New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-11

criticism not without foundation.
America is probably the only progress
siye nation to-day that has no univer-
sal speech standard. In Germany the
stage pronunciation is the final court
of appeal. In France, there IS an or
ganization for the teaching, and Tor
the preservation, of the perfect PARISH
an accent Ii is well understood that
the French are inOrdinately proud OF
their beautiful language, and that they
take infinite pains in the speaking or
it. They are apt TO feel that no one
gets the fine distinctions, the delicate
nuances that they do; that all who
have the misfortune to be born OUTSIDE
Of la belle France speak the language
as Mark Twain said he spoke French,
like native of another country"
Business men will struggle for
months TO learn Spanish, not because
they wish to read Cervantes, but in
order that they may buy wheat IN
50uth America. In this age Of efh-
~,rncy, men who care nothing for
speech as fine art are at once inter-
ested when they realize that trained
speaking voice has an actual CONNER
cial value. In proof OF this, witness
the numerous signs in downtown Of
fees. at the subway booths, at railroad
ticket windows and at telephone desks,
81. is the voice with the smile That
wins"
| quote as follows from a recent num-
Der Of THE Medical Record:
in everyday life the quack with his
polished manners and trained voice
makes profound impression, while
the highly trained doctor without this
is unnoticed. There is nothing
. nj
and in the training of medical students
tnan voice culture"
The entire article from which this
selection Is quoted is q valuable docu-
ment which proves the practical I'M
portance Of the trained voice.
II the success of a doctor is made
more sure by a pleasing voice, so also
is that of a nurse. whose assets are
soothing voice and sympathetic man
ner. Of so great Importance IS TINS
considered by some OF our best hospi,-
tails that special course Is provided
with the object of so training The voice
that it may be soft and agreeable to
patients. Similar courses are provided
in a number Of cities for teachers, and
in many places the training IS gwen
absolutely free.
For teacher to have a harsh voice
is lneNcuSaDIe. Nothing Is more quick
ly copied by children than are habits
of speech. A Soft-voiced teacher
makes an impression upon them for
lie. Likewise does, also, harsh
voiced one. Beyond question the man
or woman who has a pleasing manner
and an attractive voice wins his way
more rapidly than one whose manner
is crude or discourteouS, or whose un-
pleasant voice Offends the ear. A baby
will cry at a harsh tone, even if the
word spoken Is loving one. 1t is the
tone that rcpcls or attracts.
II is of no small benefit to one in
business to know few technical speech
points, for example that the down
ward stroke of the voice antagonizes.
If mother calls Johnny with a swift
downward infection, the chances are
ten to one that Johnny will not come;
or, if parental authority chances TO be
sufficiently strong he will come. but in
q rebellious mood Let the mother call
Johnny with coaxing curve in the
middle OF his name. and Johnny will
come running, for the tone sounds as
though something nice were awaiting
him. IL NAV be spanking, but the
tone brings him.
In the rush Of life to-day. we do not
take time to cultivate curves in our