The American reciter; readings, declamations and plays, original compositions and choice selections of the best literature ...

Front matter

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Preface

ONE of the most pleasing and rational forms of entertainment is in those public and private gatherings at which selections from the best literature are read and recited, dialogues and tableaux presented, together with drills, marches, pantomime and musical features, which go to make up the programmes on such occasions. They not only afford enjoyable recreation, but are instructive and educative as well, inculcating and developing sound patriotism, and teaching in the most pleasing way the great moral lessons of life.

The publishers of this volume have learned from experience that there is a general demand for a book to supply the material for these entertainments, which shall not only contain the choicest selections in the English language, but shall have a practical value through the arrangement by an expert of these selections into programmes for every occasion.

In this volume, prepared by a writer of wide experience, both in literature and in the direction of home, church and school entertainments, the publishers feel confident that they have met this demand.

The introductory chapter on THE ART OF ELOCUTION contains complete instructions and rules laid down by the best teachers of elocution, for the guidance of those who wish to read, speak, recite, sing, act, or take part in any entertainment, public or private. This chapter teaches how to cultivate, develop, and use the voice; how to make correct gestures, how to give correct expression in recitations through the use of the head, the eyes, the arms, the body, and the lower limbs, and at the same time teaches the reader how to acquire gracefulness and self-possession, which are so necessary to a successful appearance in public. To these instructions have been added Physical Culture Exercises for the body, which are so simple that anyone can quickly learn and perform them.

Many of the selections both in prose and in verse are original and appear in print in this volume for the first time.

The variety of original and selected recitations and dialogues is shown by the various divisions made with reference to the subjects of which the selections treat:

Juvenile Gems for the Children contains selections suitable for little folks of all ages, from the smallest tot to boys and girls who are verging on young manhood and womanhood. They are all selections which the children themselves like and were submitted to the approval of children of various ages before they were compiled in this volume.

Patriotism and War contains the best patriotic and stirring literature that has been written from Revolutionary days to and including our war with Spain. National and School Holidays contain appropriate selections for each day observed as a holiday either in the nation or in the school, including New Year's Day, Lincoln's Birthday,

8 PREFACE.

Washington's Birthday, Arbor Day, Decoration Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas.

Around the Evening Lamp is a department containing selections to be read or recited in the home circle after the evening lamp has been lit and the family has gathered around it for entertainment.

A great deal of space has been given to dialogues and pieces in which a half dozen or more persons can take part. There is such a great variety of these that some one or more of them will be found suitable for every occasion or form of entertainment that can arise.

Particular care has been used in preparing and selecting Tableaux, Pantomimes, Drills, and similar features, including the Maypole Dance and the Minuet, all arranged in attractive manner, with full explanation and direction how to present them. Other attractive features and departments in this volume will be found in the departments of Humorous Recitations, Religious and Moral, Dialect Selections, Temperance, Dramatic Readings, Orations of the World's Great Men, Love and Sentiment, and Miscellaneous Selections.

For the guidance and instruction of persons getting up and directing entertainments at home or in the church and school, a series of programmes are presented in this volume which will be found to meet the demand of every occasion.

The magnificent illustrations in this volume are not only sumptuous and beautiful but they have the same practical value as the selections. They are made from actual photographs of real scenes presented at public entertainments, and in addition to their beauty and appropriateness as works of art, they will serve to guide and instruct beginners in the art of appearing successfully in public entertainments.

. It will be seen from the foregoing that the claim made for this volume as a COM- PLETE AND THOROUGHLY PRACTICAL SPEAKER AND RECITER is well founded.

Very respectfully, THE PUBLISHERS.

By MARVIN VICTOR HINSHAW

OF THE HINSHAW SCHOOL OF ELOCUTION, ORATORY AND MUSIC

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The art of elocution and oratory is not, as many erroneously suppose, an artificial combination of tones, looks and gestures, but is the scientific portrayal of thoughts and emotions by means of vocal and physical expression. A knowledge of a few fundamental rules and principles which govern these methods of expression will equip the elocutionist or orator to appear to advantage before an audience. The measure of success to be attained afterward will depend upon the speaker's capacity to think the thoughts and feel the emotions to be expressed.

Naturalness, ease and grace are essential to success in public speaking. The easiest and most graceful position is to stand erect, not stiffly, but naturally, with one foot slightly in advance of the other and the weight of the body on the back foot. Then speak clearly and distinctly ; do not hurry your enunciation of words, but speak every syllable plainly, sounding all of the consonants at the end of the words, but sustaining only the vowels.

While speaking, support the tone entirely by the breath ; do not use the muscles of the throat for this purpose. Speak from the diaphragm, in other words let the tones come from the chest and not from the throat, otherwise the voice will not carry, and the audience will hear only a confusion of gutteral sounds. The power which propels the breath is in the diaphragm and walls of the chest, therefore diaphragmatic breathing is always correct, and not abdominal breathing as many suppose. Speak with forceful and compact breath, and never breathe in the middle of the phrase, — but only between phrases — all pauses which occur during the continuance of a phrase must be made without renewing the breath in order to be effective.

Correct phrasing can be acquired by always speaking in phrases, and not by the live or semi-phrase.

While it is essential to correct speaking that there should be no hurry, it is quite as important that the delivery should not be prolonged, but that each phrase and sentence should be spoken with regularity.

Aside from the regular pauses indicted by punctuation, the speaker should always make such pauses as will strengthen the meaning of the words. A word can frequently be emphasized to a greater degree by a momentary pause than it can by any stress of voice.

In another chapter will be found suggestions concerning gesture with the most

Introduction

important gestures illustrated by photographs. To this I wish to add that although correct gesture is one of the greatest aids of expression, too many gestures will spoil the effect of what would otherwise be a most successful effort. Therefore, I advise the use of few gestures and only such as will tend to emphasize what is said.

The rules for speaking apply with the same force and exactness to reading, for reading should be a perfect facsimile of speaking.

In speaking, reading, or portraying a character in a dialogue or play speak with the face as well as the voice. Exercise the facial muscles and practice until you can control them, for the emotions of Anger, Love, Grief, Fear, Surprise, Hate, etc., should be mirrored in the face as well as conveyed by the voice.

Every part of the body can be made to aid expression — the arms, the hands, the eyes, the legs, the feet, the head — there is use for them all, particularly in portraying characters in dialogues and plays, where there is wider range of expression than in a single recitation.

But whether the character to be por* trayed, whether in recitation, dialogue or" play, the speaker should always speak in a voice natural to such a character, and for the time being imagine himself or herself that particular individual.

The selections in this volume are admirably adapted to the widest range of elocutionary, oratorical and dramatic expression, and embrace a wide variety of the best literature for use in public and private entertainments.

The illustrations are very effective and will greatly aid the speaker to appear before the public to the best advantage, inasmuch as they portray actual scenes in a great variety of entertainments. The photo-pictures which accompany the lesson on Gesture show the expression of various emotions, through the attitude, the position of the arms and other parts of the body. The facial expression is excellent in all of them and they are a safe guide to any student of elocutionary art. M. V. H.

Photo by Byron, N. Y.

THE SWEETEST STORY EVER TOLD.

A PLEA FOE, FORGIVENESS.

Contents

Preface 7

Introduction 9

Contents 13