Stamering And Cognate Defects Of Speech Vol - Ii

228 SYSTEMS OF TREATING STAMMERING

This is Dr. Sandow's expedient, already discu^
The stammerer is often advised to assume a "Pssed.

tive" attitude and to speak in a loud,
voice. The suggestion is in line with James's theofW
that one may ultimately feel an emotion by con^
tinually affecting it. But perhaps a quiet and con-
fident voice would be no less efficacious than vocifer-
ous utterance.

Most "speech specialists" make much of imbuing
the stammerer with enthusiasm. "In the lexicon of
youth, which fate reserves for a bright manhoodj
there is no such word as ' fail.'" But in this
baloo one is merely taking advantage of a
error. Enthusiasm in the student is desirable

,
\ I but it is a mighty poor substitute for competency j

the instructor.

Most teachers of stammerers approve the
life. "Early to bed and early to rise," £•< Coffee
is a poison and tobacco a narcotic," and sO^ on gu£
in these matters the stammerer will, of/ course be
guided by his temperament and i^vidual experi-
ence. — The advice to avoid extr^me fatigue fe pretty
generaUy pertinent, for w^en mentally or physically
tired most stammerers^ Experience an exacerbation of
the impediment.

Then there^^re the inevitable Umrreries among
the accessories employed in treating stammering.
-ilnerican teacher eulogizes a specific mental atti-