The Younger Verse Speakers Anthology Book I

The Younger Verse Speakers Anthology Book I (1954) by E. Guy Pertwee and Marjorie Lyon
Publisher: Samuel French
ISBN: None
Condition: Fair

There was once a time when children were expected not merely to read poetry, but to stand in front of an audience and perform it. Preferably from memory. Preferably without fainting. And preferably while sounding as though they understood every word.

The Younger Verse Speakers Anthology Book I belongs proudly to that era.

Published in 1954, this collection was designed to provide young speakers with an arsenal of poems, recitations and performance pieces suitable for school concerts, speech days, church gatherings and any other occasion where adults felt children should be encouraged to develop "character" through public embarrassment.

Compiled by E. Guy Pertwee and Marjorie Lyon, the anthology gathers together a variety of verse intended to entertain, inspire and occasionally terrify young performers who suddenly realised there were far more people in the room than they had anticipated. Somewhere within these pages lurk brave heroes, amusing mishaps, noble sentiments and enough rhythm and rhyme to keep generations of schoolteachers gainfully employed.

What makes books like this so fascinating today is the extraordinary faith they place in the spoken word. Modern children may create videos, podcasts and social media content. In 1954, however, success was measured by one’s ability to stand upright, project clearly to the back row and avoid forgetting the third stanza.

The book comes from Samuel French, a publisher long associated with theatre and performance, and that theatrical heritage shines through. These selections were not merely intended to be read. They were meant to be delivered with enthusiasm, expression and perhaps just a touch of dramatic overacting.

Our copy is in Fair condition, meaning it has almost certainly fulfilled its intended purpose. One can easily imagine it being carried to rehearsals, consulted before competitions and nervously clutched backstage by aspiring young performers waiting for their moment in the spotlight. Books about public speaking often seem to acquire a little wear, perhaps because their owners spend so much time turning pages with slightly sweaty hands.

Today it offers a delightful glimpse into a vanished educational world where elocution mattered, clear diction was considered a virtue and entire afternoons could be devoted to selecting the perfect piece of verse for the school recital. It is both a practical anthology and an accidental social history of how children were taught confidence before anyone invented PowerPoint.

Whether you are interested in theatre, education, vintage anthologies or simply enjoy the thought of generations of youngsters bravely declaiming poetry to rows of proud parents, this volume has much to recommend it.

A charming survivor from the age when public speaking was a rite of passage, memorisation was a skill worth cultivating, and a well-delivered poem could earn more applause than an entire smartphone ever will.

Keep browsing: See more Poetry books Other books by E Guy Pertwee and Marjorie Lyon