ting.

It is indeed largely the psychological quality of a tone that makes it
reach in through the ear to the comprehension. The quiet, clear, restful,
persuasive tone of a speaker who knows his power goes straight home; but
loud speech confuses. Never speak loudly. In a small room, speak as gently
and easily as in conversation; in a large room, think of the people
farthest away, and speak clearly, with a slight separation between words,
and with definite phrasing,--aiming your _mind_ toward the distant
listeners.

If one is conscious of nasality or throatiness of voice, it certainly pays
to study the subject seriously with an intelligent teacher. But a good,
natural speaking-voice, free from extraordinary vices, will fill all the
requirements of story-telling to small audiences, without other attention
than comes indirectly from following the general principles of the art.

To sum it all up, then, let us say of the method likely to bring success
in telling stories, that it includes sympathy, grasp, spontaneity: one
must appreciate the story, and know it; and then, using the realising
imagination as a constant vivifying force, and dominated by the mood of
the story, one must tell it with all one's might,--simply, vitally,
joyously.

CHAPTER V

SOME SPECIFIC SCHOOLROOM USES OF STORY-TELLING

In Chapter II., I have tried to give my conception of the general aim of
story-telling in school. From that conception, it is not difficult to
deduce certain specific uses. The one most plainly intimated is that of a
brief recreation period, a feature which has proved valuable in many
classes. Less definitely implied, but not to be ignored, was the use of
the story during, or accessory to, the lesson in science or history.

But more distinctive and valuable than these, I think, is a specific use
which I have recently had the pleasure of seeing exemplified in great
completeness in the schools of Providence, Rhode Island.

Some four years ago, the assistant superintendent of schools of that city,
Miss Ella L. Sweeney, introduced a rather unusual and extended application
of the story in her primary classes. While the experiment was in its early
stages, it was my good fortune to be allowed to make suggestions for its
development, and as the devices in question were those I had been
accustomed to use as a pastime for children, I was able to take some
slight hand in the formative work of its adoption as an educational
meth