Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-03-14
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
No. ".
HOW TO READ.

| written upon the SuDJeCI VI ClV1u'
ton, and many minute directions,
wise and otherwise, have been given
for reading aloud and declaiming.
These books have had an immense
sale. Also tens of thousands of ar
ticles upon the same subject annual
ly find their way into the reviews,
magazines and newspapers Of our
day. Al this bnt proves the impor-
tance of the topic now under discus
sion and the general interest felt in
it by all friends Of education. Hence,
it were useless to waste time and
ink in saying aught with the lnten
ton merely of increasing the inter-
est in the subject or developing the
Importance thereof.
How to read depends greatly on
why we read. Silent reading is in
dulged simply to gather thoughts
from the printed page. The process
should be slow enough to enable the
mind Of the reader fully to grasp the
meaning of every sentence. It
would be well occasionally to close
the book and require the memory to
recall the thoughts in order, and
permit the reasoning powers to
weigh them, and compare them with
other thoughts, original or elsewhere
acquired. This will insure the as
sanitation of the new thoughts, or
make them a permanent possession
and emph ltically the readers own.
Reading aloud has quite differ
ent object in view. 1t is then the
object of the reader to convert the
printed or written language into
oral language, supplying the proper
infections and tones, so as to con-
vey to the hearer the thoughts and
sentiments involved III that which is
read. The first essential, it may be
remarked, is that the reader himself
should comprehend and appreciate
fully the passage read. Unless he
grasp the thought and feel the SEN
timent, it would be hopeless un-
dertaking to endeavor to convey it
to another. When the reader is
himsel fully master Of the thought
and sentiment to be conveyed, he IS
then in position to dispense to
others. To do this most effectively
is now the problem to be solved. 1t
is altogether similar to the problem,
how we may best talk to those upon
whom we wish to impress what we
consider important to communicate.
Let the idea once prevail that good
reading aloud requires the same in
Elections and tones as good talking,
and the work of elocution is half ac-
complished, if not altogether accom-
plished. Naturally, all children use
correct tones and infections in talk
ing. 1t is only necessary that they
be 50 trained as to retain them in
reading. The first step in this di
rection for teachers is to see to it,
that their pupils are not advanced
too rapidly in the grade Of their
reading books. Pupils should us
ually read from four to six first read
ers, from three to five second read
ers, and from two to four third read
ers, or different series. Otherwise,
they are either kept in one book so
long as to learn it by rote and lose
interest, or they are advanced to a
grade of reading beyond their com
prehension and in either case, they
ore seriously injured in their elOcu-
tionary training. Many of the best
schools in England and America re-
quire pupils to use several readers
of each grade, or supplementary
readers.
School-keeping is responsible for
the impression so widely prevalent
that there is q difference between
reading and talking and school.
keeping has made difference. The
compound of whine and a groan,
so often heard in the school-room,
and denominated reading, is GER
tainly not an improvement upon
talking. Nor is that chronic diff
Guilty, so carefully drilled into many
public speakers, called the 'orotund''
any improvement upon our natural
conversational tones. So far as
voice is concerned, every actor and
public speaker struggles hard to be
natural. The wonderful power OF
Wendell Phillips can be traced di-
rectly to the talking voice. When a
boy, / was made to believe that !
must "bellow," in order to read or
speak well. and / "bellowed.' 1t is
very easy to teach children to think
that talking is not oral reading and
when once this false notion has
found lodgment in their brains, it is
exceedingly hard to dislodge it.
With little children, there is nc
need of rules of elocution. The
teacher must instruct children main
| ly by using their powers of imita.
ton, Just as the intelligent mother
instructs them in talking. The
teachers voice must be their con
slant model. The teacher must ex
emplify the laws of elocution by hi
own reading, being careful not t.
convert the pupil into mere ma
chine, but leaving him room to dis
play the peculiarities of his owl
genius, and to promote the norma
growth of that part of his nature
, which prompts him in the utteranc,
] and expression of thought and feel
: ing.
The thoughtful teacher caa no