Project. Out of your own knowledge and experience, develop and deliver an ethical speech with a title which is specific and personal, not a title which suggests a moral quality. You will have a lesson to impart; but let your devices be subtle, suggestive, indirect; yet you are frankly trying to influence behavior for the better. Invoke personality pictures of one or more of these persons: Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Edwin Booth, Florence Nightingale, Walt Whitman, Robert E. Lee, Theodore Roosevelt, Leonard Wood, Woodrow Wilson.

Chapter XIV

OCCASIONAL SPEECHES

A.-INFORMAL EFFORTS

1. "Although You Find Me Totally Unprepared . . ." The ideal speech for the man who is really totally unprepared is: "Since you find me totally unprepared, my message is to wish you well, to hope for another invitation a few days or hours in advance, and to look forward to the happy occasion when I shall have something important to discuss with you."

An impromptu talk is one delivered after very short notice. If the talk is to be delivered, the speaker must have some background of preparation although he has not expected to be called upon that day. Every man or woman in college should always know at least one subject thoroughly. By the time he has become a sophomore he has begun to concentrate upon his favorite academic course, although he may not be obliged to "choose his major" until the end of his second college year. He should have some original ideas about what he considers the most worthwhile study or activity on the campus. If it is at all possible that he might be called upon for a speech at short notice, he will save himself embarrassment and provide for a successful effort if he prepares a short talk in advance, ready to be used at any time. Perhaps he may consider it an advantage to be ready to speak on some non-collegiate subject, one with which his college associates probably are not familiar.

Although it may seem to him to be an artificial thing to do, he might have a few appropriate anecdotes ready

to use. It is true that there are a few which will serve on almost any occasion; although audiences are weary of listening to stories about why the speaker feels so ill at ease and out of place making a speech. Pat and Mike, and the Two Old Maids in the Parlor Car have done their duty; their day has passed.

Merely to save the speaker confusion, he might have all ready for any time a prepared title for his talk, a memorized conclusion, and a set introduction which he can adapt at short notice to the particular audience before him. Such talks are seldom noteworthy and significant, unless the speaker is suddenly moved by something stimulating which has just happened, to criticize pleasantly what a previous speaker has just said, to add something important to the discussion, or to analyze the situation in the light of special knowledge.

If the occasion is decidedly informal, it is much better for the impromptu speaker to begin to speak with very few formalities, give his important message briefly and sincerely, then sit down while the effect of his contribution is still motivating his audience.

Project. Most college persons eat their meals in company with their friends, their peers. In order to introduce an innovation, suppose you suddenly propose that supper tonight be followed by a short symposium. Each person at the table might be allowed not more than three minutes and not less than one minute to say something under semi-formal conditions about a matter which interests you all: "The Fourth Quarter of Today's Game", "The Rising Cost of Living", "What Has Happend To The Last Lost Transatlantic Fliers", "The Suppression of Sophomore Rules For Freshmen"

2. "Unaccustomed As I Am To Public Speaking . . ."

Extemporaneous discourse implies that some time has

been allowed for preparation. Under such circumstances, which should be understood by the audience, excessive modesty and apologies by speakers are unwarranted. If a future speaker has one night during which to become ready, or even an hour, he has time enough to prepare to speak well on a subject which is part of his life and which he should be able to make interesting for his audience.

A good procedure for such preparation is to decide first of all what your main purpose is in making the speech, and what result you are going to attain. Are you going to entertain, merely to amuse your hearers, to instruct them, to inspire them, to explain a peculiar situation or process, to plead with them, to change their minds radically, to cause overt action on their part? There may be more than one motive, but just one will predominate. Then decide what is the burden of your song, your particular message, your special contribution which makes your effort different from all others'. That will be your conclusion. Now list everything you know on the subject: facts, persons involved, authorities, objections, illustrations, typical applications, quotations, slogans, apt phrases Arrange these scattered bits of information and elaboration into a working outline. Rearrange it, after you have eliminated irrelevant material. Reorganize a much simpler outline, featuring two, three, or four main considerations. Practice your speech from the last two outlines. You might do all of this within an hour.

Project. Suggest at breakfast to your clubmates or other table companions that it would be good fun and good experience to have an informal open forum meeting after supper to discuss the leading article on the front pages of the morning newspaper. The afternoon and evening editions will probably include the later news on the subject. Make it obligatory that each person present will speak five minutes, perhaps on some special phase of

the situation. There should be opportunity for each person to defend his views later during the meeting. Yours might be the assignment of making the first address, to explain the generally understood facts of the case.

B. CAREFULLY PREPARED ADDRESSES The Experience Of A Lifetime Is The Basic Preparation. The processes involved in the adequate preparation of a formal address include: years of experience and acquaintance with the subject, extensive and intensive research, the filing of all related data, the systematic arrangement of the files, the preliminary listing of factors which may be involved with the speech, constructing a working outline, reconstructing the outline, writing the conclusion and the introduction and especially important paragraphs, making the first draft of the manuscript, revising the manuscript, listing and revising and relisting your speaker's notes, learning the speech from manuscript and notes, practicing the speech from manuscript and more and more simplified notes.

The carefully prepared address should be more distinguished than informal speeches in authoritativeness and literary quality. It should bear evidence of more careful preparation. It will probably be more purposeful and convincing. There is a danger that the speaker may have become overtrained with it, so that his delivery lacks the qualities of spontaneous enthusiasm which often characterize good impromptu or extemporaneous talks. Try to retain those qualities in your carefully prepared addresses.

Project. Carefully prepare a five minute address to be delivered at the next weekly or monthly or annual session of your social club, or literary society, or college organization (such as the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., the Dramatic Club, the Student Government organization, Scabbard and Blade, your Interfraternity Council. . . ..)