Public speaking. All too many kids simply do not understand about speaking up and speaking clearly. At my old high school all seniors were required to take public speaking which met once a week. The course was taught by the school headmaster, old Daniel D. Test (Master Dan). He taught it in the old school theater (the school has since built a fine big new theater). We had to say our piece from the stage. Master Dan would seat in the back most row of seats to insure that we spoke up so he could hear us. Every so often some luckless student would hear Master Dan shout out "I cannot hear you!" from the back row.
Some years later, taking Air Force ROTC, we had close order drill, from an Air Force Manual 54-12. There was a section that discussed "command voice" and the need to give commands loudly and clearly when drilling cadets (or troops). At debriefing after one after noon drill session I was gratified to here one to the instructors, a commissioned Air Force officer, say "Mr. Starr had the only decent command voice out there this afternoon." I didn't say anything, but I thought back on Master Dan's public speaking course.
Today we have a lot of people who don't speak up, who mumble, leaving the rest of us wondering what they were trying to say and if it is worth asking them about it. This includes people who ought to know better, like movie actors. The old line movie actors, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and company always spoke clear as a bell. The new breed no longer understand about that, and they don't speak up and they mumble. There was a scene in Game of Thrones with Jaime Lannister and Briene together in a hot tub sharing chit chat. I would have loved to hear what they had to say to each other. I could not catch a word from either of them.
Your children will go farther in later life if they understand about speaking up, loudly and clearly.
No comments:
Post a Comment