The secondary causes include the influences of environment and heredity. The contempt in which music has been held by a portion of the English-speaking people from the time of the Reformation until quite recently, or shall we say until even now, has made its powerful impress upon opinions, tastes, and natural powers. Singing, with a part of our population, is literally a lost art, lost through generations of disuse.
It is often urged by educators that each study must help other studies. The various subjects which are taught must move along, as it were, like the parts in a musical composition, dependent upon, sustaining, and harmonious with each other. Now, while it is not within the scope of this work to discuss the relation of music to other studies in all of its bearings, it is yet clearly in line with its general tenor to suggest that the tone in singing will react upon the speaking-voice, andvice versa.
Now, if pupils recite and speak with a noisy, rough tone, it will not be easy to secure sweet, pure tone from them when they sing; but, on the other hand, while they may be speciallytrained in good singing-tone, it will not, as a result, follow that the speaking-voice will be similarly modified. Special attention must be given to this also; but if children invariably sing with pure tone, it must be very easy to direct them into good vocal habits in speaking and reading.
It is no more necessary for children to recite in that horrible, rasping tone sometimes heard, than it is to sing with harsh tone; and if the same principles are applied to the speaking-voice as are herein given for the management of the singing-voice, in so far as they may be applicable, this harshness and coarseness may be avoided. It is the pushed, forced tone in speech or song that is disagreeable.
If teachers will consign to well-merited oblivion those two phrases, “speak up” and “sing out,” and will, instead, secure purity and easy production of tone, withdistinctness of articulation, they will do wisely. Let us not hesitate to teach our pupils to know and to feel that which is beautiful, and good, and true, that our schools may promote the growth of good taste, and stand for the highest morality and the best culture.