Elocution lesssons in the seventies. Did you?

We had elocution lessons in the high school I went to in the 60s. This was in Liverpool and I can’t say that it made much difference to my accent anyway.
The only verse that remember is -
Claire has fair hair.
Mary’s hair is red.
Mary wishes her hair was fair like Claire’s instead !
Bonkers

Sent to elecution lessons in the 50s. My mother had a very noticeable accent and was obsessed about me not picking it up hence the lessons. Now her accent would be encouraged. Loved the lessons.

Nah, never dun that.

Never had elocution lessons but parents had high standards for their three daughters, think they hoped we would marry well. Still get teased by young staff at work for having a “sarrrned witch” for lunch instead of a “samwidge” ?

I had private elocution lessons in the 60's. I had a slight stammer at school although I don't think the lessons did anything for it. I loved reciting the poetry and still remember most of them today. One was "Choosing Shoes" I too had exams and certificates for perfect speech. The last year I attended I recited Burn's poetry and poetry in old Scot's tongue so not really perfect speech.

Oh, I remember "my father's car is a jaguar" my parents were very keen that I should not have the family West Midlands accent. I 'm sure I have an English Speaking Board certificate or two tucked away somewhere. We were taught by two delightful ladies one wore very girlish frocks and the other had a mans suit and brogues, with very short hair. No one, not even my parents seems ever to have given their relationship a thought.

I've always enjoyed reciting poetry since being in a speech choir at school. Thinking about it later I realised the speech choir was for those children who weren't good enough to sing in the proper choir. However I still remember some of the pieces we recited including 'Abu Ben Adam, may your tribe increase' and I can still remember most of it. 'Quinqereme of Ninevah' was another I remember. I now belong to a small poetry group which is really enjoyable.

I only remember “ The tip of the tongue, the teeth and the lips” though I don’t remember where I learnt it. I sent my children to Speech and Drama classes after sitting in their school hall ( in Liverpool at the time) listening to the majority of Y6 children doing what was called Choral Speech saying, “ Be’old er, singin’ in the feeuld, yon solitury ighland lass” with an accent I didn’t like.

(Yes I know it’s solitary, but they said solitury.)

Yes I had them, late 1960s, at my girls grammar school. How now brown cow, the quick brown fox are the ones I remember.

I went with my friend in the 50s, as she had a slight ‘ lisp’. The lady who taught us is still alive and kicking, and has the loveliest Scottish accent I have ever heard. Like others, I can remember the poems!

Yes 1950s.

I developed a dreadful stammer after being rushed to hospital and isolated from my parents without anyone telling me why. When I was released after 10 days I could hardly speak. After about 8 years of Speech Training they sorted me out.

Peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.

Needless to say no one can shut me up now ?

Born in South Wales, I spent much of my childhood in Hampshire where the local accent was a pleasure to hear, though I've always regretted my lack of a Welsh accent, which I love. The Hampshire accent has now almost entirely disappeared, sadly, having been largely replaced by what I can only describe as insidious spread of the cockney snarl which I am sure is due to the TV programme East Enders.

I had elocution lessons in the 50's and then speech therapy ( stammered badly ). As soon as I got to know the therapist I stopped stammering with her, but still stammered often until my late 40's and still do sometimes. I don't really know why.

Thisismyname,I remember the Claire has fair hair rhyme.Wonder if we were at the same Liverpool high school.Our elocution teacher was Miss Garner.

A centipede was happy – quite!
Until a toad in fun
Said, "Pray, which leg moves after which?"
This raised her doubts to such a pitch,
She fell exhausted in the ditch
Not knowing how to run.

Did you Liverpudlians enter the Crosby Festival competitions?

Not me but my best friend in the early ‘60s.
She taught me and I remember reciting,
Sitting sullen silent in a dull dark dock. I a pestilential prison with a life long lock. Awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock of a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block.

Yes I had elocution lessons in the 70 s. It was with the same lady who tried to teach me piano. Both were a disaster!
I had moved from inner London to a suburb and my accent really made me stand out . But you know it didn’t stop me in the end and I did well and had lots of friends. Now the rough edges have naturally mellowed ... but, get me mad ( or drunk ) and the common me re surfaces . New friends find this hilarious .

growstuff Thank you so much for the rhyme. In our household we know, and often quote, the last two lines and knew that caterpillars came into it somewhere. But now I have the whole story and have already cut and filed it.

Went to a grammar school in the 50s. Had elocution lessons to rid us local girls from our Potteries accent! Lovely teacher, very attractive,among the other teachers mostly nuns.
How now brown cow, grazing on the green,green grass.
Also deportment lessons, walking with books on our heads

No, already spoke RP. When I moved from a private school to a small village primary in North Yorkshire I was told that I spoke like the BBC! I can drop into Yorkshire though!

Having posted early and now reading the whole thread, I have noticed how for many people elocution is perceived as aspirational: changing accents and improving speech.

I did elocution at my own request and it never occurred to me that it had anything to do with improving accent or anything like that.

The elocution teacher was also in charge of drama and producing the school play and I did elocution because I enjoyed acting and all the poetry and poets I was introduced to through elocution. The main benefit I got from the lessons was the confidence to stand up say what I had to say loudly and clearly, then sit down again.

We had compulsory elocution lessons at school in the late sixties. A couple of my year have done well enough to appear on television and radio from time to time, and the voices are still there.

Another Gran here who had 1950s elocution lessons - and loved them, aged 7. I can remember a lot of odd lines and short verses e.g.

Whether the weather be hot
Or whether the weather be not
We'll weather the weather
Whatever the weather
Whether we like it or not.

Only one poem I do remember in full, and I often have to recite it at family gatherings to the huge amusement of DGC as it is accompanied with rather flamboyant gestures.(It's called "Billy Flynn").

I am grateful for the life-long passion for poetry, both reading it and writing it, that the lessons gave me and also the confidence to speak to a room full of people quite easily.

To sit in solemn silence in a dull dark dock
In a sentimental prison with a life long lock
Awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock
From a cheap and chippy chopper
On a big black block.
Early sixties, at school, extra curricular, paid by parents.