Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/555

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550
OKUM.
OKUM.

ORUM, Miss Julia Anna, educator, born in Philadelphia, Pa.. 28th October, 1844. She is principal of the Philadelphia School of Elocution and of the Mountain Lake Park Summer School of JULIA ANNA ORUM. Elocution One of her maternal ancestors, Leonard Keyser, was burned at the stake for his faith, in 1527. Another of that stanch Holland family, Dirck Keyser, settled in Germantown, Pa., in 1688, and helped to establish a school there under Francis David Pastorius. One of her paternal ancestors, Bartholomew Longstreth, of Yorkshire, Eng., was disinherited for becoming a Quaker and came to America in 1698. Miss Orum was graduated with honor from the Philadelphia Normal School, when she was twenty years of age. Having chosen the teaching of elocution as her profession, she studied for several years with the veteran tragedian. James B. Roberts. Becoming a personal believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, she determined to use her talent and culture, as far as possible, to help those who leach or preach. Large numbers of ministers and teachers have been under her instruction. Many a young woman, whose voice had given out under the severe strain of constant school-room reiterations, has been saved from pulmonary and throat diseases by Miss Oram's teaching. Men with faulty vocal habits have been kept in the pulpit by her voice-culture and have become far more agreeable and effective in the delivery of sermons. Her method is that taught by the English tragedian, James Fennell; principles, rather than rules; the analysis of sense the basis of delivery; naturalness the height of art. For years she has been connected as instructor in elocution with the Young Men's Christian Association of Philadelphia and Germantown. She taught with marked success in several private schools, until she established an institution of her own, in 1885. All who come under her influence feel the power of her enthusiastic love for her art. Though she has given due attention to the higher styles of secular literature, she makes Bible-teaching the climax of elocutionary training. Her Bible-readings are largely attended. They are wonderfully graphic and realistic and bring out in a marked degree the strength and beauty of the sacred text Her lectures are rich in illustration and remarkable for their clearness. Her receptions are large and brilliant gatherings. She declines all invitations to appear before public audiences, except as a teacher or Bible-reader. She has always been actively engaged in the philanthropic and benevolent work of the church, particularly its home missions.


OSGOOD, Miss Marion, violinist, composer and orchestra conductor, was born in Chelsea, Mass. She comes of an artistic and musical family. Her late father was associated as a teacher with Lowell Mason, and her mother, Mrs. Mary A. Osgood, is an author and music composer. MARION OSGOOD. It is claimed that Miss Osgood's was the first fully organized professional orchestra of the best class, composed exclusively of women, that has done public service in America, and perhaps in the world. That orchestra, called by her name, consisting of brass and wood-winds and tympani, as well as strings, has won brilliant success, season after season, in social circles and upon the concert platform, and has secured praises from the most exacting metropolitan critics. Her example has been widely imitated, both with and without some measure of success, and to-day professional orchestra-playing by women upon brass, wood-wind, strings and tympani is an established feature of American musical life. Miss Osgood is not desirous of being known to fame mainly as an orchestral conductor. She is giving more and more of her time to solo playing, to musical composition and to teaching and she already ranks among the first of women violinists in this country. Among her many