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natural and difficult to overcome in subsequent efforts to develop good form in swimming. Most of them thus treated, however, had to be fished out more dead than alive. When a man without any knowledge of the science of public speaking makes a speech, figuratively he is being thrown heels over head into the audience. Because of his ignorance of the elementary principles of public speaking he is likely to make such a complete dunce of himself that the audience both laughs at and pities him. Usually he flounders through his predicament and comes out so disgusted with himself that he rarely tries again.

Some knowledge of technique and a vast amount of practice are absolutely essential to ultimate success as a public speaker. There is no better way to secure the preliminary training than by means of the declamation.

A declamation is a set speech of a more or less serious nature intended for delivery from memory in public. Usage has virtually made the word declamation to connote a cutting from an oration written and spoken originally by some person other than the one who is declaiming the selection. It is impossible to mark the exact dividing lines between an oration, a declamation, and a reading. You cannot place your finger on a geometric line and say, "This marks the end of declamation and the beginning of reading and beyond this point is oration." Many selections lie in that twilight zone where characteristic marks are imaginary. Whether a selection is a reading or a declamation, then, depends on the

manner of the delivery and the spirit of the piece. Selections that are chosen for purposes of mere entertainment, "funny" pieces, dramatic readings, dialogue, impersonations, etc., are not considered declamations. Keep in mind that a declamation should be prevailingly serious in tone and delivered for the purpose of convincing or persuading an audience of certain ideas or truths.

HINTS ON MEMORIZING

There is no royal road to speedy memorizing. Some people can commit pages of printed matter in a very short while; others must labor untiringly for an indefinite length of time and still not succeed in getting the selection as well in hand as their more fortunate friends. The explanations for this difference are manifold. It may be a question of method of attack. If it should be, this can be remedied. It may be a question of undeveloped memorizing ability. If it is, the quicker you take the exercise necessary to strengthen the faculty of memory the better off you will be. It may be a question of being born with a poor memory. All that we can say for this is "hard luck." Psychologists teach us that our memories are birthrights and that they cannot be improved. Be this as it may, we know that the ability of the faculty of memory to receive, and give expression to impressions, ideas, or whatever you choose to call them, can be improved. For all practical purposes, this is an improvement of memory, and will be so considered in

the discussion that follows concerning the faculty of memory.

You Must Concentrate on Your Subject

Everyone knows that concentration on work to be done is absolutely necessary to accomplishment. It is the fundamental secret of memorizing. The bald statement saying that we must concentrate on our task is the personification of truth. But, like many another general statement, it is almost wholly worthless. Like the education of some men, it is so broad that it is shallow. The information that is most needed is how to concentrate.

Avoid desultory reading. Loose, skimming, rambling reading is most pernicious in its effect on ability to concentrate. It is as injurious in its influence on the mind as a steady diet of pastries is to the body. True, a great many selections are worth no more than a desultory reading, but for the sake of your own memory, do not make this sort of reading your three-meals-a-day. You must have more intensive reading and less extensive. Slow, careful, understanding reading of the selection to be memorized is essential.

The selection must be of interest to the declaimer. In order to concentrate on a thing with a minimum of time, you must be interested in your selection. You yourself are the judge of what you like, although other people can give valuable suggestions. The things in which you are interested have a direct appeal and when heard or seen make an impression

which can be reproduced easily. Those of only casual interest make no impression. They go in one ear and out the other. "The New South” may appeal to one boy, "At the Tomb of Napoleon" to another, "The Message to Garcia" to a third. Decidedly it would be unwise for these various individuals to exchange selections. Each one, of course, could commit the other boy's selection, but it would require more effort and more time. Choose the selection that makes a direct appeal to you and then abandon yourself to its enjoyment. Your interest will be intensified thereby and you will cut in two the time for memorizing a given number of words.

Good health is necessary. Concentration on your work cannot be most effective when the body is in poor physical condition. It takes a will of unusual power to conceive of a warm July day on a zero December morn. It takes a will of great power to forget about a cramp in the stomach. No will is strong enough to concentrate on two things at once. An attempt to do so results in weakened concentrative ability. When a person with a physical pain tries to memorize, he is dividing his time between his body and his mind. He may accomplish his task but it will be only with increased effort on his part. Better attack the problem when in good physical condition.

Environment.

Another element that is closely allied to the physical consideration of memorizing is environment. Unless you have learned to work oblivious of your surroundings you had better seek

a quiet place. Out under the big trees of the forest, say some writers. If you do go out into nature, be sure that you won't be influenced by the singing birds, the glorious sunshine or the beautiful starlight. Individuals differ greatly as to the environment that best suits their peculiarities. For some people it is best to get on a hard-seated, straight-backed chair with a desk in front of them to lean on. It makes little difference then whether there be noise or not. Any unusual noise, of course, like the cry of "Fire," might detract. The essential thing is to have your environment conducive to your most effective work.

Use of the will. After the last word has been said in the matter of concentration, the fact remains that the only way to concentrate is to concentrate. You must will to do it and do it. Keep your mind everlastingly on the thing to be done. Every time you find your mind wandering off on a tangent, stop and bring yourself back to your task with a jerk. If you are reading your selection and suddenly wake up to the realization that you are "dreaming," go back to the beginning and reread the whole thing. This extra work that you are giving your mind will soon wake it up. It is a little like giving a boy a piece of work to do and if he doesn't do it as you want it done, making him do it over. Your subject may become rebellious at first. Soon stern fate will stare you in the face and the task will be done as specified. It is even so with your mind. Often it must be coerced, but after a time it will become subservient to your will.