Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University. / The problem of this study was to provide from objective pitch measurements an answer to the question: What does a child do with his vocal pitch in certain speaking and oral reading activities? The purposes of the study were: 1, To locate in terms of fundamental frequencies the average pitch levels used by children in speaking, in easy and difficult reading, and in unaided recall of easy and difficult reading. 2. To compare the mean vocal pitches of the five oral activities noted above. 3. To report average pitch levels significantly related to differences in sex, intelligence, grade placement, and educational achievement for the groups studied.