“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11)
Throughout history, courageous men and women have given us many such ‘fitly spoken words.’
In times of ignorance, their fitly spoken words have illuminated our understanding and helped us find better ways to navigate difficult issues.
In times of injustice, these fitly spoken words have called us to stand up for the oppressed and insist they be treated with the dignity all God’s children deserve.
In times of threat, these fitly spoken words have girded and strengthened our resolve to join arms with our neighbors, both domestic and abroad, and to stand against every form of evil.
In times of apathy, when we have become insolent or insular, these fitly spoken words have spurred us to strong action and compassionate involvement.
In short, fitly spoken words throughout time have motivated, persuaded, influenced, energized, compelled, and inspired us to be the best people and nation we can be.
These are the apt words Mrs. Henry used to introduce her students’ recitations at Christ the Savior Academy’s annual Speech Meet. (You can learn more about Mrs. Henry and the rest of our experienced faculty here.)
Honing the Art of Oratory
Our Speech Meet is an opportunity for students to sharpen and demonstrate skills they have been building for many years: to memorize language that is beautiful, delightful, or wise and to recite it to an audience with clarity and meaningful expression. What better way to learn confident public speaking than to become familiar with excellent poetry and great speeches!
This year’s meet featured words from and about heroes throughout history. Our seventh and eighth graders presented famous American speeches representing 200 years of great orators, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Movement. The fifth and sixth graders shared the story of a legendary hero from the early days of Rome, reciting the first half of “Horatius at the Bridge”.
“Horatius at the Bridge”, Charles Le Brun, 1642–1643
The Power of Memorization in Classical Learning
Christ the Savior Academy puts a strong emphasis on memorization. In essence, it is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. It is a tool for building a well-furnished mind. Consequently, this fosters critical thinking, effective communication, and a deep appreciation for the good, the true, and the beautiful. In fact, a student who has completed PreK through 8th grade at CSA will have memorized and recited at least: The Lord’s Prayer (in three languages), the Nicene Creed, the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, 10 Psalms, 40 poems, 2 homilies by St. John Chrysostom, 3 speeches by famous Americans, dozens of hymns of the ancient Christian tradition (including several each year in Greek and Latin), many other chapters of the Bible, songs, and lists of facts.
Mrs. Henry’s opening words reminded us that these carefully chosen speeches and poems are not merely exercises in memorization. Rather, they are tools for shaping character and inspiring action. We strive to fill the “treasure houses” of our students’ memories with these wise and beautiful passages, equipping them to be effective communicators and thoughtful citizens.
As George Eliot’s poem, “The Choir Invisible,” reminds us, the words we internalize become a part of us, shaping our thoughts, actions, and character:
O, may I join the choir invisible
Of those immortal dead who live again
In minds made better by their presence; live
In pulses stirred to generosity,
In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn
Of miserable aims that end with self,
In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars,
And with their mild persistence urge men’s minds
To vaster issues….
May I reach
That purest heaven—be to other souls
The cup of strength in some great agony,
Enkindle generous ardor, feed pure love,
Beget the smiles that have no cruelty,
Be the sweet presence of good diffused,
And in diffusion ever more intense!
So shall I join the choir invisible,
Whose music is the gladness of the world.
CSA’s Speech Meet is not merely a performance; oratory, too, is a vital component of classical education. This process sharpens each student’s memory, hones their articulation, and builds their confidence in public speaking – skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. For further insights into the role of memorization in classical education, see Recovering the Humanity of Rhetoric from Society for Classical Learning.
“Cicero Denounces Catiline”, by Cesare Maccari, 1888
Our Distinguished Judges
This year, we were honored to have a distinguished panel of judges from our community offer the students feedback on their oratorical performances, scoring each speech on accuracy and delivery: Mr. Dan Snyder, Headmaster at Concordia Academy, Mrs. Jennifer Sebits, CSA Board Member and former newsanchor, and Mrs. Trudy Kennedy, retired English teacher and experienced speech meet judge. On the basis of these scores, the judges selected the top three recitations, naming these students the 2025 Speech Laureates.
Congratulations to our 2025 Laureates
Gloria Traffas
For a Declaration of War Against Japan, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Evangeline Bench
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death, Patrick Henry
Irene Wagner
Owning Books, William Phelps
“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!–Patrick Henry delivering his great speech on the Rights of the Colonies, before the Virginia Assembly, convened at Richmond, March 23rd, 1775. Concluding with the above sentiment, which became the war cry of the Revolution”, Currier & Ives, 1876
Thank you, Mrs. Henry and Mr. Wagner, for your dedicated hard work and preparation. We appreciate your focus on oratory, a skill that will serve these students well for years to come. Furthermore, to the middle school students, your efforts in mastering the art of oratory were truly commendable. Your dedication, as well as the school’s, was clearly evident in your performances.
As Mrs. Henry eloquently stated, “May the spirit of these fitly spoken words echo down the halls of history, reinvigorating and energizing us to make the world a more beautiful place.”
