TO CURE BAD ACCENT

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 55, 7 March 1922, Page 8

TO CURE BAD ACCENT

LECTURES TO SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Lectures to school children to aid in curing any tendency towards "twang" in speech are to be given to tlie senior classes of schools in the Wellington district. An offer to give'such lectures suitable to the comprehension of pupils from 12 to 15 yearß of age was made recently by Mr. A. Stanley Warwick' to the Minister of Education. The Hon. C; J. Parr has accepted the offer in the following terms:— "I am indebted to you for your recognition of the value of the teaching of elementary elocution, or rather correct speech, in our schools. I'should imagine that' the lecturette' you offer to give at any school in the Wellington district; without fee of any kind, would'be exceedingly useful, and I shall be pleased to'advance the proposal. I will, soe the Director of Education and ask him to write to j the Education Board suggesting that you be invited to attend and deliver ah address for about an hour to the upper! standards in the different schools.: Further, I; shall be pleased to' come to one of your first addresses and to preside. ' "I am .satisfied that there is a good deal lacking in many schools 'in the way of correct pronunciation of the \ English tongue. The vowels are particularly subject to misuse by some children, and; also/ I feir, by a Jew of.our.younger iteachew. With regard to the latter aspect, I am askihg Mr. Caughley to, address a memorandum to the principals of the training colleges, asking their , co-operation in ,the endeavour; to purify the accent as much as possible. ;We must try to keep 'the well of .English undefined,' even/in what may seem to be such an elementary matter, as the correct enunciation *of:our vowels and consonants." .'..' • \ ,