•The Co THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON. BOMBAY CALCUTTA THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO THE SPEECH ARTS A Textbook of Oral English BY ALICE EVELYN CRAIG " THE POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1926 All rights reserved PREFACE ALTHOUGH great strides have been taken within recent years in the improvement of speech as well as in the development of the various speech arts, the goal has by no means been reached. In this democratic age, every individual has the right to every opportunity that will empower him to overcome, as far as possible, all limitations or inhibitions that interfere with his self-expression and with the power of communicating his ideas either semi-publicly? or publicly. The especially gifted students, as hitherto, must be given the technique and training that will enable them to develop their talents, for their own benefit and for the general culture of the world; the mediocre, or average, need to be given exercises and opportunities, perhaps a little less formal and public, that will encourage and develop their alertness, assurance, initiative, and resourcefulness-qualities of character so necessary today for the success of all phases of human endeavor; the especially weak, hitherto ignored or neglected, should be given definite technical exercises together with reassuring and helpful advice that will reveal to them the possibilities of gaining normal expression. The purpose of this book is to give to all persons awake to the importance of self-expression, definite and varied practice that will help to equip them for their individual vocations and for efficient citizenship. Each of the speech arts — platform speaking, platform reading, story-telling, conversation, dramatics, debating, open forum discussions has a specific method and purpose of its own. They are all, however, interrelated, and great breadth of interest and freedom of expression result from bringing out this correlation. The book provides for a complete course of study, including daily assignments for the entire four years. The seven parts into which it is divided are logically arranged, but need not be 597948 |