be given to the Vocal Exercises, selections from them being made at the discretion of the teacher. As the greatest obstacle to success in the rendering of these detached passages is timidity and lack of confidence on the part of the pupil, it will be well to let concert reading precede individual effort. Singing cannot be properly taught without due attention to position, breathing and articulation, and no recitation— however correct in its facts-can be acceptably given without reference to these same matters. It is a self-evident truth that all the vocal work of the school-room should be done on the same elocutionary principles as are applied to the reading lessons. It is well to combine elocutionary and musical drill, as in production of tone; monotone (or holding a note) with different degrees of force and pitch; intervals and slides of the scale; chords; reading up and down the scale (one word on each note), and innumerable variations which will occur to the ingenious teacher. Such exercises give novelty, and consequently increased interest to the work, while improving the clearness, strength, flexibility and melody of the speaking and reading voice. The ability to read well an ordinary newspaper or magazine article is more desirable than the power to recite a few dramatic poems-if one cannot possess both. Yet it is often the case that the student who can render "Barbara Frietchie" or "Sheridan's Ride" with good effect makes wretched work of an essay on the fine arts, or an editorial on the tariff. This plain reading as it is called, is in reality a test of the reader's ability. He is left entirely dependent upon the simplest principles of his art—a correct habit of breathing, distinct articulation, accurate emphasis and avoidance of monotony. There is no variety, no rhyme or rhythm, no stirring incident, no dramatic spirit, as in the animated poem, which can help to hide any deficiency. For this reason there is no more practical and profitable elocutionary exercise than reading aloud the items of news and the editorials of the daily paper, a copy being handed from one pupil to another, each being required to read without preparation or previous acquaintance with the subject. The school edition of Shakespeare's plays, published by Clark & Maynard, being in convenient and inexpensive form, can also be profitably used in connection with the Practical Reader. Variety in the matter to be read is always desirable as a means of retaining the interest of the student. The exercises are numbered throughout the book in regular order, such arrangement obviating the necessity for naming both subject and number in referring to any example. Subjects of the most practical value, of any particular difficulty, or much variety in application, are illustrated by more than one example. PHYSICAL EXERCISES. [The following list of Exercises is condensed from Prof. L. B. Monroe's "Manual of Physical and Vocal Training," published by Cowperthwait & Co. of Philadelphia, in which will be found full directions and illustrations for each exercise.] 1. SITTING POSITION. 2. POISE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. 3. STANDING POSITION. 4. BODY BEND FORWARD AND BACKWARD. 5. BODY BEND RIGHT AND LEFT. 6. ACTIVE AND PASSIVE CHEST. 7. PERCUSSION OF CHEST. 8. PERCUSSION WITH ARM MOVEMENTS. 9. CHEST EXPANSION, ARM MOVEMENTS. 10. SHOULDER MOVEMENTS. 11. SHOULDER MOVEMENTS WITH BENT ARMS. 12. CIRCULAR MOVEMENTS WITH BENT ARMS. "The ancient Grecks paid the same attention to physical as to mental training. The monuments in art, science, and language which have come down to us, more than confirm the wisdom of their educational methods. We praise and copy their statuary, but seem to forget that the models for these classical figures were furnished by their system of physical training. We go back to them to-day for our great exemplars in oratory. But which of our institutions will carry us through the drill which made these men such consummate masters of their art?" PROF. LEWIS B. MONROE. VOCAL EXERCISES. [The exercises in the following Tables are explained elsewhere, being arranged in tabular form for convenience in reference and use. They can be effectively practiced with the vowel sounds. It is suggested that such practice always precede that of words and sentences, so that the work may be as mechanical as possible; the whole attention being given to the physical exercise, rather than to the expression of any meaning.] TABLE FIRST. 1. EFFUSIVE BREATHING; IN FORM OF LETTER H. 2. EXPULSIVE BREATHING; IN FORM OF SYLLABLE Hoo. 5. ASPIRATE, OR WHISPER. 6. BREATH TONE, OR HALF-WHISPER. 7. SUSTAINED TONE, OR HOLDING A NOTE. 8. EXPLOSIVE TONE. 9. OROTUND TONE. 10. OROTUND AND PURE, ALTERNATED. TABLE SECOND. 1. RADICAL STRESS. 2. MEDIAN STRESS. 3. FINAL STRESS. 4. COMPOUND STRESS. 5. THOROUGH STRESS. 6. INTERMITTENT STRESS, OR TREMOR. 7. MONOTONE. 8. RISING SLIDES. 9. FALLING SLIDES. 10. RISING CIRCUMFLEX. 11. FALLING CIRCUMFLEX. 12. RISING AND FALLING SLIDES IN ALTERNATION. SLIDES. [The following diagrams, which can be transferred to the blackboard, will be found convenient for exercises in Monotone, short and long Rising, Falling and Circumflex Slides, and all forms of Stress.] [In the preceding diagram, the terms Long and Short are used without reference to any measurement, Short implying the common, conversational, Whole Tone Slide; Long, any increase in that length. In the diagram following, the Slides are arranged in the order of their length] |