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The American Union Speaker by John D. Philbrick
page 30 of 779 (03%)
action the better. Freedom is the first thing to be secured, and, to attain
this end, few directions should be given and few criticisms be made, at the
outset. When the speaker has acquired some confidence, and freedom of
action, his faults may be gradually pointed out, and his attention called
to some general principles of gesture, such as have been presented
respecting the language of the hands. Pupils should be taught to observe
accurately the action of accomplished orators, not with the view to
imitating their peculiarities, but to learn their method of producing
effect by means of attitude and gesture.


DECLAMATION.

Declamation should be attended to in all grades of educational
institutions, from the primary school to the college, and every pupil
should be required to take his turn in the performance of the exercise. It
would be highly beneficial, if well taught. The reason why so many teachers
have no taste for it, is because they have not taken pains to qualify
themselves to teach it. Want of time is sometimes offered as an excuse for
neglecting it. But if a part of the time which is devoted to teaching
reading, were appropriately to declamation, the progress in reading itself
would be more rapid, to say nothing of other advantages which would result
from this course. I cannot too earnestly urge upon every teacher the
importance of qualifying himself for teaching well both reading and
declamation, There is no accomplishment which more effectively promotes the
success of the teacher than that of elocutionary culture,--a good voice
skillfully managed in conversation and in teaching. Without special
attention to the subject, teachers are apt to acquire certain
characteristic faults of voice, such as nasality, sharpness, harshness, and
thinness of tone, of which they are quite unconscious. Whereas, by constant
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