SPEECH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 3

SPEECH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

CRITIC REPLIED TO. (By Tclcsraph.-SDccial Correspondent.) ChriGtohuroh, April 24. Horr Wielacrt's criticisms of the singing, and enunciation of tho children whoso performances lie judged at tho recent competitions are not accepted by the school teachers.. Several of tho local head-teachers, who talked with a "Press" representative- on tho subject, dissented from the Auckland musician's statements. Among others, Mr. J. Caughloy, formerly of Wellington, and now head-master of the West Ciiristchurch School, said that it was easy to understand that a musician would get a higher standard than the ordinary man. Shortly before Christmas he had heard the whole school reading, and had taken notes of the chief defects. Ho had made a note of those children who had the mueh-talkcd-of nasal twang, and the proportion was small. He believed that the reason for much of our slovenly speaking was to be found in the quickness of our delivery. Tin's led to tho clipping of the'final syllables,'and the running together of words. Ho had asked teachers who had been through schools in England what comparison they would make between the quality of Iho pupils' language and in each case they had said that tho schools of the Dominion need not fear the comparison.

Herr M'ielaert, in his condemnation, .must have referred, ho thought, to the teachers of singing, and not. to the schools. .Singing was taught in the public schools, but there always cropped up the difficulty of dealing with all the subjects in tho syllabus in the time available. In the West Christchurch School the lower classes gave from an hour and. a half to an hour.and threequarters per week to singing. In the upper standards tho time given was about an hour.