24.

DRILL IN ARTICULATION AND ACCENT.

Each scholar in turn may be called on to take his place in one end or corner of the room, and be required to read any passage which he may select in this book or any other, in a whisper, till he can be heard distinctly all over the room. The teacher will take his place as far as possible from the scholar, and inform him of the articulate sounds in which he fails. The pupil of course selects passages from the book without mentioning the page, so that he shall be understood, if at all, entirely by the distinctness and force of his articulation in the whispering exercise. Every pupil in the class will be called, and those who find the most difficulty in making their reading intelligible, must be trained repeatedly, and sufficiently, to reach the end aimed at in the drill. Short passages may be assigned, which involve difficult combinations of subvocal and aspirate sounds. Collections of such may be found in almost any reading book.

25.

PITCH.

PITCH. That quality of the voice which depends. on the tension of the vocal chords, and the extent of the opening of the articulatory organs.

HIGH PITCH. That which results from a more than ordinary tension of the vocal chords, and a less than ordinary opening of the articulatory organs.

Remark. For definition and enumeration of Articulatry Organs, see page 48, section 11.

Low PITCH. That which results from a less than ordinary tension of the vocal chords, and more than ordinary opening of the articulatory organs.

KEY. The average pitch on which any given passage is delivered.

MONOTONE. The same pitch, either high, medium, or low, with no variation, other than required by accent and cadence.

Remark. The Monotone is often thought to be Unvarying Low Pitch.

26.

DRILL ON PITCH.

Exercise 1. The class may be called on to give the sound o, in a medium pitch, with the teacher, and several times, till he perceives that they have all the same pitch. Then, the same sound in a low pitch ; then, in a very low pitch; then, in a high pitch; then, in a very high.

Remark. This exercise must be varied and continued, till all the class get not only the knowledge of pitch, but till every scholar, whether possessed of a musical ear or not, can give a sound in any pitch required.

Exercise 2. The teacher will select some short passage, and require the class to read in concert, first in the ordinary pitch; then a little lower; then lower still, and so on, until a point is reached, where but a few of the better male voices can read with a distinct articulation. Then, commencing again with the ordinary pitch, the reading of the passage may be repeated, and varied in the ascend

ing scale, till as high a pitch as may be consistent with distinct articulation is reached.

Remark 1. In pursuing these drills, females must be trained by themselves occasionally, while the males rest, and the plan of exercising the more powerful voices by twos and threes practised, till the most feeble voices and the most timid girls are reached, and their difficulties met by special training.

Remark 2. This exercise must be varied and continued, till every scholar can read any passage assigned, in any pitch required, unaccompanied by the teacher or other scholars.

Remark 3. Particular attention must be paid to those scholars who have acquired the habit of reading or speaking on too high or too low a key for their voice. Every voice has its own key, on which it can sustain continued delivery with the greatest ease to itself, and with the greatest satisfaction to an audience.

Remark 4. By frequent daily repetition of these exercises, on single sounds, and on sentences, in a low pitch with ever increasing force, a depth and strength of voice can be acquired which may be used, when required, with great effect in delivering emphatic words or passages. The exercise is well calculated to give the greatest compass and flexibility to the voice, and to bring it perfectly under control in this particular.

Remark 5. Constant attention must be given to the QUALITY of the voice in all these drills. No husky, guttural or nasal tones should be tolerated;

but if necessary, special drilling should be given to every pupil who does not possess a clear, full, ringing voice; in other words, PURE TONE. One of the more common causes of impure tone is a want of sufficient opening of the teeth and lips. If that be the difficulty, illustrations of the difference of tone resulting from this cause must be given by the teacher, and the pupil must have no peace till the difficulty be removed.

27.

EXAMPLES FOR DRILL IN PITCH.

LOW PITCH.

Hold! Shame! Beware! It is impossible! Scorn to be slaves. May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.

HIGH PITCH.

O, fic. My stars. Good enough. Victory (they all shouted) VICTORY, (as loud as they could scream), VICTORY.

To arms! the Greek! they come, the Greek!! the Greek!!!

VARYING PITCH OR COMPASS.

Falling.

I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Rising.

What! to attribute the sacred sanctions of God, and nature, to the massacres of the Indian scalping knife; to the cannibal savage, torturing, murdering, devouring, drinking the blood of his mangled victims !

28.

FORCE.

FORCE. That property of the voice which depends on the power with which air is driven over the vocal chords, by the action of the respiratory organs.

Remark. For the definition and enumeration of the Respiratory Organs, see page 48, section 11.

SUSTAINED FORCE. That which is continued through the delivery of a word, phrase, or sentence.

MEDIUM FORCE. That of ordinary delivery in the conversational or didactic style.

STRONG FORCE. That of loud tones.

VERY STRONG FORCE. That of vociferous tones. WEAK FORCE. That of soft tones.

VERY WEAK FORCE. That of subdued or almost suppressed tones.

29.

DRILL ON FORCE.

Remark 1. More difficulty is found in this matter of force, than in all others connected with reading and speaking. Many pupils, by previous bad habits, or by timidity, or by affectation, have no apparent power to make themselves heard beyond a few feet. Hence teachers, fellow pupils, and visitors, are perpetually annoyed by such shams. The first exercise must be directed to the remedy of this evil, and if necessary, the last.

Exercise 1. Let the class rise, take proper position, and give in concert the sound of o, in the medium pitch and with medium force; again, as the