Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-09-20
Reading Aloud.

Reading aloud seems almost gone out OF
fashion, except among those who do It IN
some way Professionally. 1t is no longer
really taught In schools. or IL Is taught In
very few. A single generation has seen 1t
pass away. The reason of this is twofold
and strange. For 1t Is the nrst great dfiu-
sion OF education. and next the grea, In.
crease In reading. Reading aloud cannot
be taught in large classes, and consequently
10 public schools and In large private
schools il has fallen into neglect. Now
that there Is little preteuse OF teaching Il,
although even OF this there has ceased to
be that Individual practice before tie teach
er. guided by his example As well as in
formed by his sinstructions. " hich used 10 be
regarded as one OF the most important OF
daily school exercises This is much 10 be
regretted. Better let two branches 90 than
this Of reading aloud. In liking his a,ten-
tion. in leading 10 exactness OF apprehen-
sion. in dover OF bringing the pupils mind
Into flexible adaptabili,y to the thoug ht
presented 10 II, there /, no exercise that
will take the place OF reading aloud. A
person cannot read any thing aloud well,
with proper infection and emphasis, with
out thoroughly understanding IT, 4 pupil
cannot scramble through and skip over
what be knows he Is likely 10 be cal led up
on TO read aloud. 1t is among the best OF
educational disciplines. Besides this, with
8 competent teacher, 1t l., need hardly
say, the very best means OF acquiring a
clear enunciation which Is one OF the great
est beauties OF spesch. and which any OBJ
servant person will find largely lacking in
the younger people OF the present day.
Good English speaking aud good English
writing except in cases of rare inborn fac
ulty, comes OF reading aloud of good Eng
lish authors under supervision Of a teacher
who himself or herself speaks good English
and understands those authors. or such
teachers how many may be found in our
public or our private schools? OF such
teaching, or of the attempt at such teach
ing, how much?
Reading aloud has fallen into disuse 10
families and In the social circle, because
we read So much. The newspaper, or
rather the abuse Of the newspapers, has
done much to bring this about. We rise
from the table; we seize each Of US . news
paper or new paper covered novel and
We plunge into their pages and sit unsocia-
bly, silent. We eveh resent the reading OF
anything aloud 70 Us, because il Interrupts
our own silent. solitsry enjoyment, and be-
cause We think that we could have read
the passage SO much more quickly by our
selves. The pleasure OF common enjoy
hebs 70 HiSt SotuCt III ioNot VI Jul oWh
greedv d.vouring Of our silent, solitary.
mental meal; the charm of the sound Of
human voice, conveying 10 US shades OF
meaning and points OF emphasis. is under
valued, aud seems TO be passing away Is
one Of the delights Of life. Silent reading
Is even destroying companionship, which
now Is TO be found in perfection only among
men at their clubs. Newspapers thus read
are gradually extinguishing conversation.
One advantage OF long dinner Is that it
compels those around the table to leave
books aud papers out Of their hands while
they are there, and talk to each other to
the best of their ability. As TO talking at y
reception" or ball, that is impossible in
any coherent. intelligent. almost in any To-
telligible fashion. And thus by silent read
ing and the neglect Of conversation, Ian
guage Itself Is coming to kind OF disuse
For language is speech. not letters; and
We cannot really enjoy It or master 1t by
hearing sermons and lectures and plays
and thus getting our speaking done for US.
As the Turks get their dancing done for
them by others.