“corrective speech class”, which was the terminology of that time for speech therapy.


Larry Swindell wrote, “She was the first teacher he ever liked, and it amounted to a schoolboy crush. Mrs. O’Ryan thought she could build Julie’s confidence by getting him to recite in front of the class, and she assigned Thomas Paine’s words about the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot, ‘These are the times that try men’s souls ……’ He memorized the text flawlessly and Mrs. O’Ryan noticed he didn’t stammer when he knew what he wanted to say.”


Mrs. O’Ryan was also the dramatics instructor and made the decision to further Garfield’s fluency in front of audiences by casting him in one act plays that were performed at student assemblies. From his earliest acting exercises in Margaret O’Ryan’s classroom, he extracted an earnest and clearcut will actor.


to become an


the finding. Dr. Patri found me, and for reaching into the garbage pail and pulling me out, I owe him everything. The good things that came my way would not have been possible but for that sweet, funny man.”


Swindell’s biography states that in Garfield’s later years, his every reference to Angelo Patri had a ceremonial tone.


Patri himself later said about his famous pupil, “He seemed full of antagonism, as if everybody – all grown people- were against him. But there was really nothing wrong with Julie, and I liked him. He had a nice embarrassed smile, and because he lacked confidence, he had that bad stammer …..”.


Garfield did not acknowledge his stuttering until Dr. Patri brought it to his attention that he should try some type of a speech program. It is said that by enrolling the youngster in a corrective speech class, Patri delivered Garfield to the person who would have the biggest influence in his life. Mrs. Margaret O’Ryan taught a


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