The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-05-03
VarteM.
ELOCUTION.

Prof White, who taught elocution in
this city for more than 50 years, used to
say that not more than one man in
thousand among the educated knew how
to read. Mr.. White taught Forrest Muir
doch, Roberts, and other good readers
of the theatrical profession, and all the
good speakers in our pulpits and at the
bar. His noble method lives in his pu
pills.
The New York Tribune, writing upon
this subject, says that the ordinary
American voice sorely lacks compass
and variety. In clearness Of tone, and
free and animated delivery, the Ameri.
can usually eXcels the English speaker
but he falls behind the latter fn depth,
richness, and varied intonaton. For
eigners have noticed the same peculiar
ity in the voices of our women, which
are clear and strong, but pitched too
constantly upon the same key. The
only model of many Of our polite
al speakers is apparently the revival
preachers, and nothing is more COM
mon than to hear an excellent address
almost if not entirely ruined by an arti-
fetal style of delivery. Our best orators
have invariably cultivated the habit of
using the deeper chesttones, through the
development of which the true power
and compass of the voice can only be
attained. In the Rules for Declama-
ton, which Goethe wrote for the train
ing of actors at the Weimar Theatre, he
says. The greatest necessity is, that
the actor should utter everything he de-
claims in as deep tone as possible; for
he thereby reaches great compass of
voice, and with it the power of giving all
shades of expression. But if he begins
on high pitch he soon loses the habit
of deep masculine tone, and with it the
true expression of what is lofty and in.
tellectull.'
The proper use Of the voice should be
taught in connection with the pronunci-
alton of the language. 1t is absurd to
refer the shrill or nasal voices of many
Americans to the effect of climate as
well might the same reason be given for
the sharp of the Pennsylvania or the
lost of the Virginian. Nasal voices are
very common in some parts of England,
but the educated classes there have in
herited, through generations of culture,
deeper and more flexible larynx than
ours, Vocal habits are first and most
easily caught by children, and unlearn-
ed with most difficulty by men.
Yet, certainly, the voice being next to
the brain the vehicle of the orators
power, it should be forged, and shaped,
and tempered with the same patience
and craft as the chieftains sword.
We are glad that this subject is at last
forcing itself upon the attention of the
Faculties of our colleges. There will
probably be some difficulty tor awhile
to come in finding competent instructors.
The men who possess finely developed
voices, and are thus able to give precept
and example together, are rarely willing
relapse into pedagogues. President
Gilman, of the John Hopkins University,
intends to establish a chair of Reading
and Speaking, as indispensable to a
thoroughly organized institution oflearn-
ing. But the same course ought to be
adopted by every Normal school in the
country, in order to reach the greatmul-
titude Of young pupils. Although great
deal of what the latter receive is worn
off by careless home habits, some little
always sticks, and the poor boy or girl
who approaches the door of society later
in life will find it beset with fewer ter
rors. Even well pronounced and agree
ably modulated ignorance is much more
tolerable than when it reaches us thro'
the nose and accompanied by double
negatives Philadelphia Item, April 22