Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19
THE QUEST OF BEAUTY
-J4
A Melodious, Voice is a Most
Powerful Charm.
DULL SPEECH HABITS
a
HOW OUR PRESENT NATIONAL
INDIFFERENCE WAS PRODUCED.
ways to Soften a Harsh Voice and at
the Same Time Acquire
Musical Accent.
DULL SPEECH 'EIC HABITS

80 A"S evening ny Natheiiuc -iVi''i'
II one might choose between being hand
some. with tolerable manners, and being
plain, with fine perfectly modulated voice.
If one were wise it is the voice that would
be chosen. The charm of beautiful voice
fingers in the mind forever; it stirs the
heart; beautiful face only strikes the eye.
Unhappily the American woman has just
one serious defect. 1t is her voice. All her
other defects-presumng her to possess
1eW-are easily remedied She Is self
adapting, susceptible, sensitive, quick-wit-
ted being, with lightning-like perceptions
IN most matters; whatever she finds at
tractiVe In other women she swiftly makes
mental note of and proceeds to put into
practice on her own account. And she is
usually successful.
But In this one great matter-that of her
voice in speaking-the average American
woman has not yet succeeded. Indeed, she
seems to be only just awakening to a real
izing sense of the trouble.
Where do We Americans get our poor
voices, any way? We cannot lay the fault
at the door of our language; this would be
absurd. seeing that the velvet-Voiced daugh-
tiers of Albion speak the same speech that
we do. Nor can we charge it against our
climate that hapless scapegoat of count
less iniquities.
1t is one of the most humiliating things
for US abroad and one of the saddest on re-
turning home. We preach sermons on it,
too and reel off Senseless platitudes about it
by the score, but at the same time we go
on torturing the ears of our countrymen
and inviting the ridicule of foreigners. This
dreadful Inheritance of ours-this mixture
Of twang, whine, affectation and acridness
it Is hard to get rid of 1t. There is no
other nation vocally so affected
With all this in mind one cannot help
feeling glad and interested to know that
American women are awakening to sense
a ri In 10 nd q
culture is nowadays receiving some due
share of attention.
Both Born and Made.
Voices are both born and made: as rule
they are made, and happily they can be
made over. practice developing a pleasing
and cultivated tone If right methods are
pursued.
In the first place, one must bear in mind
that 1t is only the woman who knows how
20 breathe properly who is going to get the
most out of her voice. Deep breathing clears
the voice and gives 1t cearness and soft
ness
If you intend to put yourself resolutely to
work to cultivate, your voice-to devote,
say. twenty minutes daily to exercising it
first you will take an easy standing posi-
ton, in order to gain a, freer, lighter car
riage of the body.
Stand erect, with the weight carried well
forward on the balls of the feet. Straighten
well off the hips. , Don't settle down in a
collapsed attitude, with all the weight rest
ing on the small Of the back. Hold the
chest high, rise slowly on the toes, then
sink gradually to normal position slowly
inhaling and exhalng. Repeat this several
times. Then draw the lips together, as
though about to give forth prolonged
whistle, after expanding the lungs to the
fullest extent possible. Then open the lips
and take any vowel sound-"ah," for ex-
ample. The force to produce the sound
| must come from below. the muscles of the
chest being used simply to sustain and hold
the tone Repeat the sound distinctly and
slowly with different modulations many
times, going up and down an octave.
For the second exercise pronounce the
| word 'hush" or hurry" as if with the
| teeth alone. bringing the tones to the front
| of the mouth and focusing the sounds of
| the voice correctly for full and musical
| speech.
Again-and this exercise is more particu-
| larly to help one to speak Observation-Disclosures
several very long and difficult words and.
| dividing them into syllables, pronounce each
| syllable clearly and with the distinct sound
| of each letter intended to be heard. This
| will establish the habit if practiced long
| enough of giving the full value and as a
consequence, the full meaning of each
| word spoken, to the ear of the listener.
A Fine Test.
| Calling to some one in an adjoining room
| is another exercise. To call so as to be
heard distinctly, yet without harshness, is
| the object sought.
ooh, Beatrice. please bring me the scis-
| sors from my work basket
One may go over this twenty times more
| or less, before getting the right intona ton,
| such a difficult matter is it to call to any
| one at distance and be heard without the
| slightest grating of the voice; indeed there
| is nothing much more difficult in vcca,
| way, the jangling Of sweet bells out of tune
| being most apparent. For one reason our
| voices are not trained in this drection-we
usually prefer to go in search of the per-
| son. or to ring bells, or to attract attention
| in some other way.
The loud sonorous voice of the vulgar
| woman, which can be heard miles on"
| the nasal high-pitched tones, tie thin
! metallic voice-all these must De avoided
| 1t Is flexibility which We want and which
| can be acquired bye Misunderstanding
| which gives sound either loud or low, but
| without noise, unless we should call noise
| the little accompaniment of the consonants
Parents, teachers. friends should see to 1t
| that children are not allowed to scream.
| When a bevy of girls meet together is It
| soft but animated speaking that We hear?
| Although they are only few feet apart and
| there is no noise but that which they them
selves make, an ordinary tone of voice would
| be entirely audible among them or even a
stage whisper" But no; they scream at
one another at the highest and fullest pitch
of their voices, as though Alp were calling
to Alp across Unreasonable abysses. They
scream on until their vocal chords are fray
ed and diaphragms exhausted
Avoid Dull or Shrill.
Dull voices, equally with shrill and
screaming voices, we want to avoid. Don't
| let a sleepy, dreamy. unsocial temper con-
troll you so that YOU speak in a dull, thick
tone at the back of the throat. which is the
most trying of all voices to understand.
Although tedious yivactuy is to be avoided,
| slow speech in dull tones is an affront to
| Others. as we'll as awaste of time.
A person Is given her social place by the
manner of her speech; she is also put down
| as person deficient, either mentally or
| physically, If she have an uncultured, indis-
| tinct utterance.1 1t is aImatter of comment
| that the sweet, well-bred tones that one
| listens for and wonders at come partly of
| physical well-being and warm. lively tenn
per of mind and body. and that cheerful
| folk usually have melodious voices. There
| fore. as a rule to be needed by the one who
| Is cultivating her voice ls-forget that life
| is such a very serious affair. Relax those
strained muscles of the face and neck and
| look happy and contented. With the light
of happiness in your eyes and on your lips.
| your voice should be sweet and smooth