Stamering And Cognate Defects Of Speech Vol - Ii

no SYSTEMS OF TREATING STAMMERING

that the measures applied are among the more
rational ones — preliminary inspiration, indirect
attack, "continuity" of voice, etc.— and then pass
the exercises rapidly in review. — Physiological spell-
ing can be dismissed as so much nonsense. — Word-
exercises combined with breathing, whispering, and
vocal exercises might be pardonable if anything could
be said in favor of them. — Practising words with
differently placed accents seems to be an objectless
procedure. The exercise aims .at nothing in particu-
lar, and doubtless accomplishes it. — The reading of
ordinary matter probably furnishes as sensible an
exercise as one finds in the average stammering-school.
The procedure is practical, whereas most of the exer-
cises just considered are fetishistic.—Dialogue-reading
is probably beneficial; certainly it would furnish a
test of the pupil's fluency.—The reading of difficult
combinations of words would furnish excellent train-
ing for elocutionists, but it is difficult to see how the
practice can be of any benefit to stammerers as stam-
merers.— Counting affords the student opportunity
for applying rational principles. It is, however, an
irksome business, and since it has practically no
advantage over other simple speech-exercises, there
is little to commend it. —Reciting memoriter, para-
phrasing, completing sentences, propounding, and
answering questions, relating anecdotes, etc., are of
course all useful and practical exercises. — The prac-