Public-address and Sound -recording Equipment in the School.
When a father hears his son in a school broadcast reviewing a hook, interviewing a teacher, or taking part in a radio play, he is more appreciative of the teacher who has given his boy this training and opportunity.
The person in charge of such programs and of all intraschool broadcasts
should first be possessed of a sense of showmanship; second, have an
interest in radio broadcasting; third, have had some speech training; and
finally, have sufficient common sense to follow mechanical instructions.
The experience of teachers seems to indicate that the appearance of boys and
girls before the microphone contributes to their educational development. First,
it develops greater interest on the part of pupils, . . . chiefly, perhaps, because
the activity is so far removed from the usual academic school experience. Second, .. . radio brings the pupil in touch with the modern world, . . . placing the
youth in touch with modern methods of communication. Third. . . . it is
difficult to persuade a student of the necessity for good speech; when at home
and among friends he is able to get along satisfactorily without it. But with his
first trial over the microphone and the criticism of his fellow students, which
follows, the need for effective speech is brought home to him in a forceful fashion.
The case of turning out a dull program also teaches much to the student whose
writing has turned to the radio field. .. . Drama can be produced over the microphone when the lack of costumes and
stage settings makes it impossible for the students to appear in regular theatrical
surroundings. Since scripts can be used, attention can he centered on the interpretation instead of the memorizing of lines. Straight talks and discussion groups
provide opportunity for instruction in effective public speaking in the modern
manner and discourage bombastic utterance. . . . Such broadcasting is possible
in any school having radio sound installation.'
Every school system has some teacher who is outstanding in his or
her field but who cannot conduct more than one class in a term. Such a
teacher can become a master teacher for a number of classes by conducting them from the school studio. The unique or outstanding method may
thus be observed by other teachers while their pupils are receiving
instruction.
Those students who have the opportunities offered by the publicaddress equipment receive excellent training in (1) correction of speech
defects and improved diction, (2) self-control under tension, (3) poise,
(4) naturalness, (5) joy of achievement, and (6) punctuality.
I come from an industrial center and the speech problem there is a critical one. We have many students who won't talk. They are listed as a "backward"
group, due largely to their inability to express themselves. We have students, coming from the poorer section of the city and of foreign extraction, who have a decided dialect in their speech and for that reason they are extremely self-conscious. They, like the rest of the world, have become speech -conscious. They realize that they do not speak in the same manner as do students from American
families. However, this type of speaking has become a habit with them and they seem unable to break it. They are ashamed of this defect, but they are reluctant
to take a speech course or to speak in any other course because they do not
want to be laughed at.
Another group of backward students that needed speech training consisted
of those whose vocabulary was such that they could not express themselves
adequately and were, therefore, reluctant to express an idea even if they had one. They had not had contact with good books or good speakers. Whether this was due to a lack of facilities or a lack of desire and incentive, I cannot say, but prob- ably all played a part in making them deficient in language.
The third group in this division consisted of those who had the knowledge and equipment necessary to be successful students but who were so shy and
retiring in their nature that they could not force themselves to get up in class
to recite. They were so frightened that the mere mention of a speech class sent
shivers of horror up and down their spines.
These three groups constituted a section of the student body that needed
speech, and yet it was also the section that was least likely to take it. The prob- lem was to think of something that would motivate them to take speech in high school and to arrange a situation that would not be too antagonistic to their
sensitive natures. It was then that we hit upon the idea of the public-address
system.
There were several things about this that made it especially adaptable to our
needs. It had several qualities about it that would make it easy to sell to this
type of student. In the first place, it was novel-it had a sort of glamour to it
that appealed to the student; then, too, they could give their speeches from pre- pared manuscripts; and finally, they did not have to face their audience. Now I
realize that this, in most cases, is considered a handicap, but that was not true
in this instance. These students dreaded to face an audience, but when they could
go into a little room all by themselves and deliver their speeches from prepared manuscripts, some of their dread left them. These were some of the arguments that we used in arousing the interest of the students and by dint of much per- suasive speaking on our part and on the part of the class advisers we managed to
get together a class which we called "Broadcasting."
Now this class was probably one of the most disheartening groups that ever
confronted a teacher. For the first two weeks they were so shy, even of one another, that they would not look at each other. They would look out of
the window or at the ceiling or bury their heads in their hands. To alleviate
this situation the instructor secured a book of boners that had been made on the radio, some of them by outstanding announcers. Many stories concerning the self-consciousness and nervousness of great speakers were also related. These
anecdotes broke the ice somewhat and created a feeling of kinship, not only
among themselves but between them and the other people who made speeches.
Then the "mike" was introduced. A bare outline was given concerning th
the speaker must influence his hearers individually rather than collectively and
this was just the type of training that these students needed. They learned the
art of conversation through the medium of the microphone and therefore in this
school the public-address system paid for itself by proving successful in this one experiment.
Schools which have installed public-address systems report that these
systems have been paid for by boards of education, student -body organizations, or parent -teacher organizations. In every instance the officials
believe that the expenditure was justified. They report an average maintenance charge of only $21 a year. In a survey on the "Effectiveness of
Sound Distributing Systems," conducted by G. N. Kefauver and H. C.
Hand, 97 per cent of the 324 school administrators reported that such
equipment was more than satisfactory.
It is difficult to advise the installation of any particular type of equipment because such systems are being improved from year to year, but
certain recommendations can be made.
All claims of the salesman should he investigated by someone, who
understands the technical end of sound transmission and reproduction.
The controls must be simple and durable. Maximum flexibility in output
is desirable in order to give the greatest service to all parts of the building. The amplifier should have an undistorted and uniform output from 50 to
8000 cycles per second. Arrangements should be made so that volume
can be controlled to a limited extent at the listening points. There should
be visual indication of volume on the control panel. Buzzer systems
should be installed in classrooms to silence the class for the forthcoming
program. The main panel should include a monitoring loud -speaker. Provision should be made to transmit phonograph recordings by a turntable, with both speeds, and an electrical pickup, also for telephone connections. The acoustics of rooms in which speakers are located should
be considered in the placing of such speakers. The microphones should be
of a high quality. Studios to be used by speakers may need to be acoustically treated or may he satisfactory as they are.
In many instances a school will not desire a public-address system serving all classrooms but will use such equipment only in its speech department. In such an instance the playback of a sound -recording machine
may be used, thus combining two useful aids to the teaching of speech. Only the microphone, pre -amplifier, and loud -speaker units would be
used for a schoolroom public-address system.
Recording is a process of cutting or impressing sounds on film, steel
tape, wax cylinders, dises made of aluminum or acetate, or thick wax
discs so that they may be reproduced at some future time. The recordings upon film and upon tape are excellent in some respects; when sound film
is used in connection with a picture, the posture and mouth action of the
speaker can be observed, and in the case of recording on tape the sound
can be instantly erased for other recordings. However, these methods and
equipment are expensive and not generally used in the schools. The recording upon cylinders is economical because the soft wax may be shaved
after recording. However, such recordings are not permanent and can he
played only upon a machine similar to the recorder. The recording upon
discs is most generally accepted because such recordings may be played
upon any ordinary phonograph or may be used as electrical transcriptions for broadcasting.
The metal or aluminum discs are much cheaper to use,
but they are more inclined to scratch. Acetate, celluloid, or treated discs
give better reproductions but are more expensive. There are various discs
which are quite permanent and which may be played many times before
they become worn.
There are a number of very satisfactory sound -recording machines
upon the market; the purchaser should examine the business reputation
and the financial responsibility of the manufacturer as well as the technical excellence of his product before purchasing (see Figs. 33 and 34).
There are certain general requirements of recording equipment which
should be considered by the prospective purchaser. It is advisable to seek
the advice of some technically trained physicist or electrical engineer in
the selection of equipment. The instrument must contain the latest developments, and it is advantageous to demand an agreement that the
company keep it in repair for at least six months after purchase. New developments are constantly being added to the equipment. While the best
practice is to install the recording equipment in an acoustically treated studio and to make all recordings under the best possible conditions, it is nevertheless advisable to select portable equipment when purchasing. Portability permits the recording of assembly talks and musical programs,
and a single outfit may serve a number of schools. The various parts of
the equipment should not weigh more than a man can carry easily and
should have comfortable handles; the lids should be hinged so that they
can be removed and laid to one side when the equipment is in use.
The operator should demand a blueprint of the construction of the
entire equipment, to which he can refer in an emergency, but ordinarily repairs should be made by the manufacturer. Anyone using ordinary care
can learn quickly to make good recordings even though it is a highly technical operation. The teacher -operator must study carefully all instructions, avoid haste, and be methodical in the operation of the equipment. Repair bills for the equipment are low. Tubes should be tested
after every 1000 hours of use but generally are good for longer periods. Briefly, the requirements for such equipment are fidelity of reproduction of all speaking -voice frequencies, sturdy construction, dependability of
operation, portability, and simplicity of operation.
The main elements comprising such a recording system are a microphone, an amplifier, a turntable, a cutting head, and some means of
feeding the cutting head across the record; also a playback arm, and a
loud -speaker to be used with the recording amplifier to reproduce records.
The microphone is used to convert the sounds into
electrical vibrations; the amplifier increases or amplifies these vibrations to a point where they are capable of producing motion of the cutting
needle or stylus. The feeding mechanism moves the cutting head radially
upon the disc from the inside out, or from the outside in, so as to produce
a uniform spacing of grooves. The ordinary turntable, used for playing
records in any home, is not satisfactory for recording purposes. Extreme
stability, freedom from vibration, and, most important of all, constancy
of speed are necessary for recording. It is necessary for the motor to have
mote power and better mechanical construction than is found in ordinary
playback machines. Various methods, friction, belt, or gear drives, are
used to rotate the turntable. Such drives must be reliable, absolutely constant. The method of shifting from 78 to 33% revolutions per minute
should be simple. The turntable should not be less than 12 inches in diameter. If the school funds permit, a double turntable should be purchased so that there may be continuous recording of long programs, such as
plays, addresses, or musical selections. The turntable should be accurately
balanced and mounted to assure constant speed and nonwearing operation. No turntable should ever be accepted with a variation of more than
0.5 per cent in its peripheral speed while operating under load. Most
recording machines today have satisfactory drive mechanisms.
The grooves are cut in the acetate or metal by means of a needle
which is held in the cutting head by a small thumb screw. Needles used
are steel, steel alloy, stellite, and sapphire. Good steel needles cost about
30 cents and are satisfactory for ordinary recording. The life of a needle
is determined by the amount of scratch which appears on the record
when played back. The steel needle produces more scratch than any of
the other types. When the scratch becomes too noticeable, it is advisable
to use a new needle. The price of a steel needle does not warrant its being
resharpened. There are several alloy steel and stellite needles on the market today which are very good. They last longer and give better results
than the ordinary steel needle. The sapphire produces hardly any scratch
when it is new and gives longer service. In using sapphires, it is necessary
to handle the cutting mechanism with extreme care. The point of the
needle is very easily chipped, and when chipped it must be resharpened.
Stellite and sapphire needles may be resharpened by the manufacturer.
Sapphire needles list at about $6, and can be resharpened for $2.50. The
stellite costs $1.50 and can be resharpened for 60 cents. The usual life of
a steel needle is about 30 minutes of cutting time, while a sapphire will
cut for about 6 hours. The life of a needle cannot be positively stated because it depends on the amount of scratch you are willing to tolerate.
Although the initial cost of a sapphire is much more than that of steel
needles, the cost per record is about the same. A beginner should first
practice with steel needles and when he becomes proficient in the use of
these needles try a sapphire.
The purpose of a cutting head is to transform electrical energy into
mechanical energy; in other words, to synchronize the vibrations of the needle with the sound vibrations. The price of a recording head depends
on the purpose for which the equipment is to be used. If the machine is to
be used primarily for the recording of speech, the cheaper recording heads
will serve the purpose satisfactorily, hut, if high-fidelity musical records
are to be made and the equipment in general is of high quality, a high- fidelity cutting head is recommended. The cheaper head does not record
the lowest frequencies of speech or of music, or the highest frequencies produced by a soprano, a violin, or a flute, with so much volume as it
records the middle frequencies. Sound is produced by vibration; frequency
is the rate of vibration. A good bass singer uses a frequency range from
about 85 to 250 cycles per second, while the range of a soprano is from approximately 240 to 1150 cycles per second. The range of a piano is from
26 to 4100 cycles. The violin produces notes from around 192 to 3100. These frequencies are only the fundamental frequencies; there are overtones (overtones are multiples of the fundamental) which are higher.
A high-fidelity recording head will record frequencies as high as 8000 or
10,000 cycles. If high -quality musical records are to be made, it is better
to buy an excellent cutting head when the equipment is purchased. Manufacturers also provide, upon demand, separate cutting heads to be
used upon metal discs and upon acetate discs.
For recording, there are aluminum discs; discs with a cardboard base, covered with acetate or like material; and aluminum discs coated with
acetate. The recordings made on aluminum have more scratch than any of the other types. Since the cardboard -base discs are flexible and frequently warp and their surface is not so smooth as that of the aluminum - base discs, recording upon them will be of a slightly inferior nature. The
best recordings are made on heavy -gauge aluminum -base acetate discs.
The thickness of the aluminum used for these discs varies. In order to
make cheap discs, the manufacturers have used very thin aluminum.
Since these discs are flexible, they also warp. For precise work, the thicker
discs are recommended. The usual recording speed for records 12 inches
or smaller is 78 revolutions per minute. Transcriptions, which are usually
16 inches in diameter, are recorded at 3313 revolutions per minute. The
playing time of a record also depends upon the spacing of the grooves. The table on page 235 gives the sizes and playing time for commercial discs.
Recording machines are equipped with a volume control, which is
used to vary the amplitude of the cutting needle when recording and to
adjust the volume of the recording when played back, and a tone control,
which is used to make the reproduction sound less harsh or more mellow.
Actually, this tone control makes the higher tones less predominant. In
some recorders, this tone control is in operation during recording and on
other machines it is in operation only when playing hack a record. Upon
each recorder you will find some means of measuring volume. Some recorders are equipped with meters or volume indicators, and the proper
volume is that volume which makes the needle swing to zero about every
20 seconds. Other machines are equipped with an electrical eye like that
used in tuning certain radios. Different volumes decrease or increase the
size of the colored wedge; the min inmm-sized wedge should be striven for.
Place the cutting needle in the cutting head so that when lowered to
the surface of the disc, the needle will be vertical to the surface of the
record. This can easily be determined from the side of the cutting head.
When the needle is vertical, the shadow of the needle on the disc and the needle itself will appear to be in a straight line. Some disc manufacturers recommend the placing of the needle at an angle of 85 degrees, measured between the needle and the part of the record which is approaching the needle point.
When you are thoroughly familiar with the controls and are ready to
try your first recording, take a new disc from the package, being careful
not to touch the surface of the record, and place it upon the turntable.
If you are recording a speech, place the microphone about 15 inches away
from the person speaking and, after a voice test, adjust your volume control so as to give the recommended volume in accordance with the instructions from the manufacturer. Start the turntable, lower the cutting head,
and let the turntable revolve and make a cutting about % inch wide.
Never lower the cutting head before starting the turntable. If the needle
is in contact with the record when the machine starts, the sudden jerk
produced by the starting of the turntable makes the cutting head bounce
and usually results in chipping the sapphire stylus. The operator must
also remember to raise the cutting head before it reaches the outside of
the record, when recording from the inside out, or before it travels to its
limit, when recording from the outside in. If this precaution is not taken,
a chipped needle will result. The size of the shaving should be approximately the size of a hair. The depth of cut and the volume which you are
recording on the disc is best determined by the use of a microscope to see that you are not cutting through the acetate. After you have the adjustment approximately correct, cut a small sample of speech or music
and play it back, noticing the quality. If the playback needle will not follow the grooves, you are not cutting deep enough, and, therefore, you
should increase the needle pressure. When making these trial cuts, always
note your maximum volume on your volume indicator and adjust the
volume control so that the needle swings to the correct position according
to your instruction pamphlet from the manufacturer. After a few trial
cuts on a record you will become accustomed to what volume is necessary
and to the size of the shaving. There is no substitute for experience;
therefore, experiment, trying various steps of cuts and various volumes
until a satisfactory set of adjustments is determined upon to result in
good quality.
It is easier to make recordings by recording from the inside out
(starting near the center of the disc), because the shavings will then be
behind the needle and will not interfere with the cutting. It is necessary
to brush the shaving lightly toward the center with a small camel's-hair
brush. Transcriptions are most frequently recorded from the inside out,
while phonograph records are always recorded from the outside in. Records recorded from the inside out cannot be played on automatic record
changers and in many cases cannot be played on machines which stop
automatically when the needle reaches the center part of the disc. The
companies will provide equipment that will make it possible to record
from the outside to the center. Frequently the small and light acetate records slip on the surface of the turntable, and it is necessary to place a
weight in the center if the machine is not equipped with small pins which
fit into more than one hole. An excellent instruction book for the beginner
is Techniques of Recording by F. H. Goldsmith and V. A. Geisel, published
by Gamble Hinged Music Company of Chicago.
If one desires several copies of a record, it is necessary to have a second
turntable. The best copies are made by feeding the output of the playback arm directly into the second recording machine. When a large
number of copies are desired, they are made by a special stamping process by a manufacturing concern from a master record. Reproducing
needles for playing the finished recording are steel, special alloy steel,
cactus, bamboo, and sapphire needles. Only, those steel needles which
have been shadowgraph-inspected should be used. A shadowgraphed
needle is one inspected by placing it in a strong light beam and magnifying the image on an elevated screen upon which is drawn the contour of a
perfect needle. If the shadow conforms to this contour, then the needle is
acceptable. If a flat space is seen on the shadow, the needle is rejected.
When a needle becomes worn, it should be thrown away. Once
a needle is taken from the playback arm, it should never be reinserted
If it is replaced, the worn side of the needle takes on a different position
and becomes a chisel which cuts the record. Do not economize by using
a needle too long. It is better to throw away a needle which has played
only a short time than to use it too long and ruin expensive records. When
playing acetate records, always notice the light reflection from the record.
If there is a marked difference between the reflection of light from the
part which the needle has just passed over and that from the part of the
record which has not yet been played, the probability is that you have a
dull needle. Also notice if there are any small shavings accumulating at
the needle point. In these instances, it is advisable to install a new needle.
A too heavy playback arm will also ruin the record. Cactus and bamboo
needles are not recommended for acetate recordings as their points wear
rapidly and soon become blunt, causing the thicker portion of the needle
to spread or push aside the grooves, distorting the reproduction on the
next playing. The purpose of cactus or bamboo needles was originally to
produce more mellow tone or reduce the higher frequencies. Most radios
and recording machines today are equipped with tone controls which accomplish this; therefore, it is best to use a good grade of steel needle.
There is also a sapphire playback needle, a sapphire inserted in the end of
a small metal shank. This needle will last much longer than a steel needle,
but the needle must not be removed from the playback arm until its life
is finished. If the needle is removed and replaced, the worn portion of the
needle will act as a chisel and ruin any records that are played. Since it is
hard to determine when the end of a useful life has been reached, steel
needles are recommended for average use. In many commercial recording
machines in the higher price range, permanent diamond points are incorporated in the playback head. These needles last indefinitely if they are
not injured mechanically.
Acetate records are soft in comparison with the standard phonograph
record, and, therefore, extreme care must be used in placing the needle
upon the record and in removing it at the proper time. If the needle is
forced across grooves when placing or removing the playback arm, the
result will be a scratch. Because of the softness of these records, the playback arm must rest lightly on the record so that the needle can vibrate
freely. If there is too much needle pressure on the record, the record will
wear out extremely fast. Also, if the needle offers a great deal of resistance
to vibratory motion, it tends to eliminate the higher frequencies. For
acetate records, a needle pressure of 2 ounces or less is recommended.
Recently there has been placed upon the market a playback arm having
a needle pressure of much less than this. The light pressure is obtained
by using a small sapphire needle, which vibrates a small mirror upon
which is focused a light beam; the mirror reflects this light to a photoelectric cell, from which the electrical variations are amplified in the usual manner. Since the needle pressure of this playback arm is much less than
the pressure used on playback machines for the home today, this method
will result in longer record life and in fewer scratches on the records.
These playback arms are very satisfactory for use with acetate records.
Few people realize the care necessary in handling records. A record
should never be picked up with one hand so that fingerprints are left on
the record. Always handle a record by picking it up with two hands, one
on each side of the record, and touch only the edge of the record beyond the recorded limits. Fingerprints result in a dry, hard film, and,
when the record is played, cause added scratch and noise. Records should
be stored to avoid bending or strain. If slight warping occurs, it may be
corrected by laying the record under a weight on a flat surface in a warm
place. Never put a record on a radiator. The paper folder in which a
record usually comes helps to prevent scratches. Records should always
be kept either in these envelopes or in an album. When storing records in
albums, always place them in a vertical position. Never leave them for
any length of time lying flat with other things piled upon them. The best
way to store acetate records is to place them in the tin boxes in which
they come, separated by a thick paper washer. The accumulation of dust
in the grooves of any disc record results in added scratch and surface
noise. Commercially made records are usually of a shellac compound,
while transcriptions for radio stations are made from vinyl acetate. Vinyl - acetate records are more expensive but have considerably less surface
noise than the shellac records.
Sound -recording equipment can be used for exercises in voice. At the
outset the student is better off if he confines his work to the interpretation
of the works of accepted writers. The reading of a selection of prose or
easy poetry, with special attention to thought groups, will be the first
test. After a brief rehearsal, before he can commit to memory the interpretation of his instructor, his voice should be recorded. It is possible to
have a student make two or three recordings upon each side of the disc.
'l'he second may be made two weeks later to show progress in the recognition of word or thought grouping. In neither of these first two recordings
should any attempt be made to work with other aspects of the voice.
'l'he third recording may concern itself with a demonstration of clarity
of enunciation. A student with "breathy" speech can be placed close to
the microphone and his defect amplified for his own hearing. The results
of the difficulty are so apparent that renewed effort will be made upon the
part of the student to practice prescribed relaxation exercises. Not only
is the use of amplifying and recording apparatus an excellent aid to analysis, but it may also serve to record deliveries for other students to emulate. T found the Sound Mirror, a tape recording machine which plays back a 1 -minute speech repeatedly or which may be stopped momentarily at
any spot for analysis, a great help and interest creator in classes. It was so simple to operate that the students ran it themselves. Unfortunately,
it is expensive equipment.
Recording apparatus is most valuable in work in enunciation. Failure
of the student in speech work in this field is sometimes due to structural
difficulties, but more often it is due to lack of interest in good performance. The hurried chewed -up type of speech that comes from nervousness
and the slower type that comes from habitual oral inactivity are seldom
apparent to the speaker himself. His friends learn to lip-read or to piece
together the intelligible parts into a reconstructed whole. The speaker
can be made to recognize his fault by listening to a recording long after
he has forgotten what he originally attempted to say. In this connection
I quote from an article by Charles O'Donnell Bennett which appeared in
the Chicago Tribune on March 8, 1986:
The most pitiless critique of o'er -confident notables coming newly to radio is a phonograph recording of them as they speak into the microphone. The sensible
ones, who can bear the shock, say: "Good heavens, am I as bad as that!" "Not as bad," the patient director replies, "but the microphone makes you sound that
bad. It is as cruel as an enlargement of a poor photograph." Those not so sensible
say: "That's an atrocious recording." "Possibly," the director grants, "but the
atrocity is fundamentally your doing and not the record's." Dudley Crafts
Watson, art critic and lecturer, was shocked by what a record made of his some- what overprecise diction. But he did not sulk. He modified.
Recording equipment has many other uses in the school besides its
service in speech classes. It may be used for research in phonetics and linguistics. Recordings may be made of the correct pronunciation of foreign
languages, which the student can use in study periods when the teacher
is not available. A debate coach in a Michigan high school, who was
training his team for a state-wide contest, tuned in on a university team
debating the same question. He recorded the university debate as it was
picked up by the recording -equipment microphone and used the record
to demonstrate points to his local group. Radio programs, such as Shakespearean plays, which conflict with school class schedules, can be recorded
for future use. Musical organizations may make records for analysis.
I found that it was difficult to obtain funds for the purchase of equipment at the University of Michigan until I convinced the authorities that.
recordings could be made of the University Band and Glee Club and of
talks by the president and other members of the faculty, all of which
could be sent to distant alumni groups as complete programs for their
meetings. In every instance the president addressed his recorded talk to
the group receiving the disc, which created a favorable impression. Thus
the sound -recording equipment can be made self-supporting. Students make records and own them at the end of the semester. The student pays for the cost of the disc, for the cost of the cutting needle, and a small charge for overhead. Members of the faculty make records to be used in research at the retail cost of such records, which allows the recording fund a 10 per cent profit inasmuch as it orders records in large quantities.
There are other sources of income to make the recording equipment pay for itself. At Christmas and Mother's Day and upon birthdays, students who are away from home make records of their voices to be mailed to distant parents to be used upon the home phonograph. Local singers and musical groups make recordings to demonstrate their ability when seeking a job. Students who intend to teach speech or dramatics frequently send such recordings with their letters of application. Members of the faculty find it advisable to check up on their lecture delivery. Parents frequently record the voices of their children to bring back memories in future years. Some merchants who were in the habit of using barkers to bring customers into their stores have made records instead,
which they play over a loud -speaker either in front of their shops or on
sound trucks on the streets.
The Committee on Scientific Aids to Learning, 41 East 42d Street, New York City, issued a pamphlet on Sound Recording Equipment for
Schools in 1940. Every teacher using recording equipment should write
for this instructive free book and the other research issues on Broadcast Receivers and Phonographs for Classroom Use, and Central Sound Systems for Schools.
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