sons and living,
and I now gave my whole time and attention toward fitting myself for my
new calling. The lady who played my accompaniments at that concert
became my teacher. And I can say, with gratitude to a kind Providence,
that I have never had, nor wished to have any other. When I hear young
singers in America saying they have been to Mr. S. to get his points,
then they will go to Mr. W. to learn his point of view, I realize afresh
that my experience has been quite different and indeed unique; I am
devoutly thankful it has been so.

WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD DO FOR THE STUDENT

"My teacher made a study of me, of my characteristics, mentality and
temperament. That should be the business of every real teacher, since
each individual has different characteristics from every other.

"It is now ten years since I began to study the art of singing. I came
to America soon after the eventful night which changed my whole career;
my teacher also came to this country. I had everything to learn; I could
not even speak my own language; my speech was a dialect heard in that
part of the country where I was brought up. I have had to cultivate and
refine myself. I had to study other languages, Italian, French and
German. I learned them all in America. So you see there is no need for
an American to go out of his own country for vocal instruction or
languages; all can be learned right here at home. I am a living proof of
this. What I have done others can do.

THE TECHNICAL SIDE

"As for technical material, I have never used a great quantity. Of
course I do scales and vocalizes for a short time each day; such things
are always kept up. Then I make daily use of about a dozen exercises by
Rubini. Beyond these I make technical studies out of the pieces. But,
after one has made a certain amount of progress on the technical side,
one must work for one's self--I mean one must work on one's moral
nature.

THE MORAL SIDE

"I believe strongly that a singer cannot adequately express the
beautiful and pure in music while cherishing at the same time, a bad
heart and a mean nature behind it. Singing is such a personal thing,
that one's mentality, one's inner nature, is bound to reveal itself.
Each one of us has evil tendencies to grapple with, envy, jealousy,
hatred, sensuality and all the rest of the evils we are apt to harbor.
If we make no effort to control these natural tendencies, they will
permanently injure us, as well as impair