New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-04
MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS.

fFRoM AN occAsIosAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
BosroN, Dec. "a few weeks ago l
happened stroll into Brooklyn Grammar School No
3. situated Bedforave., just at the regular music
hour superintendent and teachers were taken by
surprise and had time prepare a show programme
The regular daily working OF the school was all the oeE
ter The effect OF an intelligent method OF teaching
music immediately evident. Pupils In the upper
and intermediate classes able TO sing nc sight rom
easy exercises picked random from the book Charts
were hung up before the class and without the aid Of
piano voice Of the teacher they obliged 70 follow
the pointer and give the proper sound and quality 10
each note Difficult exercises IN intervals and time given
the advanced classes. were rendered, II not
always with precision, at sight, at least IN manner winch
showed that the children understood what the notation
meant, and following that instead OF singing by
rote The teachers in the lower classes Of the primary
department begin the work of instruction, teaching the
little the musical alphabet and preparing them ior
the general exercises conducted under the superintend
OF the music teacher who attends only once week
The results Of this system were satisfactory in nigh
degree.
Far different was the impression received from visit
to one OF the principal NewYork grammar schools The
same venerable music teacher who taught there Is years
ago stI leading and pursuing precisely the same
venerable method He cOntrived to make the hour
pleasant for the children lie taught them certain
pieces which went of well exhibition days but tnat
about all. II evident that they were singing by
ear and not by note. The music hour wac confined TO
the three highest casses but ii seemed doubtful their
knowledge OF the rudments of music thorough or
extensive some OF the smaller children In the primary
classes in Brooklyn had shown The same teacher We
told teaches in several other schools, ana tlat
throughout there liz nearly the difference in the
EewYork and in the Brooklyn methods. New-York pays
good deal Of money for teaching music in her puohc
schools; IL has right expect better fruits. There
movement toward revision but It will be OF no use to ap
point superintendent andn corpsof musical snperylsors
unless the time the whole method OF teaching
music IL thoroughly revised In reorganizin2 ts system
NcwYor cannot do better than TO avail Itself OF the ex
perience OF Boston in this department No city IN the
country has its music department thoroughly and In
diligently organized, and dare throughout 40 aby
administered The development and growth OF the mn
steal instruction In the Boston public schools has been
matter OF time is more than 40 years since the
first attempts were made toward the introduction OF
music az a branch Of common school education
In this city. II several years after the ars agitation
OF the subeet before existed recognized depart
nent Of study. 1887 the School Board appointed
standing committee muslc, 10 whom was delegated
the especial care OF this branch OF instruction But even
then and for several years afterward the teaching Wao
mainly confined the upper classes OF the grammar
and 70 the girls High and Normal schools II was not
I'LL July, 1864, that special instructor In music was
furnished the primary schools and only In 1868 was
the further step taken of providing special Instructor
for tho Of the grammar schools II was not
until 1872 that the chain OF progressive instruction was
completed by the formal establishment Of musc an
recognized branch Of study in all the high schools OF the
city Boston is now proud Of what she has done. and
without regarding the system perfect In ITSELF seek
ing every year add TO its efficiency The scope and
range Of the musical course covers the whole school
period It begins in lowest class in the primary and
stops only at tie senior class CT the High School After
personal visitation Of Of the schools of ell grades
and a careful reading OF the reports OF the School Com
fha phil fn
Of Music able to give you the pirh Of the Boston
system
THE PLAN OF INSTRUCTION.
In the first place, the city proper and suburbs Is
divided into eight districts, each district including
from five TO ten contiguous schools. For each of
these divisons there is a special instructor Of
music az A salary OF $4,000. The whole city IA then
under the supervision Of the General Musical super
visor Mr. Julius Eichberg, who III addition 10 these
labors required TO teach personally In the six more
central high schools Each Of the musical directors OF
districts is required TO give his full school time to the
CITY and Ia make monthly reports the General super
visor OF the progress OF the work in h4 district To cu
vate unity OF method and cordial cooperation monthly
meetings OF the district musical directors are Held under
the Craftsmanship Of the General Supervisor But ltls
not TO be expected that these nine special teachers en-
trey unaided could succeed in teaching $4,000 scho
ars Az in the admirable and fruitful system of drawing
now taught in Boston the regular class teachers are
made TO cooperate with the special teacher This is an
essential element in the plan, especially in relation To
the primary schools and the lower classes OF the gram
mar schools 1t requires OF the regular teacher no spe
cial musical ability or previous training An aptness
IN teach only ia necessary says the report Of the Music
Committee and any person who is fitted in other re-
spects TO hold the responsible position as teacher In
public school has the ability, we contend to learn IN
very short time under the direction OF competent pro-
fessona head how teach tine elements OF music, a
VOL az the other studies required in common schools
sl,.f gln hnuI Ina ~
sing IN order be successful in this branch or study
though OF course IL is ADJ teacher who cannot
sing may be us successful in teaching musical char
aeters and their significance Further teacher who Is
not able 20 sing herself exchange classes at the
music hour with teacher who sing or may procure
her nep when necessary. Ten minutes IN each session
IN the primary schools and fifteen minutes each day N
lower classes of the grammar schools are required
Ia De devoted TO instruction IN music Wy ts lISui
teachers 01 the SCHOOLS Ahe IA'o 'Io,,N, "a ~ A.,
great inrOad upon what may be regar led as ne
more practical and necessary studies OF the class Dt IN
OF few months IL proves 10 Dc OF great ald 10
the special music teacher. ,
Beginning away down IN the lowest class or the pT
mary schools, where the children ABOUT year 1l age
aro Just learning TO SPELL nothing - attempted unless
De 10 each the little ones 70 shg me rc.e up an uoN
The first attempt ~ the teacher is 20 gain the attention
OF the children by singing to them some easy melodc
uhse within the range adapted 10 their voices and ask
Ing them repeat IL after hmO initiate the sounds he
has given them IN their proper order. Tins aer few
trials he majority OF the class win do some ten or nteeu
minutes spent in this way and they nave taken ther
FIRST lesson in music IL s purely mater OF roI, sgns
children excited their attention aroused tntif appre
citation OF musical sounds for the first time
perhaps awakened few lessons are given IN
this way at the outset. But true roto singing as
Mr. Mason one of the special Instructors, happily re-
marks a very different thing from the ordinary hap
hazard singing too often fluid III our sunday schools
and In common acioOs where regular instruction in
given. IL is appeal Ia the INITIATIVE faculty.
which young people possess in SO great degree Oh per
fection and hence the greatest care should De- taken Jt
the examples Ice proper model FOR Imitation s regards
method and style, aud purity aud correctness OF tone
even the utteancc or the simplest musical phrusc
These preliminary lessons should therefore be- gwen
ghcn possible the professional teacher himself Ihey
must needs few, and not long continued Even az thls
early stage the musical instruction great attention
given the formation OF proper quality OF voice The