the way for the next.
DR., Darling laid out his lectures in this
way; He had lived in Scotland when the
culluleh were Obliged on Sunday evening
10 give an account of the sermon heard
mat day. Consequently the Scottish
ciergymen lad out their sermons so that
the children could remember them. Dr..
Darling did the same with his
lectures. What shall man do with stage
fright There is one suggestion to be
made. 1t Is nothing to be ashamed of.
Ihtre Is nothing unmanly about it. Some
OF the bravest men have it. The thought
that you need not be ashamed of it in part
taxes lt away. Overcome 1t by all act OF
the VIII; Quintilian says that the best kind
OF boldness in an Grafton is diffidence
overcome. Supposing you do come to
a stdndstill on the stage, extern
porlse: You can usually remember the
strand OF your discourse. All public
speakers have to do this. You may know
that you are eXtemporising but it is like
~ that the audience do not. The speaker
should have good attention, but no
student should take the attention of his
audience, unless he himself has done
good work on his piece. Almost without
exception the thoughts and sentiments of
THESE college orations have been worthy
OF students. These orations keep M the
standard of good thought and sentiment.
anu the students are able to do themselves
ana the institution great service in this
way. The presidents remarks were loud.
~ applauded. and, if the private thoughts
OF many had been expressed, they might
nave been, we would gladly resign our
positions on the chapel stage SATURDAY
morning to the president