Untitled Notes

Speaker: Joshua Gunn, Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Focus: Philosophical aspect of public speaking, referred to as "the call of public speaking."

Public speaking ranked as the number one fear among people, surpassing death, which is ranked second.
- Notion illustrated with a humorous note: "If you have to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy."

Public speaking is integral to life; involves informal settings like toasts, tributes, and eulogies.
Acts as a form of communion, a call to be with others and maintain community.
- Emphasizes that public speaking is not isolated but rather involves interaction between the speaker and the audience.

The term "call":
- Noun: a forceful invitation to attend something.
- Verb: the act of making that invitation, implying a response or engagement from the other party.
It highlights the communal aspect of public speaking: it involves two or more parties.

Philosophy:
- A communal approach to speech arts; public speaking reinforces community connections.
Vocation:
- Public speaking as a calling; it goes beyond a mere career, instead serving as a fundamental element of one’s life purpose.
- People often are called to speak in their chosen vocations, making it essential.
Responsibility:
- The speaker is responsible to listeners and must convey important messages.

Joshua Gunn identifies as a first-generation college student, reflecting on his background in Centerville, Georgia.
Personal motivations and challenges: faced bullying for having friends of color and being queer.
Public speaking provided a pathway to higher education and personal freedom.
Engaged in speaking early on through class participation and debate, which formed his career base.
- Debate camps: Attended prestigious camps that honed his public speaking and organizational skills.
- Impact of debate: Learning to outline thoughts and create mental images for audiences.
- The "magic of three": A concept emphasizing that audiences can remember about three key points.
  - Example song: "Three is a Magic Number" from Schoolhouse Rock introduced this concept through cultural memory.

Initial teaching of public speaking was private and restricted to affluent families.
Shift led by Jonathan Baldwin Turner aiming to establish public universities.
- Turner advocated for public universities to include agricultural education during the Civil War.
Justin Smith Morrill: Instrumental in passing the Land-Grant Act (1862) which facilitated the establishment of public universities focused on agricultural and military education.
- Significance: Provided educational access to the working class, promoting social mobility.
Example: Texas A&M as the first land-grant institution illustrating this educational shift;
The University of Texas's establishment grew from similar land-grant principles.

Textbook evolution in higher education to cater to middle-class students who needed assistance in reading, writing, and speaking skills.
Transition of course names from Oral English to Speech and eventually to Communication Studies.

Public universities began emphasizing public speaking as a way to uplift and provide opportunities for disadvantaged students.
Public speaking empowered students to organize thoughts and present their ideas effectively, influencing their success across various domains.
Shift toward teaching digital speaking skills, relevant in modern contexts, such as Zoom presentations, reflecting ongoing evolution.

Importance of considering public speaking as not only an academic endeavor but also as an ethical responsibility.
Public speaking can be a means to promote social change and listening to the voices of others.
The call to public speaking serves as an opportunity for empowerment in society, particularly for those affected by structural setbacks;
The lectures aim to reframe public speaking as a vital tool for community building and ethical engagement.