READING ALOUD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 14

READING ALOUD.

AM EDUCATION . FOR ALL. COMPARTMENTS' FOR “ TALKERS." (From Our Own Correspondent.) XONDON, December 21. “ The Habit of Reading ” was the sub* ject of an interesting address by the Dean of St. Paul’s at a luncheon of the City Lively Club, an organisation which occupies as sub-tenants part of the Chapter'House at St. Paul’s. Dean Inge said that it had been calculated that in this country 18,000,000 people read, on the'average, 12 novels a year. When, however, he went on' occasions into Mudie’s, he came away with the impression that some, at least, must read 100 novels a year!—(Laughter.) Some people absorbed what they, read; others what they heard. It was often found that those who were accustomed to read were slow in assimilating a lecture, whole those who were accus- ' tomed to listen did-not read with any ■pleasure. - Some people had the distressing habit of continually talking, and he often wished railway companies, instead of having special compartments for smokers, would label some of them tor '“talk6Tg.”— (Laughter.) - Taking notes! was useful, but could be carried tip far. A friend of his, an extension lecturer, seeing a very intelligent working man in the front row, offered him pencil and paper in case he should * like to take, a few notes. The reply of the man was: “ What is my head for! ” 1 (Loud laughter.)' Reading, Dean Inge frankly confessed, was the great pleasure of. his life. One of .the best ways of spending a day was to take a long journey to Scotland, with no changes, a comfortable carriage, ‘and an interesting book. How people could, prefer an uncomfortable, cramped motor, car where one could-not read he could not imagine. By reading a book aloud one could enjoy better its style, and one' did not read. too rapidly. His mother. , ; used- - to; read- aloud. to her family for hours a day, Shakespeare, history, and all sorts of books. ■ It was an exceedingly helpful-way of educating oneself,-' and it was-a good thing to teach one’s , children.