Original Oratory
Description
Original oratory is an activity in which the student writes, memorizes, and then delivers a persuasive speech arising from his/her personal feelings, convictions, or a source or irritation about some problem. Topics for the original oration may be selected by the student and with the aid of the coach or teacher, but the oration itself must be the product of the contestant alone and not his/her coach or teacher. Although many orations deal with a current problem and propose a solution, this is not the only acceptable form of oratory. The oration may simply alert the audience to a threatening danger, strengthen its devotion to an accepted cause, or eulogize a person. Visual aids are not permitted in this contest. Any appropriate subject may be used, but the orator must be truthful. Any nonfactual reference, especially a personal one, must be so identified. Not more than 150 words of the oration may be direct quotation from any other speech or writing, and such quotations shall be identified in the written copy of the speech. Extensive paraphrasing of any source is prohibited. A written copy of the oration must be available to the tournament director upon request. Time limit shall be ten minutes maximum with a thirty second grace period.
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Sample Speeches |
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