THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2519, 4 June 1909, Page 7

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

THE ART OF SINGING. MELBA CRITICISED. With regard to Madame Melba’s recent declaration (says tlie London correspondent of the Auckland “Herald”) that many promising female, voices had been ruined bv male teachers, and her charge of incompetence against male instructors, a London newspaper has been interviewing some of the accused teachers. Dr AV. G. M‘Naught, who is 'wellknown in London musical,circles, said: “It is, of course, with much diffidence that I place mv opinion in opposition to that of Madame Melba upon this ■subject, but the experience of many , years compels me to do so. If she had warned her friends against incompetent teachers of singing, without regard to sex, I should bo in hearty agreement with her; for it is quite certain that no profession is more overrun by incompetent pretenders than ours. The historical facts, however, are dead against Madame Melba’s warning when directed against male teachers, as such. ! “Most of the greatest singers the world has seen have boon trained by' men, and the women themselves show a. marked preference for the instruction of the opposite sex, so far as singing is concerned. Proof of this latter assertion is to be found at the 11 oyal Academy of Music and the Iloyal College of Music, where...the.ro are very few lady teachers, because so many of tlie lady pupils prefer to be taught by men.” .

Dr M‘Naught was in hearty agreement with Madame Melba in her generous praise of Marchesi as a teacher. “If all lady teach era,” he said, “were half as excellent as Marchesi, the situation would be very different. But, as a ..matter of fact, women teachers, worthy of the name, are very hard to find. They have not devoted their minds so much to the art of voice-production and singing instruction as the men have. That is the whole truth of the matter.. .And it is the more to be regretted, because women teachers have a great advantage in training pupils of their own sex by being able to give them the exact pattern. I am-particularly well Ida cod for knowing where competent female teachers ef singing are to be found, and’the restricted number with whom I am acquainted are. always strongly recommended by men for the instruction of lady pupils.” That hundreds of ■ good voices are ruined every day by bad teaching Dr M’Naught frankly admitted. “But this is not to be. laid to the door of male instructors on account of their sex,” he said. “It is due to the fact that the men in this profession outnumber the women by quite 50 to one. Some- of the greatest teachers undoubtedly made mistakes. That is because nearly every one of them lias bis own particular theories for obtaining the pest results, and many of them aim at achieving the marvellous, instead of confining their efforts within safe and sound limitations. We are only just beginning to make a science of voice, production: 1 thought I knew a great deal more about it as a young man than I do now when getting on in years.” Here Air Thomas Beecham, the conductor, who had so far been a listener only, ventured the remark: “You may bo surprised to hear it, but it is my opinion that nineteen out of every twenty teachers of singing, whatever their sex, are charlatans! and I speak with knowledge, too.” “I would not go so far as that/’ replied Dr AL Naught with a smile, “but I would say four of every five do not know their business. lam afraid it is a case with most of them of plenty of brass on the door and plenty of ‘brass’ in the method!” And Air Beecham closed the interview by observing, “Tho art of singing, is the easiest thing in the world to teach—badly.”

TABLE DECORATION. Table decoration is invariably a mat- - ter of moment to the home maker. Just now, with the chrysanthemum season on the wane, and their usual few weeks -cf flower famine imminent, most women think a trifle sadly on the subject. As a matter of fac.t( says an Australian paper) far too much of the . onus of decorating is left to flowers. Of course we know that the days are • gone when a multiplicity of small vases vexed our souls. Most women recognise the pictorial value of a blue china ' bowl full'of blue gum, or a brass or copper bowl holding native honey-suc-kle or bottle-busli. Few of them, however, have tried the effect of this variety of decorations on their tables. The tendency of the modern tablecloth ' is to get smaller and smaller, and the day is within appreciable distance when •we will adopt the American idea of ' having only’ a very small overhang. These small tablecloths are usually edged with narrow, good lace, though the tablecloth finished with a fine scalloped edge is growing daily more popular. The round or octagonal table has ' induced many changes in table linen, the centre piece or runner being always iu evidence. Very often this centre piece of fine white linen or damask is beautifully embroidered with washing silks in several shades of saxe blue. Reds, greens, and violets in deep as well as pale shades arc also characteristic of much tab’e embroidery. For small tables the idea of a'colored border, done in washing embroidery, is being, accorded much favor. •HOUSEHOLD .HINTS. A. small rug for the sewing machine, made to fit the treadles, will'keep the feet of the worker warm in cold wca. ther. Stains on Enamelled Saucepans : Dis, solve a half teaspoqnful of chloride of lime in the saucepan of water, and then boil till the stain disappears. Then boil again with pure water. An Excellent Blacking for Shoes: Take four ounces of ivory black, three ounces of the coarsest sugar a pint of small-beer, and a tabiespoonful of sweet oil. Mix these ingredients .gradually, cold. ■ To Clean Real Lace: Place the lace between folds of tissue-paper, wel!- ' sprinkled with calcined magnesia, and put it between the leaves of a book under a weight for two or three days. Shake out the. powder and the laeo will be found quite clean. To Sharpen Scissors: If your scissors Avairfr sharpening,, take nn ordinary • knife-steel, place' the. plad.es on the steel as if von were in the act of cutting the steel. By drawing the steel along the blades in this fashion you will find the scissors are well sharpened. To Use up Small Coal: It- is a good iilan to get a piece of newspaper, cover it with small coal, and then P : ' co it, as flat- as may be, on - the fire. Ihe coal .will then ,a!,l cake .together, ■ and, • if .left undisturbed, will keep the file -• Pbrni nV Vor flier. "«;• i This ,isv,n v :,gnod a y.