Question

Someone described as an excellent “elocutionist” excels at doing what?

Answer 1

The success of lyceums attests to the value Americans placed on elocution and oratory early in the 19th century. In keeping with this emphasis a number of individuals began providing elocution lessons for those interested in improving their own ways of speaking, reading aloud, giving oral presentations, or singing.

Elocutionist was the name given to both those who performed orations themselves and those who taught others how to perform. These US specialists in oral presentation called themselves elocutionists, following the already established elocution movement in the United Kingdom.