The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-21
sITaTve N soHOoLs.-Amonr the modern

sIxerHe IN soHoos.-AmOng the modern
improvements, SO called, must be reckoned
singing in schools. The practice Is IN
doubleday highly satisfactory to the juVe-
niles, as proved by their JUNCTION and We
hemencs of rendering, but it is an open
question if those living neighbors to schools
are particularly edited. Many such, ssPs-
cially if old residents, complain of an OBJ
tuseness of the sense of hearings result
of the hammering of the auditory nerve.
We notice they all have resigned express
sion, as if with them the contest were over
and their wills surrendered up 70 departure
from life at any moment.
As for ourselves, Providence has, no
doubt wisely, fixed our lot,-not a city lot,
the Assessor and Treasurer are Witnesses
near q certain school house in this city.
There the scholars sing everything from
the Doxology to the Blue Tailed Fly.
Arithmetic and Geography are setto music.
We never in our childhood discovered
much melody in the multiplication table,
but the teachers of this generation have
seen that even that dry schedule is under
laid with music, and they give all the
neighbors and psssers-by a daily touch Of
the harmony. We lave known or seen
people so moved by this music that they
voluntarily and, as it were, frsnticslly'
withdrew to their closets and shut the
door, and in some households, near the
schools, wads of cotton may be seen lying
around handy in all the rooms, ready Tor
instant insertion into the ears. For there
is no knowing just when the demon Will
enter into d mai or woman SO caPrlclous
are the teachers and urchins.
They say that such was the power oil
Orpheus' melody, he could at any tim he
wanted to build a city or get g load OF WOOD
hauled up to his door, by the mere magic
tones of his Tyre, pluck up stones and trees
and draw them, as we'll as animals, TO his
side. As the proof of art is it's hold on ma
ture, the power of music may be conVen-
iently measured by it's visible effect on the
animal creation. Mice have been known
to b, musical, i. g., have been intoxicated
to death with the doubtful melody produc-
ed by an amsteur from reluctant cat-gut
If we apply this test to the music
which floats out from our city
sebools, it may be observed tina
cats which have grown gray in the Vicinit!
Of said houses, do not mind the singing q
all. They are not in the least excited
much less startled. But let q strange CO
be passing by g school house, and th
scholars aIl of g sudden let out on the higl
notes, it has been seen repeatedly to turl
, about hurriedly, apparently in great con
Germ of mind, and after gazing about fran
tically two or three iDstsnts, suddenly tur
tell and fee. The effect on it is niue
like that produced by throwing q bowl
water from an upper window upon a felin
creature sleeping and dreaming bsloW.
lights out without ceremony.
But as ismay be objected thst ca~ts,eSPecia
Iy Thomas cats, haven't much of an ear IL
? music, Notwithstanding the fact that the
c~ontrivs to make the night vocal with the
sweet lyrics, voluptuous, smorous dulc'
strains, bewitching serenade songs an
hymns of praise) we will turn for the spa
of a sentence or two, to observe II
effect of the school singing uPc
dogs, those noble brutes, the con
panious and imitstOrS of man. The su
ceptibility of dogs is we'll known, and al
their power of sympathy and the habit
r. always expressing it on b eoccasiOns viii
call it forth. It is a touching sight, and Il
- -..L.G;o (, ~ avtrama ALI III do
in a neighborhood marked by aradius OF
hundred rods from E public school hOui
moaning and dismally bowling while t
dear children are singing.
If we might be allowed to offer q friend
criticism on the excellent practice of sin
ing in schools, we would humbly sugg'
that the different apartments should I
sing at the same time and with full pow
= of lungs, throat and diaphragm, pieces
diverse in sentiment and time as Old Hu
dred and Pop Goes the Weasel. The eli
nr is slightly incongruous and inharmonio1
o. We would also beg leave to observe In I
triendliest spirit, that the sentiment q
III the EXPRESSION or rendering Of it should
10 somehow co incident. That is, a comm
or weak sentiment should not be sung W
excessive vehemence, as is often done in
schools, we notice. For example, we he'
the Juveniles in one of the schools, the oil
ia day, sing for the space of ten minutes, W
the full power of the orchestra, the uni
portant matter ~of-fact, "Twiee seven
~ fourteen," &c. They iterated it and reit
re sted it, time over and over, until 9 sen
On tive ear wanted to shout, "HSltr r. II
Sc. kept singing, however, this statement "
IN crashing effect. It was like the clash of
u Vulnerable cymbals, and, considering
great effect and the trivial subject, seen
hit like q blast OF trumpets sounding q cha
on rsbbits or mice. Now There is M seI
20 we humbly submit, in putting such ere
NJ ing, thunderbolt emphasis on q matte
isr uuimportsnt, because 50 abstract, as "TV
,as seven are fourteen" If it meant that e
he singer was declaring that, in every rend
ing of that statement, he was putting
his pocket, as profits, fourteen one do
les bank notes, the sentiment would lose
he abstract character, become concrete, il
C., vidual, and be possessed of signifca
mp enough to justify such a tremendous Out
of wind.
sre -~-
Nov-FprscopIL METEOpIsT CONyENTIol