The Speaker, No. 5: Volume II, Issue 1: December, 1906

In Short

This volume is a curated anthology designed specifically for the practice of elocution and public performance. By blending excerpts from masters like Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, and Victor Hugo with contemporary sketches and poetry, the collection provides a broad range of vocal exercises. It serves as a guide for students to move beyond mere imitation toward a genuine, self-reliant command of language. The book has endured as a fascinating time capsule of the early twentieth-century educational focus on rhetoric, character study, and the public transmission of literature.

The Story

The arc of the collection begins with the philosophy of the teacher. It posits that true eloquence cannot be bought or sold; it is the fruit of "wisely-directed determination." The teacher’s role is not to nag about misplaced commas or mechanical gestures, but to open the student’s eyes to visions of truth and beauty. From this philosophical foundation, the book pivots to the lived experience of the student, exemplified by the young Emmy Lou. She is a child struggling with the rigid, incomprehensible demands of the "Large Lady" in her schoolroom, illustrating the anxiety of a learner caught between personal confusion and institutional authority.

The narrative scope then expands to the lives of children and the social complexities of the era. We meet the young Ardelia, who is dragged from her urban "degradation" by a social worker for a country outing. Her story is a poignant subversion of expectation: she is offered daisies and fresh air, yet she finds the silence of the country terrifying and longs for the sensory chaos of her city street, ultimately returning home to the bustle she loves. This is followed by the domestic dramas of children at dancing school, where the stiff, awkward reality of boyhood clashes with the performative grace demanded by their instructor.

The tone shifts toward the weight of history and the moral gravity of public life. We hear the impassioned, principled defense of a son by Victor Hugo, who uses his platform to denounce the "absurd law of blood for blood." This is balanced by the political calculations of the past, as seen in the speech regarding the Southern control of government, and the high-minded calls for racial reconciliation and justice in the South.

The collection then enters the realm of high-stakes fiction. We witness the tragic, atmospheric final moments of Hypatia, the philosopher, and the tension of Fagin’s last day as he faces the gallows, clutching at the remnants of his sanity. The arc reaches a visceral climax with John Ridd’s desperate battle against Carver Doone. In this struggle, the hero, pushed to the limits of his strength, wrestles his antagonist into a lethal, swallowing quagmire. The book concludes with lighter, humanizing touches—a Christmas story about a plantation coachman’s pride in his romantic prowess and the gentle, domestic humor of a grandfather’s Thanksgiving turkey. The trajectory moves from the abstract discipline of the classroom, through the social and political struggles of the nation, into the intense, final battles of fictional heroes, before settling into the quiet warmth of home and holiday.

How It Unfolds

The pedagogical mandate The text opens with a manifesto on the necessity of training the student’s will, arguing that mechanical instruction is hollow without a self-reliant spirit. It warns teachers against becoming mere fault-finders who suppress the student's ability to see beauty in the text.

The experience of the learner The focus shifts to the small-scale drama of the classroom, where the young, overwhelmed Emmy Lou experiences the alienation of the school system. This section highlights the difficulty of bridging the gap between a teacher's rigid expectations and a child's internal reality.

The social and urban contrast The collection explores the clash of cultures through Ardelia, an urban child who finds the supposed "paradise" of the countryside to be an isolating, terrifying void. This beat illustrates the strength of individual identity against well-meaning but misguided efforts at reform.

The weight of public discourse The book transitions into serious oratory, featuring arguments against capital punishment and reflections on the power dynamics of the American South. These selections demonstrate how the written word can serve as a weapon for justice or a tool for historical analysis.

The climax of struggle The narrative pacing accelerates with high-tension scenes, including the martyrdom of Hypatia and the brutal, mud-soaked final confrontation in Lorna Doone. These segments provide the student with material requiring intense vocal power and emotional depth.

The final resolution The anthology rounds off with lighter, more sentimental pieces that ground the reader in domestic life. The focus settles on holiday themes and the small triumphs of everyday characters, providing a sense of closure after the preceding intensity.

The People

Emmy Lou is the quintessential learner, defined by her genuine confusion and the quiet, internal struggle to grasp the "cabalistic signs" of her lessons. She stands in for every student who feels diminished by the cold, moralizing authority of an instructor like the Large Lady, whose own grief and insecurity make her rigid and unyielding.

Ardelia represents an indomitable, authentic spirit. She is defined by her urban roots and her refusal to be "improved" by social workers who cannot fathom her love for the city. She stands in direct opposition to the well-meaning Miss Forsythe, whose desire to save Ardelia is hampered by a lack of empathy for the girl's actual reality.

John Ridd is the embodiment of traditional strength and moral rectitude. He is driven by his love for Lorna and his duty to protect his home. His antagonist, Carver Doone, is the shadow of that strength—a man of "ravening frenzy" whose violence is ultimately countered by John’s disciplined, protective fury.

The figures of Hugo and the political speakers act as the collection’s moral compass, using their platforms to challenge systemic injustice. They are individuals who believe that the spoken word has the power to reshape the state, the law, and the human heart.

In Its Own Voice

"In teaching public speaking the final purpose must be to train the will."

This line establishes the foundational philosophy of the text, emphasizing that performance is ultimately an exercise of internal resolve.

"To implant a yearning, an unquenchable, all-consuming desire to comprehend and to express the emotions of which his teacher enables him to get glimpses."

This quote defines the noble, aspirational goal of the educator, shifting the focus from technical correction to the transmission of deep human passion.

"Gee! N' Yawk's the place!"

This final, triumphant declaration from Ardelia captures her stubborn, joyful reclamation of her own identity after a disorienting journey.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the cultivation of the individual voice. The book argues that speaking is not a collection of tricks or gestures, but an extension of the speaker's character and the strength of their internal resolve. It grapples with the tension between institutional control—represented by the schoolroom, the courtroom, and the social settlement—and the authentic human experience. Beneath the plot, it poses questions about the nature of justice, the value of tradition, and the role of the teacher as a guide rather than a dictator. It asks whether we can ever truly understand someone else’s reality and whether our attempts to "save" or "teach" others are often reflections of our own limited perspectives.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the history of education or the evolution of American elocution will find this volume deeply rewarding. It provides a rare, unvarnished look at what was considered essential reading for students a century ago, revealing a world where literature was not just consumed, but performed. You will encounter a wide spectrum of voices, from the raw, colloquial dialect of Ardelia to the soaring, formal rhetoric of Victor Hugo.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes contained within. The text reflects the social prejudices of its time, particularly in its depictions of racial and social class dynamics, which the reader must navigate with critical awareness. The language is sometimes archaic, and the moralizing tone of the editorial comments can feel distant to contemporary sensibilities. Yet, there is a warmth here, a genuine belief in the power of the spoken word to connect people, that remains palpable. It is a book for those who want to hear the echoes of the past and witness how a previous generation sought to build character, empathy, and conviction through the shared, public experience of storytelling. It leaves you reflecting on the enduring power of language and the difficulty of truly teaching the "will" to speak for oneself.