Gloria – A Student’s Memoir of Intended Paths
by
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Chapter One It All Began In a Speech Class
It all began in a speech class and worth the two years I waited to learn under Mrs. Noble’s instruction. She was the professor I could truly talk to, giving me the confidence I needed at the time – just to get through delivering a speech. Some professors use other methods by demanding that students get in there and learn by doing. However, Mrs. Noble’s method was flexible and she adjusted to the student’s needs. Mrs. Noble was the speech lifeguard who provided me the life-line I’d need to communicate effectively by reassuring: “You’ll be fine.” She had that special touch providing the extra edge maximizing the speaker’s confidence. Mrs. Noble interacted one-on-one, and she cared for her students. She was warm and friendly, people-oriented, and connected well on a personable level. Somehow, Mrs. Noble sensed what it took to pull out the best in her students. I know she certainly pulled out the best in me. Speech is one class that is highly critical to get the right professor for the student. Especially, if the student is shy, timid, or self- conscious of any kind of speech impediment however mild it may be. Reflecting back, I’m grateful I pursued what I feared most – public speaking. Mrs. Noble sent an e-mail two weeks before class began. Hello all. “Welcome to speech class for the fall. Please print the attached document and bring it to class with you on the first day. If you have any questions please let me know. Enjoy what’s left of your summer!” Mrs. Noble
I replied to her message requesting an outline and the due-date for the first speech. Mrs. Noble, kindly responded: “I have attached the first assignment. Promise me you won’t panic.” It was vital to keep the pace with Mrs. Noble. I couldn’t afford to fall behind, so I made certain I stayed ahead of her assignments. I was not a natural in public speaking. The sooner I had my speech written – the more I had time to practice. I sensed something important about this professor. Maybe it was her high-professional profile, or her optimistic drive. It could have been her credibility introducing herself on the first day of class. “Allow me to introduce myself and share with you a little bit about my background. I’m Mrs. Noble. Welcome to speech class this semester. I’m assistant professor of speech communication, instructional technology coordinator, and I was awarded Speakman Excellence in Teaching in 2004.” More important, I realized her sensitivity from her e-mail assuring me not to panic. Her optimism, personable character, and connecting one-on-one was more valuable to me than her credibility. Later, I would discover her award-winning credibility as a journalism professor. The first assignment began with a brief introductory speech mentioning a few favorite things and something personally descriptive reflecting our personality. Truth is… I was in sheer panic! I’m grateful she provided me an opportunity to get an early start preparing for the first speech. It took a lot of brainstorming, and with high speech anxiety, I couldn’t have put this together on short notice. One of the visuals I brought to the introductory speech was The Bell Tower year book from 1995 when I graduated from the LPN program at Ridge Ford University in Arkansas. I had no clue about her background. I didn’t realize until after I finished her speech class and noticed [in The Bell Tower yearbook] a photograph of Gloria Noble appearing on channel 5 news when she was a journalism professor. It was probably a good thing I was unaware of her background. I was apprehensive enough in public speaking. Not knowing just who it was I was presenting my speeches to, I interacted with Mrs. Noble on a common level. She could detect where I needed to smooth out rough edges, in delivering a speech, and would work with me from there. She mentioned prior to this introductory speech, “Don’t look frightened at your audience or they’ll look frightened right back at you. You’ll have your audience worried for you.” I didn’t have a frightened look, but my audience was worried for me. Julie was giving me a worried “C’mon you can do it!” expression. My main dilemma was lengthy pauses in trying to cover up stammering in repetitive syllables. I struggled with this speech impediment all my life and only had a small circle of friends who would speak for me. The only problem was this protective environment hindered the exposure and confidence in public speaking. Sometimes it would get frustrating when a person would ask me a question and someone would answer it for me. This is why speech was the most dreaded class I signed up for. Now it was my turn – for my voice to be heard. Five minutes I would speak and the audience would listen. I wasn’t use to people taking the time to listen. In the silence-filled auditorium, thoughts quickly flashed through my mind: “I don’t belong up here please God get me through this!” Suddenly… in a moment’s crescendo, confidence spurred, I cut loose when I came to the part flawlessly spoken: “A song that would describe me is Reba McEntire’s hit song Is There Life Out There?” I suddenly glanced up at Mrs. Noble. She kicked back in her chair, clasped her hands together, and grinning ear to ear. I’ll never forget her expression more award-winning than a standing ovation – a snapshot frozen only in memory. Gloria Noble believed in my potential – and me. After all, there I was performing in front of someone who could have been destined to be a reporter/journalist.
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About the Book
A speech professor and her student make a unique connection that changes each other’s lives. Mrs. Noble encourages Priscilla to engage in public speaking, yet discovers in her student that where spoken words faltered, writing flourished. Priscilla, driven to profess God in her speech, is unsure what her professor believes.
When Mrs. Noble approves a persuasive speech about Ronald Reagan’s character and values, Priscilla begins an in-depth research project on the Cold War. The research reveals that Reagan was a former pacifist and Mikhail Gorbachev was a secret believer in God. This memoir contains analogies and metaphors that thread the research into the research experience.
At the Reykjavik Summit, an agreement could not be made because neither Reagan nor Gorbachev revealed their beliefs. Both leaders were misunderstood. A misunderstanding which must be clarified as the research is prepared for the symposium presentation.
A serendipitous path leads Priscilla to interview Mrs. Noble, only to discover her professor’s intended path was not the path on which she ended up. Priscilla writes about unexpected detours. Then Mrs. Noble reveals a paper she formerly wrote, quoting “A Road Less Traveled By.” This intuitive student later analyzes the two papers.
How will Priscilla present Ronald Reagan in the Undergraduate Research Symposium, when she soon discovers her professor is battling cancer?
Gloria – A Student’s Memoir of Intended Paths is a message of hope and faith. In it Priscilla looks up to God and Mrs. Noble during a brief crossroads and an unforgettable experience.
About the Author
Priscilla Jacobson is the pen name of one of Mrs. Noble’s former speech students. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric/writing with a minor in political science. Priscilla currently lives in Arkansas, has twin daughters, and three grandchildren. This is her first book.