The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-09-06
ORATORICAL STYLES
A Catalog of Varieties to Suit All Asprants for
OratoriCal Honors
Bu
by Ham


Style No. 3 appeals to only a linn.
tied audience is because people pay
real money to hear it. 1t must al.
ways be remembered that style
No. is strictly ''high-brow." 1t
is also recommended that orators
using this difficult plan should care
fully diet themselves before ex-
posure to the audience. A hungry
look emphasizes the fact that you
have burnt the midnight oil. Be-
sides, it arouses a feeling of COM
miseration in the breasts of your
audience. This often restrains
them from demanding return of
the price of admission.
For small, timid orators we can
safely recommend "The ambiguous,
paradoxical style" (No, 81. There
is but one point to be watched in
order to establish success with this
style. 1t is this; whenever you
make positive statement, at once
nullify the effect by using a mega
tive phrase. But it is even better
to make no positive statements at
all. Surround your figures of
speech with vagueness; make your
remarks as aimless as possible; use
lots of paradoxes; leave every
question open and, above all, dis
associate your ideas. On the whole,
it is still safer not to have ideas.
Approach your subject with in
finite care not to divulge the secret
of your presence and you will
achieve success. The fact that
you have selected this style of ora
tory is proof conclusive that you
will not disgrace it's traditions.
One of our most popular styles
is NJ. 6. ''The rhapsodical, OF
''everything's fine'' variety. 1t
goes without saying that this style
should be used by large men, pre-
ferably in expensive clothing. The
idea of the expensive clothing is
subtle. 1t has a psychological ef-
feet upon an audience inasmuch as
it radiates prosperity. The "radia-
ton" of the audience is of no i'm.
portance. The orator is in control
of the situation. He must be
fruitful of excuses and explana-
tions. A working knowledge OF
social and financial economics is
invaluable. If not armed with an
array of figures the orator may
find himself helpless if his conten-
ton that Everything is lovely
be opposed. With the figures and
data mentioned he is in a position
to blame anything or everything
on economic conditions which
are temporary" The audience
won't be able to refute your state.
ments, so that you may feel quite
safe in using a large amount OF
elaboration.
We never recommend the use OF
The Humorous, or Innocuous'
speech, (Style No. L until we are
convinced that the student really
possesses some degree of humor
Mark Twain's humorous stories
are easy to read but it by no means
follows that you can write with the
same merit. Unless you possess
natural talent for this course it will
be quite useless to apply for it
You can test the quality of youl
sense of humor by falling from tht
roof of five-story building. Up.
on being asked the usual question
did you hurt yourself!" hav,
some friend handy who will record
your reply. A signed affidavit t.
the effect that you replied, mo
Pm going up again and jump off,
the while laughing boisterously
will entitle you to the course al
soon as you are discharged from
the hospital; provided of course
you are not transferred to a luna
tic asylum.
Style No. 9, which we call ''Th,