known as the local-effort, muscular school of the nineteenth century; the
school which to this day so largely prevails; the school which makes of man
a mere vocal machine, instead of a living, emotional, thinking soul.

The local-effort school attempts, by direct control and manipulation of
muscle and of the vocal parts, to compel the phenomena of voice. In this
respect it is unique; in this respect it stands alone. The truth of this
statement becomes evident when we stop to consider that in nothing known
which requires muscular development, as does the art of singing, is this
development or training secured by direct manipulation and control of
muscle. There is nothing in the arts or sciences, nothing in the broad
field of athletics or physical culture, nothing in the wide world that
requires physical development, in which the attempt is made to develop by
direct effort as does the local-effort school. Hence we say the mistake
they make is in attempting to compel the phenomena of voice, instead of
studying the conditions which allow them to occur. It might be interesting,
it certainly would be very amusing, to enumerate and illustrate the many
things done under the name of science, to compel the phenomena of voice;
but space will not permit. Many of them are well known; many more are too
ridiculous to consider except that they should be exposed for the good of
the profession.

The result of all this direct manipulation of muscle is
ugliness--everywhere hard, unmusical, unsympathetic voices. The public is
so used to hearing hard, muscular voices that the demand for beautiful tone
is not what it should be. In fact, it is not generally known that it is
possible to make almost any voice more or less beautiful that is at all
worth training. The hard, unmusical voice of the day is a hybrid, unnatural
and altogether unnecessary voice. Physical effort in singing develops
physical tone and physical effect. Common tone makes common singing. A