Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-08

fornia are sterile in comparison to that
Every good word epoken-every noble
thought propounded, takes root and re.
turns harvest of blessings, perpetuated
Tor time to come, and spreading into un-
limited distances. What an opportunity
{, immortalize wise sayings and recon-
mendation of things which shall tend to
make better men and women OF our
growing generations.
Think of the great Romans and
Greeks, surrounded by circle OF listen
ers, every one of whom is trained to un-
derstand and propagate everything good
and great in the direction Of education.
Over four hundred apostles to carry out
truths spoken during these days, as
against twelve, who revolutionized the
world nineteen centuries ago. What
means had Frebel and Pestalozzi to in
troduce their ideas of teaching? Horace
Mann, the great educator, Able Huye,
Guszenbuehl and others, had not such
legion of helpers. There would be no
village in Ohristendom without a pop
ular school, kindergarten or manual
training school had the old masters
above named had one-fourth of the
power which such a gathering as that
OF last week offered.
Have our teachers fully weighed the
importance of such meetings? Have
they brought up for debate everything
belonging to the curriculum of modern
teaching? What have they done for
moral training, for school gymnastics,
for manual training and for music?
Was there one amongst the many
teachers who knew of the great good
which is produced in the school by sing
ing? Did no one know in that concourfe
of people that singing in school is a
source of health, Though the exercise of
the lungs, abdomen and the vocal or
gans? No one who has experienced the
great moral influence OF the song on the
most refractory child? Not one who
knew that the teachers moral suasion,
the mothers loving words, or the princi-
pals rod is not as potent with the ma
jority of so-ealled obstreperous children
as the threat to withhold the singing les
son? And if any one was there who knew
this, why did he or she not arise TO in.
troduce or recommend the subject of
"Music in the Public Schools?" They
had forgotten it in the excitement of the
hour.
When on the reception evening, the
University Band played, they were
reminded; when the quartet sang,
they might have thought of it. Miss
Breeds singing might have refreshed
their memory. Some gentlemen sang,
and who knows but the foundation to all
the musical programme was laid in the
public school. The younger sister of
godly music, elocution, had an able
defender there in the person of Prof.
Ludlam, but vocal music-where was
the man or woman to take up the glove
for it in that arena?
1t seemed as if these people were
afraid to touch the subject. Many in the
course OF the week spoke the word
music, but that was all. No earnest
recommendation was made to put this
county on level with even poorer ones
of the Eastern States, by introducing
music in the public schools. The costs
of such an undertaking would be small,
the time taken from other studies, would
be fully made up by the better disposi-
ton of the scholar to his literary task,
after the healthful recreation of singing.
Gentlemen of the county schools,
directors of the public schools of this
city, try music in the schools. Ladies
and gentlemen teachers, give music
teaching little attention and space in
your deliberations in your future meet
ings of the city teachers, the County
Institute, and, in fact, in all gatherings
of true teachers of the young of this part
of the world. 1t will rebound to your
credit, forever. A. WILLHARTITz,