Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-02-10
No. 9
cuL rlvATloN OF THE VOICE.
Not Confined Alone to Learning to

sing.
The possessor of well-modulated,
pleasant, rather low-pitched and melo-
dious voice has something of which he
may feel justly proud. Many foreigners
And fault with the American voice.
They call il harsh and nasal, crude, un-
cultured and peculiarly irritating to
those who are accustomed to the rather
soft. somewhat liquid intonadons of the
Latin races.
Cultivating the voice is generally un-
derstood as learning TO sing. but there
is voice culture which goes very far
beyond anything appertaining to mu-
seal instruction. When the child be-
gins to speak care should be taken that
II makes the proper sounds instead OF
the unnatural tone which ii Is very like
" to acquire. The child is an initiative
creature, and follows very closely the
sounds that it hears from those about
it. II il constantly listens TO any par
ticular sound, as n matter of course il
will very soon take it up and adapt IL
as its own. OF even more Importance
than the cultivation of the voice Is the
building of IT, Nc one need be told that
there Is wonderful advantage in work.
ing upon any structure that has care
fully planned and properly-fnished
foundation. The majority of singers
are given TO extreme faultiDcss In their
enunciation> This comes largely from
very slovenly habit OF speaking, hab-
II formed in early childhood from asso-
citation with persons who give very lit
tie, IL any, thought to the construction
of their language, being perfectly salts
fed, to all appearance, so long as they
are able to make themselves under
stood. The time is well spent that Is
given to teaching the little ones the cor
rect modulation of their voices. We
all know children to whom il Is a pleas
ure TO listen, their intonation in speak
Ing is so agreeable and their words seem
so we'll chosen that one instinctively
wonders IL these peculiarities Qor Pc
culiarities they certainly are) may Hot
be some gracious gift of nature. Sure
ly n child with such preparatory train
Ing furnishes infinitely better material
for subsequent culture than one who
comes, under his teachers hands, mere
ly lump of crude humanity. In the
one case every word, work, thought and
interest Of the instructor not only tells
on the pupils mind and the formation
OF his character, but it is a positive
pleasure to watch and assist in the un-
folding of such an intelligence. II
sometimes occurs that such children are
much more highly gifted, when In fact
they are made greatly superior to their
fellows simply because they were given
q correct start in life. On the other
hand, every endeavor Is like pulling
against the stream. The little one Is
told that such and such a way TO pro-
noupcc a wcrd is correct; that its voice
and phrGslng must be so and so. It
spends three or four hours q day in the
schoolroom and the remainder of the
"a in the society of those whose every
word and act are in direct opposition
TO the teachers precepts and example.
Naturally the child is taught to honor
Its parents and to believe that what
they say and do Is right. The logical
conclusion of this state of things Is q
confused and contradictory estimate OF
the child's duties. II Is semi to school
20 learn, and II II learns that its parents
and friends are wrong the results can
not but be extremely discouraging. II
Is safe to say that a considerable num-
bcr Of the children who go to our pub
Us sfhanls ase aAsa In n II II
lntion, enunciation, the modulntion OF
the voice. and with correct under
standing of the sounds OF the letters, a
foundation has been laid upon which 1t
will not be difficult TO rear a solid and
symmetrical superstructure. ~ Y.