Wabash College - Wabash Yearbook (Crawfordsville, IN)

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Prof. Chapman first taught elocution in two of the Normal Schools of Maine-Farmington and Castine-and in the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute, Fort Edward, N. Y. In the spring of 1877, he became connected with the New Hampton Literary Institution, New Hampton, N. H. He remained here for ten years, and showed himself a man of remarkable versatility and staying qualities. His power over his pupils was extraordinary. Boys who came to the school from the rocky farms and hillsides of New Hampshire, awkward and shy, were soon transformed under Prof. Chapman's training into graceful and forcible speakers. The school at New Hampton during his connection with it, was known for the excellent training it gave in elocution, and many students were drawn to the school for the sake of being under his instruction. There were two literary societies connected with the New Hampton Institution, each of which once a year used to give an entertainment at which a drama was played in connection with the literary exercises. Prof. Chapman always helped select the plays, and trained those who took part in it. In all, he put more than fifty plays upon the stage for the school and the townspeople, and appeared in several of them himself. It is entirely safe to say that no elocu- tionist has appeared oftener and more favorably before the same people than Prof. Chapman. During the ten years at New Hampton he must have given on an average two or three public readings each year, and his services were in great demand in all the adjoining towns. He has given readings in almost every section of New England 5 and in many towns of New Hampshire he has read from three to six times, and testimonials from all parts of New England show how well he has been appreciated. While Prof. Chapman was employed at New Hampton, he also gave courses of instruction in elocution in the High School at Manchester, N. H., Vermont Methodist Seminary, Montpelier, Vt., Green Mountain Seminary, Waterbury Center, Vt., and Berwick Academy, South Berwick, Maine. His elocutionary powers are remarkably varied, and his public programmes have a wide range. This adds greatly to his success and his ability to interest all classes of people and the same people many times. From the deepest pathos he passes quickly and easily to the most ludicrous. He has a power- ful voice of great Hexibility, so well under control that he could speak above the tumult of a crowd or express the tenderest emotions. He has many of the qualities of an actor, and has great success in his portrayal of characters that are odd or ludicrous. His powers of mimicry and drollery are great. As a teacher of elocution Prof. Chapman's most serviceable quality is his power to make boys think well of their own ability. He has confidence in 29 X

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3811165 flD21Dl5Ol1 Chapman. In nature all types and classes agree within certain limitations, but re- markably diversified sometimes are the individuals of any class. It is the way in which the qualities which are common to a class are combined in an individual that makes an interesting personality. He is most interesting, and quickest wins the applause of the world, who is what he is by the endowments of nature, and whose balance of powers never reminds us of others. Such is the subject of this sketch. Professor Chapman has a strong and impressive personality. He never reminds one of any one else. He has a rare dignity of bearing, impressiveness of speech, and the power of throwing his own peculiar personality into conversation, and thus from the start he wins attention, and impresses himself upon those whom he meets as a person of originality and im- portance. Besides, he has an uncompromising persistency in the pursuit of what he has desired to attain, so that he has forced success and won attention. Nothing better illustrates this pertinacity of purpose than his unswerving de- votion, in spite sometimes of delicate health, to the work of preparing for his profession. James Madison Chapman was born May 7, 1851, in Newmarket, N. H. His father, James Madison Chapman, was, for many years, a prominent lawyer and politician, and was related to not a few of New England's most famous men. After completing the regular course of study in the schools of his native town, he took a special course in the New Hampshire Seminary at Tilton, N. H. But his health did not allow him to take a college course. He early began teaching in his native town. Besides teaching several private schools, he was Principal of the Grammar School at Newmarket. After teaching about four years, notwithstanding his services were sought after by not a few school committees, he decided to permanently give up school-teaching and to prepare himself to teach elocution. He studied with private tutors in Boston for two years. His principal elocutionary training, however, was received from Prof. Ralph G. Hibbard, of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., although he received some instruction from Prof. Lewis B. Monroe, late of Boston, and also the late Samuel K. Murdock, of Philadelphia, brother of the distinguished actor. Prof. Hibbard still mentions with pride the early promise of his pupil who has since become so favorably known as a public reader and teacher of elocution. 28

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himself, and inspires his pupils with confidence. He gets in with the boys, he associates with them, he sympathizes with them, he puts himself in many ways on an equality with them, and yet he somehow always makes them look up to him. He has entire control of himself, and is completely imperturbable. Boys never incline to deride his authority, or overstep the bounds of intimacy. He adapts himself readily to individuals and to circumstances. He can be as free and approachable as childhood, or as reserved as the chill of age, but undig- nified, never. In the spring of 1887, Prof. Chapman went to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he remained till the close of the summer term of 1893, when he was called to Wabash College, as Professor of Gratory. For the work at St. johns- bury, Prof. Chapman's experience at New Hampton had rendered him eminently fitted. And he was soon able to bring the work in elocution in the academy to a very high standard. At St. johnsbury he exhibited the sa.me qualities with the same success as at New Hampton 5 and even added to his reputation, so that he attained a degree of popularity indeed enviable as a teacher and reader, and there are few elocutionists who stand before the public today in New England who are as widely and as favorably known as he. It was with sincere regret that the people of St. johnsbury accepted his resigna- tion. But their regret was tempered by the feeling of pride with which they furnished to a higher institution so trained and capable an occupant for the chair of Oratory. 30