The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-09
: MnsIc Teachlng saggeslIons.

In this letter / will depart, in a
measure, from the subject which the
heading suggests, as l wish to speak
of singing as a physical exercise. We
frequently hear it stated or surmised
by scientific men Cor those who
ought to be)-that singing is an lDju-
nv. that it has injured this person or
that person, and thereby convey the
i'm preston that this exercise upon the
vocal organs and lungs has brought
ON a disease Of those organs, and
finally consumption, or that it has
been the principal agency or cause.
One such assertion by person who
IA supposed to be scientific and who
Is generally well informed. will
very naturally exert wide spread
influence, especially over those (and
the class is large) who very seldom, if
ever, reflect or reason from : cause to
effect" What is the result? 1t is
this: Why do you let your daughter
take lessons in singing?" Why do
YOU let her sing so much?" Don't
you know that She will have the con-
sumption, if you do--that it will kill
The. only or most fitting reply to such
stupid thought would be, Non.
SEUSG
argument. To those who think or are
we'll informed, it seems almost in
credible that any argument or discus
sion is necessary to dlsslpRte the
mind Of such a gross error. he
fleet for just moment that the
suggestion is not in regard to him
but to her" | have never heard
this reason given why boys should not
study vocal culture and practice sing
ing. Why so? Is 1t because boys,
or young men, never devote or give
attention to this valuable and inter
esting study .? or, as Bassini says, be-
cause the organism of woman is so
different from that of man that she
/ cannot exercise the lungs and chest as
men do during the act of respiration.
No one believes the former, (not
even in this city, and every physician
| or common sense person, will ridlcule
the idea as being very absurd. The
reason--if there is any-Why ladies
! (soonleR, / should say cannot exercise
the chest and lungs properly and fohy-
sioZoqically, whether during the act
i of singing or not, is evident. 1t need
not be stated here. My pupils,
whether private or class, understand
me upon this point, and if they fail to
give heed to the plainly spoken sug-
gestions and advice, it is either be-
/ cause they are not fully convinced of
/ the benefits to be derived from put
| ting the suggestions into practice
every day-or they lack physical en-
ergy and mental force to make the
requisite effort. This latter is too
often the reason, [ fear. In nine
teuths of the cases. where any injury
results from vocal practice, it is be-
cause the proper organs or muscles
the Tlotive p0aCer-are not brought
i into exercise. This mode of practice
is just about as absurd as to attempt
to lift heavy weight with the arm by
simply exercising the muscles of the
arm or leg. Men are at fault in this
respect, the same as women, though
not to the same degree.
l will here remark that this igno-
rance of the laws of health ought to
| be corrected in our common schools
and colleges, and / venture to say
that In the majority of schools where
/ Physiology is recognized as an i'm
portant branch of study-and instruc-
/ ton is actually given-but very little,
if anything, is said In regard to the
i correct method of breathing. And if
the subject is limited at, it is not made
practical. Not one professional elo-
cutionist in ten does justice to his
class in this particular. The Min
ister's sore throat is the natural re-
lit Of ignorance. But to finish what
IL have to say upon this subject would
me- re it too long. More anon.
| H s. PERKINS,