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Show m tm THE SPEAKING VOICE A collogo professor, writing In a recent number ot tho Journal ot Education, Ed-ucation, asked a fow days ago that tho National Council ot iZnglhh touchers should appoint a committee to work for the Improvement of the national speaking volco. "Tho Am crlcan volco," ho says, "Is a stench In tho nostrils ot tho world." The professor may havo his motnpl.t-rs slightly mixed. Hut It Is commonly admitted that tho American voice Is bettor calculated to drivo a herd of hogs to pasture than to ong-igj in after dinner conversation. nusy public school tcachors enn hardly gho lessons In volco tulturo Still, If tho various organizations ot teachers would tako up tho matter, something could bo dono by tho por- I sounl examplo of tlio teacher In hor I class room. A rough rasping volco Is an injury to business success. It gives nn lm ! prosslou ot coarseness nnd nrrogauco. I Successful men Ilka to carry on Important Im-portant convocations in a low ono Tho world Is full of listening nnd greedy ears. Overheard remarks spread prejudice, nnd upset business dealings. Yet somo ot our brcozy salesmen will blow Into n business olllco Mko a zero blast from cold Medllno Hat, and shout so loud that tho clerks can hoar through the thin partitions. For women a loud twangy voice Is an effective bar to society. The olco has Infinite capacities for nniilcal tone, and women who fall to cultivate It miss one ot tho most winuomo charms of their box. Somo people overdo their vocal 10 prcsslon, and cultlvato a too low tone that Is scarcely ,lo hoard, Thoy whisper tholr wr trough tho world to tho straining ears of their friends. As suggested by tho collcgo man reforred to above, public school teachers may well study tho modulation modula-tion of voices, uud correct both pup Us who mumblo their words, and thoso who uso in conversation tho I tone that would bo sultablo it your 1 houso woro afire. |