Speakers agree, improv's key

By WILLIAM GUHL
and AMY OAKES
Collegian Staff Writers

Many students walk into their speech communications classes at the beginning of the semester with fear in their eyes. The idea of speaking before large audiences is intimidating to many, but to others it is all part of the job.

For people in leadership positions, giving speeches at large gatherings is a routine activity, and there are certain approaches that have proven effective for public speakers.

Susan Trebach, director of the office of news and public affairs for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said Wisconsin's Chancellor David Ward prefers speaking without a prepared text.

"He gives his best speeches either written by himself or extemporaneously," she said, adding that she thinks many speech-givers prefer to write their own speeches.

"It weakens the product to have someone (another writer) in between the speaker and the audience," she said.

Penn State President Joab Thomas said he also writes his own speeches and uses just note cards to guide him in delivering them.

Priscilla Allison, assistant professor of speech communication at the Wilkes-Barre Campus, said while it depends on what the individual speaker is most comfortable with, her first choice would be to speak extemporaneously or with note cards.

"Those speeches that are written and read are less personal," Allison said, which often make them less effective. Often the more personal the connection with the audience the better the speech will be received, she said.

"The speaker should be prepared on the topic. You don't prepare a speech, but you prepare yourself to give a speech," Allison said. This means that the more you know about the topic the better the speech will be, she said.

Mike King, Undergraduate Student Government president, agreed but said when taking a specific stance, it is better to have notes prepared.

"It's a security blanket to have remarks right in front of you," he said. "If you know a subject, you can just get up there and talk about it."

This has been the case when King has spoken before the University Board of Trustees and the State College Borough Council.

"In situations like those, precision is key," King said.

But for people with more experience delivering high-pressure speeches, less preparation is necessary.

Alexis Tate, associate director of the university office of public affairs at the University of Illinois, said President Stanley D. Ikenberry "never stands up and reads a speech. He can speak off the back of an envelope with no difficulty whatsoever."

In his early years, he used prepared texts but often strayed from them. "Until the moment he opens his mouth in front of the audience, you don't know what he'll say," Tate said.

The current focus on political correctness may affect the way speeches are prepared and delivered, because people may be more sensitive to the language they use.

"It's getting increasingly difficult for a public speaker to speak extemporaneously or candidly," Thomas said. "The slightest misuse of a word can be interpreted wrongly.

"It's tending to have a chilling effect on extemporaneous speaking and eventually candor. I find that unfortunate. I've always felt the educational value of a free exchange of ideas is greater that way," he said.

This surge for political correctness has not forced Thomas to deviate from his style of speech giving.

"I haven't been bitten by that snake yet," he said.