Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-06-29
SCIENCE OF SPEECH.
by M. l.. Hatfield, Principal Pacific
School for Stammerers, Cheha-
lis, Washington,

l am more deeply impressed every
lday of the great need of the stam-
merer being treated while young.
There are many reasons for this:
First, life filled with untold misery
and agony can be avoided; Second,
It gives the afflicted one an opportun-
ity of developing the expressional
side of his life-enables him to give
| to the world the best he has and to
get from the world its best in re-
turn; Third, when young the stam-
merer is more easily cured. Stam-
mering, however, can be cured at
any age, Better late in life than
never. This is surely one of the
first ills to which humanity is heir.
In stammering we have lack of
harmony existing between the will
power and the muscles controlling
the organs of speech. A method
that is worth anything for the cor
rection of this impediment must
needs concern itself with bringing
about this harmony. This is done
by disciplining and scientific talking.
The sounds of the language pre-
sent all sorts of difficulties to differ
ent people, but we cannot say that
there are any certain ones that are
hard for all. Where one would falter
another would utter the sound with
ease. AS a rule the consonants pro-
duce the greatest difficulties, as in
their utterance the lips and tongue
are brought strongly into play; while
in the utterance of the vowels the
sound is produced back In the larynx,
and the muscles of the mouth are
onle used in shaping the sound. Take
the word tact" in trying to enun-
clate this word the stammerer tries
TO wedge his tongue in position b.
hind the upper teeth and forcibly
holds 1t in that position; this closes
the air passage and prevents the
formation of the vowel sound "a"
These are the only sounds that would
cause trouble in the enunclation OF
this word. In the correct enuncia-
tlon OF this word the opposite posi-
tion would suggest mental relaxation
with little muscular effort OF the or
gans. The tip of the tongue should
be pressed lightly against the upper
gums and teeth then gently with
drawn as the sound of 1T" Is whis-
pered; the muscles of the mouth are
then in position to form the sound
OF the letter "a"
This style OF talking must be prac-
ticed day after day, until IL becomes
to the stammerer a reality-his nat
uraa way OF talking. 1t is simply
based on the philosophy OF Forget
ting the old and learning the new"
The Broken Seal.
"Oh. wonderous science, that can
make
The stammering tongue to speak,
To loose our bonds, our chains to
break
And bid us now new pleasures
seek;
Where once was darkness, gloom,
despair.
New life, new hopes are blooming
there.
"How great the change no one can
tell,
But those whose lives are
clouded o'er
With stammering. fate that like
spell
Blasts every thought and eri S.
No more
Close up the treasures of the gifted
mind,
And shun forever all mankind.
such was my doom, such my decree;
bowed submissive to my fate;
Hone died, the future was blank
W
Life a chaos none could elevatei
For years a recluse life led.
Ambition gone and almost dead.
Wealth could not bring the Joy I
feel,
Nor could it buy my JOY;
Your science broke the skeptie's seal
And brought me peace without
alloy;
And now your praise my tongue shall
sound
10 stammerers all the world
around.
"But words. poor words cannot con-