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 Public Speaking- Principles and Practice

BY IRVAH LESTER WINTER

Associate Professor of Public Speaking in Harvard University

Text-Book Edition, 8vo, $1.60; Cloth, 8vo, New Edition, $2.00 EXTRACTS FROM THE PREFACE

This book is designed to set forth the main principles of effective platform delivery, and to provide a large body of material for stu dent practice. The work laid out may be used to form a separate course of study, or a course of training running parallel with a course in debating or other original speaking. It has been prepared with a view also to that large number who want to speak, or have to speak, but cannot have the advantage of a teacher. Much is there fore said in the way of caution, and untechnical language is used throughout.

The discussion of principles in Part One is intended as a help towards the student s understanding of his task, and also as a common basis of criticism in the relation between teacher and pupil. The pre liminary fundamental work of Part Two, Technical Training, deals first with the right formation of tone, the development of voice as such, the securing of a fixed right vocal habit. Following comes the adapting of this improved voice to the varieties of use, or expres- sional effect, demanded of the public speaker. After this critical detailed drill, the student is to take the platform, and apply his acquired technique to continued discourse, receiving criticism after each entire piece of work.

The question as to what should be the plan and the content of Part Three, Platform Practice, has been determined simply by asking what are the distinctly varied conditions under which men most frequently speak. It is regarded as profitable for the student to practice, at least to some extent, in all the several kinds of speech here chosen. In thus cultivating versatility, he will greatly enlarge his power of expression, and will at length discover wherein lies his own special capability.

The principal aim in choosing the selections has been to have them sufficiently alive to be attractive to younger speakers, and not so heavy as to be unsuited to their powers. Some of them have proved effective by use; many others are new. In all cases they are of good quality.

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