Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26
WOMEN AS ORATORS,
1t Is Chiefly Their Lack of Voice That
Handicaps Their Success

1t is Chiefly Their Lack of Voice That
Handicaps Their Success.
From the indianapolis Journal.
1t is not everybody who has yet grown up to
the idea that the female orator is an essential
part of the social fabric, and yet we have her
suddenly with us and taking the prizes away
from the sex that has hitherto enjoyed a
practical monopoly of the ora torical arts and
graces 1t is not worth while to question the
propriety of woman's appearance on the plat
form. As matter of fact, she appeared there
some time ago, but as p speaker, hardly as an
orator in the proper sense. 1t has been several
years now since the sight Of woman as a pub
lie speaker created oven a ripple Of emo
ton. She has been presiding over and
addressing temperance meetings and club
gatherings, she has lectured TO public
assemblies, abe has made political stump
speeches, she has even preached sermOns--all
without arousing excitement or serious oppo-
sition. The fact is, women have arrived
and the people who are slow to adjust them
selves to the situation are at disadvantage
1t matters not whether public speaking is in
their sphere, women are making public
speeches when occasion seems to call for
them. CONTEMPORARIES and traditions,
authorities and prejudices, are all knocked
in the head. to be sure. Even ST. Paul is
discredited but the women go serenely on
and i: must be acknowledged that no serious
calamity has yet resulted. If they want to
talk out In meeting they will talk and it
profits no man to say them nay. On the
contrary, there are several reasons Why they
should be encouraged to excel.
Ii women will address her fellow-citizens
from the stage or the stump it is better that
she should do 1t acceptably Even the most
ardent friends of advanced woman, those who
have kept her in sight in her rapid progress
toward transcription. are obliged to confess
to a frequen. wish that she wouldn't when she
essays TO electrify the multitude. She may be
earnest and eloquent, she may be witty and
wise. but a rule she cannot speak. Her
voice gets away from her; she is alternately
shrill and husky; she shrieks when she would
be emphatic she whispers hoarsely when she
would persuade. Sensitive and sympathetic
members of the audience incline to crawl
under the benches She has, in short. voice
that swas .sained by ancestry and early en-
vironments to domestic uses, and has
not grown to the requirements OF a
hall. Henceforth this will be different. Col
leges recognize this lack and are prepared
to remedy it. If any female students show
oratorical talent or are ambitious to become
spellbinders opportunity shall be offered them
The woman OF the future and of the near
future, who speaks in public on the stage may
If she likes. be the Daniel Webster, the Henry
Ward Beecher or the Chauncey NJ. Depew OF
her sex. Whether the young woman who so
proudly bore the oratorlcal pennou from the
male contestants Of other Indiana colleges on
Friday night will choose to follow up her vic
tory is not yet known, but If she does she will
undoubtedly win renown. The public will
wish her to come give US taste Of (her) quail
ity"