"You write with ease to show your breeding, The story is told of a famous writer of transparent prose who incautiously showed the first version of a certain work to a friend. "It is good," said the friend, "but it lacks your usual ease and fluency." "Ah,” replied the writer, "that ease will cost me many hours of hard labor; and as for the fluency, I shall have to drag it in by the hair of its head." CHAPTER IX SPEECHES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in baskets of silver. - Proverbs. AFTER the arduous labor of several weeks on the long expository essay, it is a relief to turn to composition of a lighter character. Every college student has occasion from time to time to address his classmates and other audiences on matters of temporary or permanent interest. Some of the types of non-academic speaking most common during college years are as follows: INFORMAL 1. The after-dinner speech on an assigned toast. 2. The after-dinner opening speech and introductions of a toastmaster. 3. The hortatory speech in a class or college meeting designed to stimulate college spirit, as for the support of athletics, dramatic or other student activities. 4. The argumentative speech in a deliberative assembly of students on a debatable question of student policy, such as the adoption of an honor system, or the acceptance of a debating challenge. 5. The congratulatory speech to a victorious team, a successful prize winner, a successful candidate for office. 6. The presentation speech in awarding prizes, cups, medals, college initials, or class numerals, gifts to departing classmates. 7. The nominating speech. FORMAL 8. The initiation banquet speech of an initiate. 9. The charge to initiates by an upper classman. 10. The report of a delegate from a local society to a general convention. 11. The address at a high school designed to attract students to a particular college. 12. The political campaign speech to small but difficult audiences, such as ward meetings and street groups. 13. The brief platform address representing college interests in a convention of religious or social workers. 14. Anniversary addresses on Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. These are types of speeches that any man may be called on to make while still in college. There are several other kinds that might present themselves as opportunities to a college man interested in public questions: 15. An impromptu speech before a college or general audience defending an individual or a cause that has been attacked; e.g., defending an unpopular strike, a new law, a judicial decision, a public man under fire, a heretical minister, an unpopular teacher, a radical book or play, an unsuccessful venture in philanthropy or reform. 16. A speech before an unruly or turbulent audience, as of noisy street boys or disorderly laborers, appealing for fair play, for a hearing for some other speaker, etc. 17. A speech appealing for money or subscriptions for a worthy charity or other needy cause. Speeches mingle exposition, argument, and persuasion. – Notice that no academic speeches are here included, such as debates, declamations, and college orations. All of these seventeen types are real speaking, not practice speaking, and aim at a definite result. Some are chiefly persuasive, others both argumentative and persuasive, still others purely expository; that is, some try to get people to act on their convictions, others try to change their convictions, and others merely impart information on non-controversial questions. An after-dinner speech, for example, ordinarily aims at no argument, or even persuasion, except as the giving of good advice may be regarded as per suasion. Its purpose is to mingle diversion with mild exhortation in suitable proportions. Anniversary and commemorative addresses, again, are largely expository. Their persuasive appeal to patriotic emotion, since it cannot ordinarily be grounded on argument, must rest on a solid foundation of exposition in order to have any effect. A Memorial Day speaker must explain what the day means in some slightly new or fresh or vivid way in order to touch the sentiments of his hearers. He has nothing to argue, no attack to refute, no opponent but indifference and apathy. The same is true in congratulatory and presentation speeches: the main body of them consists of an exposition of the value of the work done, the service rendered, the success achieved. On the other hand, such types as Numbers 4, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, base persuasion strictly on conviction, and demand obedience to the laws of argumentation. Writing and speaking of this sort will be more valuable after some study of argumentative principles. We shall now undertake, therefore, the writing and delivery of a short speech of an expository character with a persuasive conclusion, such as those in the following list: 1. An after-dinner speech based on a specific toast or motto. 2. A nominating speech for an important office in some organization (preferably not the college class). 3. A congratulatory speech to a victorious debating team after a successful trip. 4. An anniversary speech before a general audience on a national holiday. 5. A eulogistic or commemorative speech on some prominent man before a special audience: for example, on a former president of the college before college men; on a distinguished alumnus before a fraternity; on a famous general, or hero, or explorer, or missionary, before an audience of boys. These five types may be briefly considered in turn : I. The after-dinner speech. - Ordinarily the subject is assigned in the form of a phrase or motto. When a speaker is allowed to choose his own topic, he usually makes his selection in accordance with the general scheme of the evening's program. For this assignment, therefore, the student may well take an old banquet menu and pick out a title that has actually been used. This title will give him the clew for the humorous introduction often regarded as indispensable. A funny story or quotation is expected by many audiences at the beginning of any after-dinner speech. The tradition may be an irrational one, and its results are quite as often tragic as comic; nevertheless, one must sometimes bow to the tyrant custom. Where one shall get the funny story, it is no part of the business of this book to reveal. The only hint that discretion permits is that there are some stories so old as to be almost new to the rising generation. After his anecdote or other introduction, the speaker undertakes a more or less humorous analysis of his subject into two or three parts; offers a few remarks on each; works in a serious word or two on loyalty, or honor, or the spirit of brotherhood; and ends with a periodic sentence of climax or appeal. The things to look out for are the first sentence, the serious or whimsical division of the subject (often alliterative), and the conclusion. The student is implored not to end with a sentimental poem if he can possibly avoid it. A bit of humorous verse, or an aptly quoted sentence of famous prose, sometimes rounds out a short speech better than any word of one's own. 2. The nominating speech. This should not be informal or humorous. The nomination should be for president of some local society or club of importance, or for mayor, or school commissioner, or Congressman. The nominee should in no case be a college undergraduate, but some well-known citizen, perhaps an alumnus of the college. The speech should consist of two parts an exposition of the duties and the importance of the office, and an exposition of those qualities of the nominee which fit him to occupy it. Such an office as that of school commissioner perhaps offers the best opportunities for a good ex |