READING ALOUD

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1929, Page 8

READING ALOUD

AN EDUCATION FOR ALL

LONDON, Dec. 21

“ The Habit of Reading ” was the subject of an interesting address hv the Dean of St. Paul’s at a luncheon of the City Livery 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, lie came away with the impression that some, at toast, 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, while those who were accustomed 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 for “ talkers.”—(Laughter).

Taking notes was useful, but could be carried too far. A friend of his, an extension lecturer, seeing a very intelligent working man in the front row, offered him pencil and paper in rase he should like to take a few notes. The reply of the man i\as: “Whafc is my head for?” —(Loud laughter.)

Reading, Dean Inge frankly confessed, was the great pleasure of his •ife. One of the best ways of spending a day was to take a long journey to -cotland .with no changes, a comfortable carriage, and an interesting book Row people could prefer an uncomfortable, cramped motor car where one f-ould not read be 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 rend 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 tiling to teach one s children.