Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-17
Deplores L a C k of
Training in Schools
and Recomme en- d S
Reading of Shake
speare Aloud
Acting Of Bard's Plays
by Youth, She Says,
w ould Correct t
Faults Criticized by
Foreigners

T1IE American public is pretty well
l. used to hearing sighting or scornful
things said about the American voice
by visiting French ana English per-
sons Indeed, SO frequently have as
PERSONS been cast on the American
manner of expression that the American
public has become hardened and indifrer-
cut 10 criticism. We make ourselves
understood. anyhow. and the fact that
uinc-tenths of us sound like fret saws
in our lower registers and steam sircus
in our upper tones 5othcrs us not =
whit
NOw another woman has turned her
attention upon tho American yoice-hut
this time not so much TO ccusurc as to
help. This reformcr Is Edith Wyuno
Matthison aud her plan is TO catch tho
American voice young, bring II up on
Shakespeare and thus transform it into
something beautiful, we'll modulated and
expressive. What she plans TO do Is TO
give, with tho cooperation Of a number
Of fellow artists. a series Of Shakespeare
matinces for young people, which shc
believes will SO interest students Of lit
craturc in the plays that to so many
OF them arc now merely required lchu-
ing that they will learn to love III"
masterpieces Of literature, to read th'm
aloud TO quote them to act them, TO
profit 10y their majestic cadcnccs.
TEXTBOOK STUDY MADE EQUAL
Textbook study Of Shakespeare will
never reveal his beauty declared MISS
Matthisou 10 a reporter who asked hor
about her plan TO give special perform
ances Of Shakespcarc's plays to nigh
school students of literature,
II believe that students should he en-
couragcd to read Shakespearc'S plays
aloud i'm their classes, to act HIM when.
over possible Reading his lines un"on-
sciously teaches them 60 cultiNat" th'lr
voices. 60 euunciate Well and to breathe
properly. Their interpretations viii take
care Of themselves.
"Elorution has through abuse come 10
mean something quite different from
what Euskiu meant when he said, Eio-
rution g. q moral faculty, and no ono
is tit to bc the head Of childrou's schoo
who is not both by nature and attention
a beautiful speaker
could anything I might say express
even slightly what liuskin says 80 iuIlE
/ she asked enthusiastically
VOICE INDICATES SPIRIT
Docs any one ever read RuSlSin these
days?" the interviewer wondered
Miss Matthison smited.
"Oh, yes have been rereading Rus
kin n great deal lately, and have CONF
to realize that he laid tho foundations
for nv art We have not yet begun tc
cultivate our voices as We should.
believe tho voice Is an indication OF 2
persons spiritual quality Everywhere
| have been the last few months, giviuE
readings Of Shakespeare I'm tho schools
and colleges, have talked 10 the teach
ers and students Of the necessity of
speaking our own language InusitallN
and clearly
OF MUSICAL LINEAGE
small wonder that Edith Wynut
Natthisou respects tho human voice
Her mother and her aunt. Edith Wynnc
were famous singers. Her aunt was
called Eos Cymru, tho nightingale Oi
/ Walee." and was honored with The titl'
of bard at one Of the ancient Druid fes
tivaIs still celebrated in Wales. IIel
uncle was Arthur Natthisou, who played
with Edwin Booth and Henry Irving
. She was brought up on tho Bible and
learned 10 read from IT. Her introduC
ton TO Shakespeare came through find
ing an illustrated copy Of the plays IL
her fathers library, and she read then
] 20 uud uut what tho pictures were about