Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1944 / Verhovay Journal
June 8, 1944 __________________________________________ V erhowty A PLEA Journal In Behalf of the Long-Suffering Audience Anniversary and testimonial banquets are part of the American life. They are an essential part of branch-activities, also. Each banquet is considered by the resp. group as the highlight of its annual program, and, therefore, all the members are invited, coaxed and forced to attend. It is the sad observation of the writer that the general tone of banquets has noticeably deteriorated during the last decade. Almost every banquet begins with the president of the group entreating the audience to “kindly listen” to the speakers and give them due respect by observing courteous silence during the interminably long period of speeches. As a rule, it is already during the exhortations of the chairman that the audience displays growing restlessness which increases during the introduction of the '“master of ceremonies” and culminates in total bedlam during the third or fourth address to which the audience is repeatedly exhorted to listen “patiently.” At the same time complaints are increasing because of the growing lack of interest in such affairs and, therefore, we deem this to be the right time to make a plea not in behalf of the speakers who have to deliver their addresses to a sweating and chattering audience, but in behalf of the audience itself, which—we claim—has more than one reason to stay away from public ceremonies of this kind. As one who has always sat at the speakers’ table, I must express my sincere and deep sympathy with the audience. I feel that due to the position which I have filled during the last decade as “master of ceremonies” and “speaker” at such occasions, I am also qualified to make such a plea in the defense of the long-suffering and much abused audience. It should be stated first of all that whenever people are invited under the pretext that some kind of “entertainment” will be offered to them, they should not be disappointed at the last minute by being informed that they are not going to be entertained, on the contrary: they are expected to do very hard work indeed, the work of listening to men and women, who for some reason or other claim the right to be listened to attentively. Speakers are, generally, not slated according to ability, but according to some mystic rule by which each one of them “deserves” a hearing by the audience. The entertainment committee takes great pains not to avoid or forget to slate anyone who has the slightest “right” to speak, for fear of hurting someone’s feeling, but, at the same time, it seems to forget completely that it is hurting the feelings of the entire audience by such attitude. . Public speaking is a gift which has not been given to everyone. But it seems that there isn’t a person left in the world who does not believe that he or she could deliver a thrilling address. Some banquets have as many as twenty speakers on the program. The representative of each and every group has to say “just a few words” which, after the first three speeches, turn out to be the exact repetition of everything that has been said before. Yet the speakers insist on saying the very same thing over and over again with the very slight difference of emphasizing that their speech is in behalf of this and that particular group or organization or branch. The undeserved torture of the audience is only increased by the fact .that each and every speaker insists on informing the audience on his part, too, that “we are gathered here to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this organization”, which is a well known fact to every guest of the affair, since it is printed on each and every ticket. It is very well, if the speaker praises the cooks and the waiters, and also the officers of the celebrating organization, but if that is done by each and every speaker, it develops into a tedium that is»hard to match. Especially if it is done in a solemn way, in which the speaker does not exert the slightest effort to catch the interest of the audience, but nevertheless, demands breathless attention. He, who has not the gift of public speaking, should not accept such an assignment, because 10 or 15 ungifted speakers will certainly spoil the entire affair which will succeed only due to the untiring patience of the longsuffering audience, which, however, lately shows every sign of a growing rebellion against such imposition. The tedium is made more torturous by the unwise selection of the “master of ceremonies.” In most instances he is not a master of his art at all, but a “deserving” member of the committee who receives this assignment as a “reward” for his untiring efforts in behalf of the celebrating organization. The poor fellow may not be a speaker at all, all he can do is to announce the next speaker using every intermission for impassioned requests for more silence, please. On such occasions a man or a woman should be given the role of the master of ceremonies, who is a master of this art, who can say much with few words, who has wit, humor, intelligence and the ability to catch the attention of the audience. A good master of ceremonies may entertain the audience, notwithstanding of the fact that he has a list of the most awful speakers, on the other had, an ungifted master of ceremonies may spoil the whole affair even if there are some excellent speakers on the program. I have a special spot reserved in the hate-corner of my soul for the custom of introducing someone to introduce the speaker. The other day I attended a War Bond program which had five speakers. Each speaker was introduced by some gentleman or lady who, in turn, was introduced by someone else who, again, was introduced by the master of ceremonies. The affair had one of the most successful men as master of ceremonies, but the poor fellow didn’t have a chance ... those introducers certainly spoiled the show, and all that was left of it, was spoiled by the speakers, who, in spite of the length of the program insisted on talking 30-40 and even 5l minutes i to an audience tha suffered the agonies of hell or earth throughout the entire procedure. An audience that pays $1.51 for the dinner, deserves human itarian treatment. There is nr excuse for torturing it. And sucv a program is torture, plain and simple. And humanitarian treatment is deserved, also, by faithful officials and representatives of other organizations. It is an immensely painful experience to talk to a restless audience. Such an assignment is no reward, but a punishment. True, there are men and women, who seem not to notice that no one is listening to them, they still enjoy listening to themselves, but such people are a public menace and should be restrained for their own and the public’s sake. There is no earthly reason, why such officers and delegates cannot be introduced by a capable master of ceremonies with three or four short remarks that hit the spot: the persons thus introduced will get a bigger hand than they will if they are permitted to make a speech. It has become the custom on well-planned banquets to have one single speaker, but a capable one. Quite often the man is invited from some other town. If the choice of the committee is a wise one, that one speaker will really give the audience something to listen to, he will exhaust the thoughts that are evoked by the occasion. There is no need for further speeches. A capable master of ceremonies should introduce distinguished visitors, not to say “just a few words”, but to “take a bow”, and all the deserving individuals are taken care of in a few minutes. Two or three musical numbers may complete the program. If such procedure is followed, a few self-appointed public speakers may feel hurt, however, the audience is more important than a few individuals who have lost their judgment. After all, you want the audience to come back for the next occasion and if, then, the self-appointed and imaginary public speaker stays away, so much the better. Perhaps I should attempt to step where angels fear to tread. I don’t know, how many, if any, clergymen read this Journal, but if they read it, their understanding is humbly requested by one who himself wears the title of a “reverend.” I have to hand it to the clergy of the Roman Catholic church, who will say grace in the strictly observed manner ' which the Church has established. It is mostly the clergymen of the other denominations, to one of which the writer belongs, too, who indulge at introductory prayers at great length, informing the Almighty as to the occasion, the importance and the auspices of the celebrated occasion. I dare say, the Almighty knows all that, and so does the audience, which for this very reason begins to act restlessly at the very beginning of the affair. Prayer is an occasion for thanksgiving and supplication: that should be done, and the information of the Almighty through praying AT the audience should be avoided at all costs, since it degrades the saying of ace into just another speech * * * In the event of a testimonia .nquet the committee should jnsider the honored officia, /hich is very seldom done. As a ule, the procedure followed is he same as outlined above and he celebrated officer is given a neasly chance to express his .ppreciation at the very end oi he banquet, preferably when •lost of the guests have already Jeparted and those remaining do lot care to hear another speech. At a testimonial banquet, one speaker should elaborate on the nerits of the celebrated officer, „hen the gift, if any, should be .landed to him, and then he should be given a chance to deliver a speech which will be more moving anyhow than anything anyone else may say. It is usually the recognized officer oi the organization, who has the best ideas and the right way tc present them, since those are the qualities that called for recognition. A true chance is passed by for the edification of the audience, if he is neglected and not given a chance to develop his ideas and suggestions to the audience at a time when it has not been tired out completely by the monotony of repeated greetings from scores of organizations represented at the affair. * * * There are still many men left who claim that one can learn something from every speech, even from a bad one. Even if that is true, the fact remains that in our hurried age we have no time to spend three hours in order to learn some little irrelevant fact or receive a tiny spark of encouragement. People attend banquets for entertainment and not for education. If they are to be educated, it should be done by men and women who know how to do it. I, for my part, definitely decline to attend another affair at which a master of ceremonies will introduce an introducer who will introduce the one who will finally introduce the speaker. Have mercy on the audience and the audience will listen to the program!-----------V----------THAT OTHER FELLOW! When the other fellow is set in his ways, he’s obstinate; when you are, it’s firmness ... When he dislikes your friends, he’s prejudiced; when you dislike his, your are showing you are a good judge of character ... When he is especially polite to somebody, he’s toadying; when you try the same game, you are using tact... When he takes time to do things, he is slow; when you do, you are deliberate ... When he sees flaws in things, he’s a crank; when you do, you are discriminating.—London Answers. ___________________Fage T News FROM THE FIELD MAYNARD, O. — BRANCH 5. — Our next regular monthly meeting will be held on Sunday, June 18th, 1944, at 10:30 A.M., instead of 2 P. ML, our regular hour, at the Csajka Grove. Important matters are up for discussion and the members are requested to attend this meeting. Those who have a loan on their membership certificate, are urged to pay at least the interest on the loan for the sake of their beneficiaries. Loans and unpaid interests reduce the face-value of the certificate. Every conscientious member wishes his beneficiaries to receive the full amount of his certificate: please, do not neglect to clear your certificate of any indebtedness before it is too late. Fraternally* JULIUS SHADI, manager, JOHN KOVACH, president. YOUNGSTOWN, O. - BRANCH 108. — The Branch celebrated its 35th anniversary on May 28th, 1944, at 6 P. M., in the St, Stephen’s Hall. Mr. Bencze, Supreme President represented the Home Office and delivered a stirring address in behalf of the present and past officers of the Branch. Mr. Frank Brogley, director, presented to Mr. Joseph Turner, Mr. Ahdrew Debroczky, Mr. Joseph Junas and Mr. Joseph Batta, the diploma and Verhovay medal, awarded to these excellent officers for many years of meritorious service. Mr. Debroczky has been president of the Branch for the last 22 years. Mr. Joseph Juhas has served as treasurer for 15 years, Mr. Joseph Batta, had filled the position of manager of Hubbard for 30 years, and Mr. Joseph Turner, director and manager of Branch 108, who just recently recovered from serious illness, has served the branch in several capacities for 26 years. Special recognition has been given to the 55 soldiers of the Branch, among them to Margaret Turner, who enlisted with the Waves immediately after the recovery of her father. SPRINGDALE, PA. - BRANCH 296. — The Ladies’ Club Of Branch 296 will have a Father’s Day Banquet on June 17th, 1944, Saturday, at 8 P. M. All members and friends are invited to attend this affair. Let us honor the fathers who unceasingly toil to provide their families! All Verhovay members and all friends of our organization are invited to attend! THE COMMITTEE. CLEVELAND, O., — BRANCH 361. — The Verhovay Ladies will hold their monthly meeting, until further notice, on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 R. M. All ' members are urged to attend. The Branch will sponsor a ROSE BALL, on June 10th, 1944, at the Verhovay Hall, 8637 Buckeye Rd., beginning at 7:30 P.M. We will have excellent music and arrangements have been made to assure our guests of a pleasant evening. Mrs. Susan Ocverak will serve as chairman, assisted by the entertainment Committee and the officers Of the Branch. MRS. LOUIS VASSY, Mg* a
