One of the best exercises for learning to think and speak on the feet is
to practise daily giving one minute impromptu talks upon chosen
subjects. A good plan is to write subjects of a general character, on
say fifty or more cards, and then to speak on each subject as it is
chosen.
This simple exercise will rapidly develop facility of thought and
expression and give greatly increased self-confidence.
It is a good plan to prepare more material than one intends to use--at
least twice as much. It gives a comfortable feeling of security when one
stands before an audience, to know that if some of the prepared matter
evades his memory, he still has ample material at his ready service.
There is no more interesting and valuable study than that of speaking in
public. It confers distinct advantages by way of improved health,
through special exercise in deep breathing and voice culture; by way of
stimulated thought and expression; and by an increase of self-confidence
and personal power.
Men and women in constantly increasing numbers are realizing the
importance of public speaking, and as questions multiply for debate and
solution the need for this training will be still more widely
appreciated, so that a practical knowledge of public speaking will in
time be considered indispensable to a well-rounded education.