The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-23

ONLY two students out of 200 given speech tests
~ in recent years at Teachers College of Column
ba University received perfect scores.
That percentage-One out of 100-iS the usual
average among college graduates throughout the
United States according to DR.. Elizabeth D. McDow
ell, associate professor of speech at Teachers Col
lege, who is in charge of the test.
The examination is given to all candidates for stu
dent teachers. Almost all school boards throughout
the country require that prospective teachers pass
such examination.
The examination is given to all candidates for
student teachers Almost all school boards through
out the country require that prospective teachers
pass such examination.
The printed form used by the judges in the Teach
ers College examination lists virtues of speech in
column and vices in another. Those who got
perfect score were adjudged the possessors of all of
the following desirable qualities:
Audible, clear pleasant. resonant and rich Wig
flexible and free wellmodulated, appropriate
in melody, accurate in phrasing, appropriate in
tempo appropriate in general pitch level Ineligible,
and acceptable in pronunciation
The other go out of every 100, according to DR..
Mcdowell suffer from of the following
defects of voice or speech:
Inaudble husky, hoarse, breathy, mufled, noisy.
harsh affected, fiat, thin, hollow, colorless weak,
tense, tremulous strident cultural nasal, denasal
lied, gottal, whining aggressive, stereotyped, mo-
notonoUs patronizing dictatorial erky phraSng too
short phrasng, too long phrasing, too slow, scan
ming tempo, too rapid too high pitch too low pitch,
unintellgible, indstinct and jumbled, unacceptable
in pronunciation
Persons in general are unaware of the defects in
their speech, DR. Mcdowell says.
1T is a Well-establshed physiological fact that
person can not hear his voice others hear it.
The conduction of sound through the bones of his
head we'll other factors alter it greatly for his
own ears" she explains.
THE hopeful side of the case, however, is that an
l. astonishing amount Of improvement can be
obtained in most cases within week or two, DR..
Mcdowell says. Once the student recognizes his
ma jor faults they can be mnimized fairly quickly.
Further improvement and eventual perfection
come more slowly, however" she says. "The prob
lem is like learning to sing. 1t requires Individual
instruction and plenty of practice"
Teachers and prospective teachers are willing to
undergo this training just as singer is because their
jobs depend upon it. But DR.. Dowel thinks it would
wise for persons other walks Of life likewise to
pay attention to the qualities Of their speech
THE chief difficulty met with in students at Teach
Il ers' College grows out of inability to make prop
er use of vocal energy. Dr. Mcdowell says. The
students develop husky voice or get speakers sore
throat" when they attempt to conduct class for an
hour Another frequent difficulty is that
they can not make themselves heard throughout the
the classroom without straning their voices.
Other defects frequently met with include a
harsh nasal tone, tense querulous voice pattern,
sectional racial dialects the habit of speaking too
fast to be understood, slow to be irritating
and the habit Of speaking with jerky, explosive r-
ritating. stress pattern.
When student shows a consistent mispronuncia-
ton Of vowel sounds. as sometimes happens, Dr. Nc
DoweI sends the student to a physician for
animation Of his hearing.
1T is surprising TO find how many educated peo-
pie have hearing difficulties Of which they not
aware" she said.