Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-03-10
EDUCATIONAL
For the Free Press.
Neglected Branches Of Education.


EDUCATIONAL
For the Free Press.
Neglected Branches of Education.
ELoCUTIoS-So. Ill
Let one consider for moment soE import
ant to public mans success il life an carly,
scientific ana thorough rhetorical training must
be, especially in such 8 proverbia.iy speech
making nation as we are, and it will strike him
al first as remarkable and almost unaccouut4-
bic that this branch Of education should have
fallen into such utter neglect in our schools, or
should be taught 80 iupsrfectly and incorrectly
II tie few where it is taught al al. This Is the
condition Of elocution in the eiucatioaa, como
ny Of to-day. In nearly al our common
schools 10 attention Whatever IS paid to it. while
in most Of our high schools the word deeiama-
ton IL made 70 cover the whole subject. 4
. pretence is made Of teaching it " after FISH
ion" but upon a system radically wrong or
upon no system a. all; and in such an insufi-
cieat and incorrect manner that the influence Of
such Instruction Of may dignity 1t BY that
title upon the pupil is more hurtful 'hsn bene-
fetal state it as ny candid opinion, founded
upon experience, that the system Of instruction
III defamation pursued in most Of our higher
schools AMI colleges is not only comparatively
useless, but positively injurious, and that en-
tire neglect would be preferable.
Here is a specimen Of the '' system Of in-
stru,;ion" O. which is followed il msuy, al-
most al, Of our high schools, and can cAl
upon any teacher in Vermont to sly whether or
lot it is exaggerated or incorrect: upon aer-
tain day boy is informed by the master tina, On
the following wednesday he must De prepared
to '- speak tiese.' He is then lefi 10 slif. tlr
himself until that tine and 70 ohoose q piece
without aid or advice, and generally succeeds in
making q selection which il sbou; as appropriate
for tae stage as & sherif's writ,or Watts Cral-e
song This he commits TO memory a. vel as
he il able. mesuwhile tevaiiur his sad fate
that one Of biz age should be obliged % speAk
III public OF the stage, wondering '' what good
j. does to speak pieces. " Az iJokiu- forward %
tbs. dreaded Wednesday with tcmsthin- Ise
the anticipation Of a CONDEMNED crimina. AZ
Ias, ;he day arrives Al tue scholars are ea-l-
s--e-ce la--A upon '-v-i "--i a. '-'-=- --eJ '''
about 20 witness the execution Of aalailo.o-.
,r. -,s -,--,,-,sr,-ers and ,ss...s.57rs .r -ae
time and place are such As to te-rity an dis
learten our hero, WHO st qu--uE A-- coz
s..ars Of an intense desire % sink through the .
-.-s ...-. ....-.- .-t.- t,. ,-.....
---.i' --
a"i1- voice % i-a master 1------ lis NA--
Then be start. up tesuerate'- terrified s1l
t---.,s..i .-s $3.50. .s -..- .-, -..--
iaat Al eyes are up-a Ai-A- ne can .t.. mem
s..-Iu- a. him BE st1ubles upon che stage,
.,,.ks his head s-,sr-7f.-.--- -ss-. bis erts 800
'- --e 1'----- - @
uste'y flushing -al p-lll-, ttilr o. i-l-t
lis o. niece. -. r-eauRt..s ---- vir- lis la-
.,.- ..-......- .-...F- ...-.. 20
-is '-'"ssIs- '- N' anu
c7ava-s.vs.y o. lis l1lt- 60 cover 1ys.--.i--
s'E--e Ai Lace Ae st Inc aal- V--'
1-1Fe.i II iae stage ae -i' 10 iie- now HIPS
W ia'o bis s-.t with ss- 20 .--- ,--,
t- tia. is over aa1 IL really 81 -1-a - ,-'
next victim ana ,-7 'l--le1 N-
self satisfaction es'ee1s -.s duty -.ae "-'-
boy, AMI vii F.a'e1t-y tel = -l il4' f-'- 81
experience VII give boy " commence CON
-s-- anu --..-s
- -'A--' ---.....-.-.-
-'- -i-- ''A --- -...-.. D..
-'-''
-.-,.. -.1.---.-
'--l pa - ..' -. 7-..-.
80 .-.-.--.-.--
-..-..5 -~--.. $500 ~. .,-.. ..-....--
..s----....ss .-s --.-.ris-s...s ~ s-4sea sr.
-s'l''' assessing 'a' I've 's-
pug .r...
-'-'-'' va
,.. ---r
.--. ..-.-..-..---.-.-
....- ~. ... -....
.--'. ~. -i- -. 49, $780,. $50.
lr IL ~ tag-a. ses boy q -1- aeee1
ears sent upon the stage. pale AMI -a.aar f.
III 'PPreasnHaa ID an 1'.e-I, u = 'A p
AVN ,-- s--r,.+.,- g--gsar.ee- r. hi. .s-
a,as b. oarilast.s avEvariussl. v-.-- ,
l1l-l be punished 10 tae person OF pr b
.-- .t----.-- r,-. -.s.. --s.g-ra-a.- 3
usfs. observe Their, the orderly tasks. me mas
r.y -s''p-ine- t15 u1Fearlei .uIe7-l'si-- b
II. . pa 'ls L'.A-. '' -. s-----
s = -. ~ rs. o. r-- s-r -l