The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-11-13
SPEECH IS LECTURE SUBJECT
 BY JOHN M. CLAPP
Students at MOntevallO Have Been Taking Special In- terest in Subject
 During Week

Montevallo, November 12.-(Special0 The problem of better speech has been holding the attention of the students or Montevallo during the past week, the children in the public school as well as the pupils in the Alabama Girls Tech nical Institute. It was, therefore, very fitting that the week should close, as 1t did, with a lecture by an adept in this subject of speech, when MT John M. Clapp of New York spoke concern ing Talk, the Art of Social Life" to an interested audience in the Alabama Girls Technical Institute chapel Satur- day evening at o'clock.
 MT. Clapp expressed his intention of not discussing what has been termed the deplorable condition of speech af- fairs, although he mentioned, as respon- sible for such condition, American defi- ciencies in pronunciation, harshness of tone, and carelessness in articulation Rather, his talk Was as he said, one of hopefulness and strong assurance that matters are going to be better. He based his optimism on the quickness and readi- ness of the American people and the adjustability of our vocal apparatus, in- finitely variable and infinitely responsive Scientific study of the processes of speech production is needed, and this study can be brought to pass only by the cooper ation of all people interested in speech improvement; accordingly, it is a matter for rejoicing that many businesses and professions are giving attention to it. actors. singers teachers, doctors and dentists-besides womens clubs who are studying the problem and certain busi- ness corporations which maintain for their employees. schools in which one of the subjects studied is that of speech The public conscience, however, is not sufficiently active, and it is in the work of awakening this conscience that MT. Clapp urged his listeners to participate He admonished them, though, to be true beacon lights in the cause and not Thigh brows"
 Characterizing good speech as agree able, efficient and flexible, and a good voice as rich clear and friendly, Mr. Clapp spoke of the ability to talk well from both the business point of view and the cultural. Passing then to the so- cial aspect of talking, he dwelt on the artistic quality which speech should pos sess. The art of talking involves other arts, the art of singing, the art of the drama, and the art of composition. Even slang IS frequently but the play of the artistic impulse, and is not to be condemned as such; but is to be corrected by curb ing and restraining the impulse. Cor versation Is an art not only to be de- sired but to be obtained and improved if one only desires it enough. One prin- ciple to be observed in eultivating our conversational gift is the adaptation of what one is saying to the person to whom one is talking; too much so-called conversation is mere soliloquy. The more artistic conversation Is in fragments and not In the form of lecture. Another help to improvement in speech is to be gained from reading aloud, especially from mod ern writers.
 MT. Clapp's own direct manner, we'll modulated voice, and exquisite articu- lation exemplified so thoroughly the facts which he was striving to impress. that his audience, composed of students, teachers and citizens, was eagerly atten- tive throughout his discourse. and went away not only entertained and instructed but also encouraged and stimulated