The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-21


insight into the needs of children 3
quickened, and they are enabled to be far
better Judges of the children's growth
and development.
Zone of the most important applications
of expressive training, especially that
which has to do with organic training,
that is, technical voice and body train
ing must be the development of public
speakers the Improvement of the art of
oratory However beautiful a method of
development of expression may sem If it
fails to deylop public speakers it must
be fundamentally wrong, for oratory as
the world has ever held. is the highest of
all vocal arts, II not the highest of all
the arts.
when we think of Greece we think of
the climax of her art in Demosthenese.
Although many of her relics of sculpture
and architecture have come down to us,
although we can still gaze with enrap-
tured vision upon the relics of the Par
thenon. upon the Hermes, the Thusens
and the Vennue of Milo; yet while we
have only the bare words of the Grafton
on the Cromn, and the music of the voice
that poured forth the passion and the
patriotism has long been silent; still it is
considered as one of the highest fights
of human genius.
1t is this phase of expression which Is
held by the world to be more sacred than
any other, the divinest mode of convey
ing truth When ever soul faces soul, all
other forms of art seems cold and lifeless.
When ever a man has been tried for his
life or has sought to awaken patriotism
or quicken the life of his race, the means
that has been adopted has been oratory.
No reform has been propagated without
its aid. 'The GODDESS Liberty has ever
held her sister Eloquence by the hand.
discourse is the browning achievement
of the human mind, without which free
dom, benevolence and progress have ever
slumbered. If expression is so vital
part of education then should 1t form
part of other studies or should special
attention be paid to expression as
seperate department of human develop
ment.
rs there any use of a special teacher?
Every teacher If he is a true teacher.
will know something of expression and
will be able to assist in this work, so
far as the simple development of the soul
is concerned 1t belongs to every teacher,
but viewed In a professional aspect in re-
lation to the development of speakers and
special teachers of expression and the
training of public readers and actors. or
the eradication of special defects or even
! in advanced education of any kind It is
a special department of education de-
manding a special teacher. specially
trained in a professional school. In ex-
preston. of all departments of educa ton,
teacher must have special technical
training while his work is more general
than any other in all education. yet it is
also the most special.
1.-THE voice as a physical instrument is
the most delicate and the most DIFFICULT
/ IN trai In of of he If 10 "
Diseases of the vocal organ are among
the most subtle and the most difficult to
deal with, and a great number of spec
ialists in throat diseases are to be found
in every city. Vocal training Is the most
difficult of all education 1t is a notorious
fact that there are fewer good teachers
of voice than In any other department.
On either the speaking or singing voice
this is true.
mistakes are made continually; voices
are ruined every year. 1t Is universally
recognized that the physician needs long
years of careful training. and in most
states special laws are enacted to pre-
vent one who has had no such training
from setting himself up as qualified to
treat diseases. and yet strange to say
there Is not the least hesitation on the
part of the most ignorant, with little or
no special preparation to undertake to
tram the most subtle organism belonging
to man. Where there are greatest dan
gers of malpractice and people make no
objection. In fact in some parts of the
country a student who has taken prize
in some contest Is often at once consid-
cred fit to teach elocution without fur
Their preparation.
Just such teachers have caused pre-
judice against elocution in some of the
abest and most observant of minds. A
teacher of expression must be thorough
ly developed and widely educated; he
must be of true and deep instincts. with
deep insight into personality and pos
sess profound knowledge of human ma
ture.
1.-THE most difficult form of criticism
is found in the endeavor TO improve the
living man, to show a man wherein he
does not fulfill the possibilities of his
own nature.