Table Of ContentAN ADVANCED HIGH SCHOOL
SPEECH COURSE
A Project
Presented, to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
John J. Grady, Jr.
January 1950
UMI Number: EP46335
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate's adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
JU*,
. S.U, /fjro......
Date
Adviser
Dean
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PART I. PREPARATION
HOW TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR YOUR TALKS
1. PRODUCTION: HOW TO WRITE YOUR TALK............. 2
A. WHAT TO SAY; How to select a subject for
your talk.................................... S
B. MORE IDEAS; How to obtain material on
your subject ........................... . 3
C. ORDER OUT OF CHAOS; How to arrange your
material .............................. 4
D. INTRODUCTION: How to prepare an interesting
opening ...................................... 4
E. FINIS: How to conclude your talk........... 6
2. INTEREST: HOW TO ADD INTEREST TO YOUR TALK . . . 15
A. HUMOR: How to make your talks sparkle . . . 15
B. VIVIDNESS: How to add punch to your talks . 15
C. MONOTONY: How to overcome repetition . . . . 19
5. CLIMAX: HOW TO PREPARE FOR DELIVERY........... £2
A. WINDBAG: How to stay within time limits . . 22
B. HELPER: How to prepare notes............... 22
C. DRY RUN: How to rehearse your talk......... 23
D. MIND A BLANK: How to memorize your talk . . 23
iii
CHAPTER PAGE
PART II. DELIVERY
HOW TO PROCLAIM YOUR THOUGHTS
4. DISTINCTNESS: HOW TO SPEAK DISTINCTLY............ 28
■ A. FESTINA LENTE: Make haste slowly, how to
avoid speaking too fast..................... 28
B. FUMBLING FOR WORDS: How to avoid and-ah,
well-ah.............. 28
C. DICTIONARY: How to insure correct
pronunciation............................... 29
D. "TRIPPINGLY ON THE TONGUE": How to obtain
clear-cut articulation.............. 29
5. AUDIBILITY: HO'# TO BE HEARD IN THE LAST ROWS . . 42
A. VOCAL ALLUREMENT: How to get resonance in
your v o i c e ......................... 42
B. GASPING FOR BREATH: How to keep enough
air in your lungs............ .............. 43
6. EMPHASIS: HOW TO ACCENTUATE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. 46
A. VOCAL EMPHASIS: How to stress your ideas
vocally...................................... 46
B. HANDS UP: How to make your hands underscore
what you are saying.......... ............ .. 47-
C. GESTURE EFFECTIVENESS: How to make your
gestures more effective ..................... 48
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CHAPTER PAGE
7. ASSISTANCE: HOW TO USE SPEAKING AIDS.......... 52
A. HELPMATE: How to speak from notes........... 52
B. BROADCAST.: How to speak over the
microphone.................................. 53
PART III. SPECIAL OCCASIONS
HOW TO MAKE TALKS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS
8. NOMINATION: HOW TO SELL YOUR CANDIDATE......... 56
9. INSTALLATION: HOW TO ACCEPT AN OFFICE; ......... 60
10. VISITOR: HOW TO INTRODUCE A GUEST SPEAKER. . . . 63
11. OFFERING: HOW TO PRESENT A GIFT IN PUBLIC. . . . 66
12. ACCEPTANCE: HOW TO RECEIVE A GIFT INP UBLIC. . . 69
15. CONTEST: HOW TO WRITE A PRIZE ORATION......... 72
A. TOPIC: How to select a subject to talk
about........................................ 72
B. STURDINESS: How to make your oration virile
and colorful................................ 73
PART IV. APPEARANCE
HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST
14. CURTAIN: HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST................. 80
A. APPAREL: How to groom yourself............. 80
B. EASY CHAIR: How to look poised and
comfortable while sitting . ............... 81
C.* RISING: How to rise gracefully from
t.
your c h a i r .................................. 82
CHAPTER PAGE
D. WALKING: How to obtain an easy graceful
walk . .................................... 82
E. STANDING: How to stand when speaking . . . . 82
PART V. NERVOUSNESS
HOW TO CONTROL YOURSELF, THE AUDIENCE, AND THE SITUATION
15. CONTROL: HOW TO MASTER YOUR FEAR . . . . . . . . . 87
A. COURAGE: How to calm your inward turmoil . . 87
B. GAY DECEIVER: How to conceal the outward
results of your nervousness.............. 88
16. POWER: HOW TO CONTROL THE AUDIENCE............. 90
A. FOCUS: How to get the audience’s attention . 90
B. LAUGHTER: How to control mirth.......... 91
C. NOISE: How to overcome disturbances in
the audience .......................... 91
17. DOMINATION: HOW TO CONTROL THE SITUATION . . . . 94
A. MISCHANCE: How to avoid unpleasant
occurrences.......... 94
PART VI. READING
HOW TO INTERPRET THE PRINTED PAGE
18. INTERPRETATION: HOW TO PRESENT AN ORAL READING. 98
A. TRUE IMPORT: How to obtain the meaning
of your selection................... 98
B. PORTRAYAL: How to deliver an oral reading . 99
vi
CHAPTER PAGE
C* MECHANICS: How to master the mechanical
details of oral reading . . .................... 101
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Some sources for this project .......... 103
LIST OF EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT, PAGE
A. ARRANGEMENT OF OUTLINE . ...................... 5
B. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON’S
TALK, APPEAL FOR FREEDOM BY F O R C E ............ 7
C. CONCLUDING REMARKS OF JAMES BRYANT CONANT’S
TALK, VICTORY NOT DEFENSE OUR SLOGAN ............. 8
D. STUDENT TALK, WHAT THANKSGIVING MEANS TO ME. . . . 9
E. STUDENT TALK, THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS . . . . 11
F. AN EXAMPLE OF A HUMOROUS TALK, HOW TO BRING UP
A WIFE.......................................... 16
G. AN EXAMPLE OF VIVID IMAGERY.................. 20
H. NOTES USED FOR THE TALK, HOW TO BRING UP A WIFE. . 24
I. A WINNING ARMISTICE DAY ORATION. . .’ ......... 74
J. EXAMPLE OF MATERIAL DIVIDED INTO THOUGHT GROUPS. . 100
LIST OF DRILL SHEETS
SHEET PAGE
1. THE VOWELS....................................... , 31
2. CONSONANTS..................................... 35
3. RESONANCE..................................... 44
PREFACE
This project was written to fulfill a felt need.
After several years of teaching speech courses, and
being subjected to other speech courses as a student,
it was apparent that the texts then in the high schools
were of little real help. They did not tackle the problems
facing a beginning or experienced speaker. The first step
then was to isolate the problems that needed attention.
A difficulty analysis was made in a large high school.
Students in English and Speech classes were requested to
record on slips the problems they faced when asked to give
a talk. These problems were amplified by slips written by
teachers and by the author. Problems that they had ob
served in their students or faced as speakers. These
difficulties were pooled, culled and separated into cate
gories. These categories became the table of contents.
The suggested answers were obtained from students,
teachers and authorities in the field. These are real
answers to real problems facing youth in the high schools
today.
The project is in outline form. Greater detail was
omitted to promote ease in handling.
Thanks are due to the students and teachers who
cooperated so highly in making this project a reality.
1
PART I. PREPARATION
HOW TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR YOUR TALKS
So you don’t have any tiling to say. Is that the way
you feel when you are faced with the possibility of giving
a speech? How would you like to he able to surprise your
friends with a bang-up talk? You do not have to sit on
the sidelines and watch others get all the attention.
Read the following pages and profit like others before
you by learning how to write a talk.
