New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-01

Nav IIaughwout OF Baltimore. Nd. read paper
on The place Of Emotion in Physical Training
and Mrs Eleanor Georgen. OF New-fork. led the
discussion.
At 10 o'clock the main body OF the convention
eot TO work and S. II. Clark. OF Chicago. gave the
first paper on The New Elocution." He said In
part:
"There Is a school to-day that calls Itself the
new elocution' and deem It my duty TO lay
stress upon the points the members OF this school
hold in common. which points. taken together
dnerentiate 1t from the other schools
81 fancy | hear director say oh. yes. you
have your ideas on elocution. You call your Ideas
new and then include all who agree with your.
views among the new elocu;ionlsts. Well. sup
nose that Is true. Each OF us believes in his own
method or else he would get another.
lone of the first and most distinctive character
istcs Of the new eocuon is its pedagogics. Its cry
Is, Force out the expression through the thought
Here is a radical departure from the teaching OF
the past. 1t dealt with technique. technique tech
nque but a technique generally separated from the
thought. The pupil drilled on all kinds OF
stress and quality high pitch and low pitch. ad in
nnitum. Then came the Austin and Delsarte con-
trbutions to gestural science. These discoveries
similar in the realm Of gesture TO those or
the vocal scientists In their realm And system
OF gesture pedagogy has been based their results
in method like that based on the PHILOSOPHERS OF
Rush and the others.
1T is not denied that the method deprecate
produced results A man who shouted all day
necessarily developed his voice. But big voice is
not elocuton any more than inane gesture Is PAN
tomimic expression
II desire to insist on this point: Most teachers OF
so-called Delsarte' are a great deal more mechan-
teal than those whose teaching Of Rush and
Austin they laugh at so loudly. They make
exactly the came mistake as do those who failing
TO understand that Rush and Austin did not pre-
tend to invent a method Of teaching but present
the science side OF expression have reduced their
science to a question Of mere mechanics. firmly
believe that the mechanical teachers OF gesture
have done more harm by their silly sprals In a
few years than all the mechanical voce-culturists
have done in century.
what is the meaning OF the motto OF the new
school, Force out the expression through the
thought? 1t Is this If the mental action be right
the expression will be right BY mental action
is meant the whole realm Of the activities Of the
mind. such as reason. imagination and emotion
The student must practice until he Can be under
standing and be feeling at the moment Of utter
ance. A few days ago minister called upon me
and stated that he wanted 10 get rid Of mo-
notonous voice. ! told him that the trouble not
with his voice. but with his mental action.
THE second distinguishing characteristic OF the
new school Is It's attitude toward literature. Cheap
literature reacts upon the mind and SOUL destroying
the kccner sensibilites, hence the art. II Il is
claimed that FOR immature pupils the higher class
OF literature ID 100 difficult. answer that II Is
Just here that the elocution has its value
There are hundreds OF examples Of good literature
that are within the comprehension of any student
who ever hope to make reader, and through
study of these simpler art works the pupil is
LED TO comprehension OF the higher flights OF
poetry.
'Ths third and last Of the striking characteristcs
OF the new school IL art Recognizing that II reel.
taiion Is an art, 1t must have n close connection
with the other arts. the student Is led into a study
OF srt In general and literary art In particular
study Of art Is absolutely indispensable for any,
body who would ded1 with literary Masterpiece"
Miss Gertrude Mcmillan. OF Nashville. Tenn. took