Chamber mates keen to spread speaking skills

Andrew Mathieson
THREE Geelong men want to turn back time to when poise and diction counted for something.
Octogenarian Jack Stewart remembers the lessons from the first time he spoke publicly. Then a young man, his nerves were shot standing in front of less than 20 people.
“I was telling myself that I was a fool and that the back door was behind me, so get out,” he said. “But, no, I stayed with it and I am so glad I did because I knew my subject so well and I just had to get rid of the nerves and deliver it.”
Holding on to old-school values of public speaking, chairmanship and debating, 1950s Geelong Junior Chamber of Commerce members including Mr Stewart, Cedric Carr and Derek Shaw want to revive the chamber’ s programs that served them so well.
“We were so grateful that we had this early training and it’s just something we wanted to share,” Mr Stewart said.
“Today is no different to 50 or so years ago.”
The good mates later formed Geelong Personal Development, which Mr Stewart said was instrumental in launching the public careers of former Cats stars Sam Newman and Billy Brownless after football.
Mr Stewart said people aged 18 to 40 keen on learning public speaking skills from the former junior chamber members should phone him on 5243 6387.