The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-08-19
How DIR. Bell Came to Be An In-
yentor.

The fascinating story of how he
came 10 be an inventor was charm
ingly recorded by DR.. Alexander
Graham Bell in the course Of his
last published article, prehistoric
Telephone Days" contained in the
National Geographic Magazine for
March, 1922.
Especial interest attaches to
this article. not only because Of its
historic value as relating the steps
leading up to the invention OF the
telephone, but because it is one Of
the few occasions when DR.. Bell,
in his many writings. engaged in
personal "reminiscences.
Il will have to go back TO my
grandfather, Alexander Bell OF
London. England" DIR. Bell wrote.
Studied Speech Mechanism
..He was an elocutionist and a
corrector of defective utterance. He
was the first in the family to take
up the study cf the mechanism of
speech with the object of correct
ing defects of speech by explaining
to his pupils the correct positions
OF the vocal organs in uttering the
sounds that were defective.
My grandfather took a great
deal of interest in my education.
My school life had been charac-
terized by great Indifference to the
usual school studies and took si
very low rank in my classes The
subjects in which really excell-
ed, such as music, botany, and nat
ural history, formed no part OF
the school curriculum.
Music His Earliest Hobby.
Music especially was my earl
lest hobby. learned to play the
piano at such an early age that I
have no recollection now of time
when I could not play. seem to
have picked it up by myself with
out any special instruction, and
although I know nothing Of writ
ten music, I could play anything
! I heard by ear and could inpro-
wise at the piano for any length OF
, time.
II am inclined to think, how
ever. that my early passion for mu-
sic had a good deal to do in pre-
pairing me for the scientific study
of sound
.As child, took a great deal
Of interest in flowers and plants
and formed large herbarium, ar
ranged according to the Linnear
system of botany.
my col1et tion of plants gradual
| ly gave way to collections Of shells
and birds eggs. Then came bus-
terhies and beetles and finally IT,:
skeletons of small animals, like
frogs and toads. mice and rats.
Got Pig For Dissection
"on one occasion my father pre-
sented me with dead sucking
pig, and the distinguished profes-
sor of anatomy was called upon
for a lecture. So a special meetii,s
of The Society for the Promotion
Of Fine Arts among Boys was held
in my study, the attic Of my faith
er's house (13 South Charlotte
street, Edinburgh). This was sac
red to me, and there my collections
presented an imposing array OF
anatomical specimens
II can see in these natural his
tory collections a preparation for
scientific work. The. collection OF
material involved the close ohser-
yation Of the likeness and diffec-
ences of objects Of very similar
asna, and the orderly arrange
ment, as in museum, stimulated
.l.s formation of concentrations OF
various kinds.
"My father encouraged me in
making collections Of all sorts and
In arranging the specimens in ac-
cordance with my oMn ideas ratn-
er than in conformity with the ideas
Of Others. I am inclined to thiak
that the making Of these coliec-
tions formed an important part OF
my education and was responsible
for my early bent toward scientific
pursuits.
had to Learn Shakespeare
T.My grandfather was well known
as a Shakespearean scholar and a
public reader of Shakespeare's
plays; so, of course, I had to
make myself familiar with the
plays of Shakespeare and commit
to memory long passages from
Hamlet Macbeth Julius Cae-
sar,' and The Merchant of Venice
.He also gave me instruction in
the mechanism Of speech and
permitted me to be present at the
instruction of some Of his pupils so
that might observe for myself his
methods of correcting defective ut
terance.
Il have found it necessary to al
lude to my grandfather, and to his
work in correcting defective ut
terance, not only on account OF the
influence he exerted upon my own
life. but because the profession
he founded became in process of
time a family profession, which
was handed down to his children
and grandchildren. His two sons,
for example. followed it.
Took up Study Of Vibrations
"T took IN the Sfudy of the ma
ture of the vibrations going on in
!, the air during the utterance OF
speech with the object of develop