The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-07-10
THE SCALOMOTOR.

Amongst the matters of interest at
the late meeting of the State Teachers
Association, was the introduction, by
III. q. Lyons, of Shawnee county, of a
rudimental musical chart, which de-
serves more than passing notice. 1t
is work of true genius, looking for
ward as its object, to the Introduction
of the rudiments of music as study in
to our common schools, (what can be
more desirable p and for which purpose
it seems to be well arranged, and admit
rably adapted.
That our readers may form something
of an idea of its construction we will
try to give description oft:
In size it is two feet wide by four
long, made of one inch pine lumber,
with a frame one by two inches to keep
it from warping. Before the frame
was put around, the board was sawed
half way in two, flatwise, and sheet
iron wheel two feet in diameter insert
ed and fastened so as to revolve. Five
lines were drawn from the center to the
circumference, dividing it into five
equal spaces; each Of these spaces were
subdivided, by short lines, into twelve
spaces, thus giving room to letter the
full chromatic scale, which is shown in
one. Following this Gas the wheel re-
wolves from right to Left in the next
space is lettered the natural scale, or
scale of c.; thus follows the various
transposed scales, the sharps and flats
occurring as they are required to COM
plete scale. In the face of the board
near the center, piece is cut out on a
circle with the wheel large enough to
show one fifth, and one space, of the
wheel, which shows full octave. Cor
responding with the lines OH the wheel,
but parallel with the board, short lines
are drawn here are shown the numer-
ais and syllables of the diatOnic major
scale, the steps and half steps occurring
i'll their regular order. BY the moving
of the weeel the transpositions are made
perfectly plain.
On the left end is shown the various
kinds of notes with their corresponding
rests, and the characters, sharps, fats,
and naturals. On the other end is
shown the treble and bass slaves, letter
ed, and a staff for teachers to write out
the different scales as they may desire.
This with the words, Teachers Chart
in the upper left hand corner, and the
title, "Scalomotor," or Transportation
Made Easy" over the center, about COM
pletes this side.
On the opposite side are the different
varities of double, triple, quadruple,
and sextruple time, and two slaves on
which to write exercises for a class
thus making it at the same time COM
plete music black board.
In connection with the above the au-
thor has another chart, designed for pu-
pills, and of convenient size to be bound
in common church singing books. The
wheel of this chart contains five full
chromatic scales, with the ascending,
and descending syllables; and in addi-
ton to the diatonic major scale, on the
opposite side of the wheel is arranged
the melodic and harmonic forms of the
diatonic minor scale, in such manner
that any letter taken as one of the ma
ier, its relative minor is shown, or, rice
rerSd.
Taken as a whole, the committee, con-
sisting of Profs. Norton and Platt, and
Mr.. Jamessappointed to examine the
work, did nothing but simple justice to
the author when they reported it an ex-
ceedingly ingenious arrangement.
Mr.. Lyons has secured copyright of
this ingenious work, and intends to in
troduce it at an early day. For infor-
nation address, H. G. Lyons, Topeka.
They had heavy fall of snow in Ne
vada on the 18th of June. In the city
of Austin the fan was so heavy that the
roofs of many houses gave way under
the great weight