New-York tribune., 1880-03-07
TIE cHCMN41I coLLLGE ~ NCsIc.

THE CINCINNAII COLLLbL rI Y rIc.
If we were to Judge from tLc Information
communicated to the press by tie Board Of
Directors of the Cincinnati College Of Music,
We should lo justified In supgosins that the
troubles which have eliminated in the r,,ig-
nation Of Theodore Thomas lie wholly oI
chiefly in an incomUatibility Of temper be-
tween that gentleman and Colonel George
| Ward Nichols, the President Of the Board.
That is the impression apparently INTENDED to
| be conveyed by the letters given cut for pub
! lication and il seems 10 have been upon the
mind Of Alr. Springer, the worthy founder of
| the College, when lie informed a Cincinnati
reporter that it swas ian easy matter
:" to employ q music teacher, but pres
"ident such as Nichols could not be
found more than once in a lifetime"
But it is clear that the differences must have
arisen from something much more serious
than personal disputes. Alr. Thomas's frank
and iustifable demand to be intrusted with
The exclusive direction Of the College in all
its departments" or else to be relieved of
his nominal position as director. indicates
what the difficulty was and we think the re-
mark of Mr.. Springer throws strong light
upon it.
When Mr.. Thomas left Ncw-York, it was
announced that he would have absolute direc-
ton of the new College. The "directionn y
appears in reality to have been exercised al
most wholly by the Board, and the Musical
Director instead of being the real chief of the
institution, has been regarded as little more
than head teacher and leader Of the or
chestra. The success OF a great music school,
-, 4. G,et =.
traditions to rest upon, depends upon the
character and ability Of its head. 4 fine build
ing, a large corps OF professors, and an
ample roll of students, do not make a Conser-
yatory. All the famous establishments of The
Old World owe their celebrity to the influence
of their chief or to the methods of teaching con-
secrated by the practice of years and the liv-
ing memories of n great past. Mr.. Thomas
has not been allowed at Cincinnati to regulate
even the system of instruction or the condi-
tions of admittance to the classes. The Board
of Directors, being men Of business, have
naturally cared a great deal for the mmed-
ate pecunary SUCCESS of the enterprise. and.
not being musicians, it may be that they have
failed TO comprehend or to sympathlze with
the high ambition of the Musical Director.
uer of pupils for short periods and with
somewhat loose purposes, selling culture, so
to speak, at wholesale or retail, in quantities
to suit and they objected to Thomass
scheme OF a rigorous and thorough education
that il would reduce he number Of students
at least onc-halt. As they must be the best
Judges of what kind of college they want
we are not disposed 10 ild any fault with
their policy. II is 40 doubt true that they
can easily get another music master more 10
their liking than Thomls, and also truc that
lley could not find such another president; MS
Colonel Nichols.
We suspect that these practical gentlemen,
not being misled by any aesthetic Illusions,
have an instructive ball consciousness that the
time is not ripe Tor such school as Thomas
has tried TO make. a conservatory of the
highest class cannot flourish until the popular
Ia ste for music has been pretty thoroughly cult
waited II is not an establishment where young