The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-14
A Plea for Elocution in Our Public and
Private Schools.

The valedictorau of the girls high
school paid graceful and we'll merited
tribute to the instructor in elocution, and
it is pleasing to know that some of the
class realize the good work that was done
for them Never before has Savannah
had the advantages to be derived from
first-class instructor in this pleasing, ele-
waiting and useful branch of learning. IT
is pleasing in SO far as good reading or
speaking, while bad reading or speaking
is worse than unpleasant, it is intolera-
BILE. 1t is eevating as the sim
plest way of presenting ones own elevat-
ing thoughts, or the elevating
thoughts of others. in a correct, natural
manner with fitting tone and gesture; as
1t should be the accompaniment of liter
atnre, ii Is the part of the teacher of lit
erdture TO insist that none but the best
thoughts of the best writers shall be pre-
sented to their pupils and never has Sa-
vannah had a teacher in her midst w hose
mate love for beautiful litera ture
has been moro cultured by
years of faithful study, travel.
and a. conscientious aim for the highest
development il her pupils, than in the
case Of the teacher in question Elocu-
ton is useful, as it fits one for home. as
music, drawing and every branch of lib
eral culture fits one 10 make home more
attractive; it fits one for the learned pro
fessiOns, teaching, the law, the pulpit A
teachers power for usefulness is much
enhanced if she DE good reader; children
imbibe many ideas by word
of mouth, perhaps as many
as from text books. If the words
be clearly uttered, in pleasant voice. is
not the effect douby good A lawyer
must be good speaker unless he be con
tent with mere office work.. When we
consider the noble profession of the min
istry we can meet with but one opinion
Sublime ritual thoughts that would
breathe aud words that would burn out
the evil and purify our souls, are often
lost, because instead of being properly
presented with fitting tone aud
gesture they are given, or rather,
held back, with such faulty enunciation,
pronunciation and gesture. Now, if our
daughters are TO be the ornaments and
useful members Of our households, and il
our sons are 10 serve in the learned pro-
fessions, it is manifest that elocutiou is a
means to these ends It may be. however.
that they are but to serve in the common
round, the daily task. II so, IL is of greater
Importance still that some poetry and
beauty be brought into their homes bv
them. in New England it is a fact that
some teachers in the schools
are maids-of-all-work during some por-
lions of the year. If the mother or other
sisters take those duties upon themselves
during the school term, can we not see
how the drudgiug Of their lives and Other
own may be frightened by the ability Of
the young teacher TO present TO them the
best thoughts of the best authors" i'm n
pleasing, natural manner with intelH-
gencG shown in tone and eXpression}
Ia the south. perhaps, IL may not
be that manual labor is so much the part
OF our daughters, service, such as IL is,
being more easily obtained from others.
Yet, surely, we also need everything we
can reasonably obtain 10 educate us men.
tally, morally, spiritually, Give our