THE SPEAKING VOICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1925, Page 18

THE SPEAKING VOICE.

. — • - NEED FOR CULTIVATION. CBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., Friday. Criticism of educational bodies which fail to recognise the value of competition festivals were voiced at the official opening of the Manawatu Competitions Society's present festival last evening by Mr. Farquhar Young, of Christchurch, judge of the elocution section. Addressing the audience prior to commencing the programme, Mr. Young said that one of the disabilities under which the society was labouring this year was opposition to competitions evidenced by education ' boards generally and the Wanganui. Eduction board in particular. It had been his duty during the last few months to point out to educational authorities the necessity for improving the voices of school children. They had dodged the question for a good many years, but were finding out the position now. It is useless to educate a child very highly, and at the same time neglect the instrument with which he j or she was to reproduce those educational advantages. I He said, advisedly, after forty years' experience, that it was not right for schools to allow a child to read until it had been given at least some elementary instruction in voice production, how to read and how to produce pure vowel sounds. They would have to begin with masters. If they could not do it there was ' little hope that the child would get the idea.