Study Break:

Adventures in Public Speaking From the United Kingdom

The First American Spokesmodels

After a trading voyage along the Maine Coast in 1605, George Waymouth created a sensation when he returned to Dartmouth, England, with a cargo of valuable furs and five captive Indian maids. The young women were taught English and given English clothes. They made speeches and public appearances encouraging colonization of the New World. It is said they also acquired a taste for beer.

Sir Isaac Newton: Scientist, Mathematician, Genius, Not Much of a Talker

As a reward for his monumental discoveries in physics, science and mathematics, Sir Isaac Newton was knighted by Queen Anne in 1708. The knighthood made Newton a member of the House of Lords, where he served until his death. Sir Isaac Newton's only recorded public statement during his nineteen years as a member of parliament was a request to open a window.

Audience Feedback Reaches a New Level

English politician and historian Lord Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859) was unpleasantly startled when he was struck by a flying dead cat while in the middle of a campaign speech in Edinburgh. The man who flung the deceased feline apologized. He had not meant to hit Macaulay. He wanted to hit Macaulay's opponent who was standing next to Macaulay. An unimpressed Macaulay glumly replied, "I wish you had meant it for me and struck him."

Thanks For Nothing

Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the famed British statesman, author and orator, once sent copies of his recent speeches to the members of the House of Commons. He received this "thank-you note" from a member of the opposition party: "Dear Mr. Churchill, Thanks for copy of your speeches lately delivered in the House of Commons. To quote the late Lord Beaconsfield: 'I shall lose no time reading them.'" (Think about the last sentence. It can be taken two ways.)

The Devil’s Language

Cotton Mather (1663-1728), who was a leading minister in the American Colonies and a participant in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, claimed to have special knowledge of the languages spoken by the devil. Satan, according to Mather, spoke Greek, Latin and Hebrew fluently. However, Satan spoke oddly-accented English.

Theodore Roosevelt Bleeds Like a Bull Moose

Theodore Roosevelt had been sick for several days when he headed for a campaign speaking engagement in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912. He intended to say a few words, depart and leave an assistant to read the remainder of the fifty-page speech he was carrying folded in half in his breast pocket. His plans abruptly changed when a man with a gun suddenly fired a bullet directly at his heart at point-blank range.

The bullet passed through Roosevelt’s coat, vest, shirt, eyeglass case, and all one hundred pages of the speech in his pocket before lodging against his fifth rib. His rib was cracked, but otherwise the former President was not seriously hurt. Realizing his life was not in danger, he brusquely brushed aside his doctor’s suggestion to seek treatment. “This is my big chance and I am going to make that speech if I die doing it.” On-stage Roosevelt told the stunned audience of the assassination attempt adding with bravado, “But it takes more than that to kill a bull moose!” He drew a gasp from his audience when out of his pocket he dramatically produced the speech, bullet hole and all. He drew another gasp when he unbuttoned his vest exposing his bloodstained shirt. He delivered the entire speech.

He made them gasp, but he could not persuade enough of them to vote for him. Roosevelt was defeated by Woodrow Wilson in the election. Adding insult to injury, Wilson defeated Roosevelt in Wisconsin as well.

Barnum Said It: “There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute”

P. T. Barnum was a master of getting attention for his American Museum in New York. One of Barnum’s stunts involved the “brick man”. Barnum gave the “brick man” five ordinary bricks and told him to place four of them at locations around the block near the Museum. Then, in obedience to Barnum’s explicit instructions, the man, still carrying the fifth brick, marched in military fashion until he reached the spot where he had placed the first brick. Putting the fifth brick on the ground and picking up the first brick he marched toward the second brick, where he repeated his actions and so on. He spoke to no one. The “brick man’s” hourly performance routinely drew crowds of over five hundred people. When a crowd had gathered the “brick man” walked into the museum. He was always followed by several dozen people who paid the price of admission. Barnum’s “brick man” continued in this manner for two weeks until the police complained the crowds he was attracting were blocking the street and put the “brick man” out of business.

Anyone Can Have a Misunderstanding

P. T. Barnum used people's lack of language knowledge to solve a problem at his American Museum. People walked around viewing exhibits indefinitely for one admission price. Often, the museum was filled to capacity leaving additional paying customers standing outside. Barnum solved his problem by posting a large sign emblazoned "This way to the Egress!" An arrow pointed to a door. Many anxious customers rushed through the door to get a look at the mysterious egress only to find themselves standing in the street. They learned too late that "egress" means "exit".

Attend-Listen-Learn-Study-Practice-Perform!