I remember some really good speakers that were very entertaining in their delivery. I suspect they did not stick to an outline.
My dad gave a few hour talks and always had a slide show....I remember one he gave that was exceptional but it took him weeks to get it prepared and my mom had a lot to do with it.
It was on the origins of the earth and man, it included 300 slides...which ate up a good hour. Everyone loved it.
One of my uncles had to give a talk on sex, and being the jokester he is, made a few jabs about is own marriage. Needless to say, his wife was really pissed off.....that in itself was very entertaining.
The rest were absolute yawners. Public speaking is a gift and few people have it.
As far as talks for the women....what a joke. You had to cover stuff in 5 minutes, pretend to be a householder...blah blah blah....it was sickening. I hated it. Your skirt might land to short, a nylon had run, your householder didn't show, you tripped with your heels up to the stage, or horrors, you had to pee, cough, etc. Its was a nightmare.
Funny, in later years I could speak no problem in front of lawyers, homeowners and the media with no prep needed. Just spoke my mind with no jitters what so ever. (That was training from a DFing in front of many men twice at 16)....never had nerves after that for public speaking.....it was a real cure.
r.