St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-10
THE GAY SCIENCE.
Pleasant and Profitable Two
Hours With the Music Depart

Pleasant and Profitable Two
Hours With the Music Depart
ment.
While not what might be strictly
termed an intellectual feast. judging
from the standpoint of those who at
tended the National council, still the
teachers and their friends were we'll en-
tertained at the first session of the music
department, held at the Peoples church
yesterday afternoon. The address and
paper contained many gems for thought
and reflection, and the dry bones, or
facts, were relieved by the instructive
and entert aiming exhibition given by
pupils of the st. Paul public schools
under the direction of Prof. c. III. Cong
don, musical director in the schools.
Prof. S. A. Baldwin, of st. Paul, gave
an organ solo, followed by Butterfly
Song" rendered by dozen small chill
dren, the girls carrying Japanese SUN
shades and the boys ornithological neIS.
Herbert Griggs, president of this de-
which he said that these meetings were
profitable in that in hearing each 9th
er's experiences it was certainly pleas
ant to have the rough edges and the
sharp corners of new and half-fOrmed
convictions rubbed or knocked off, or to
bring out new pet theories and have
them exposed to the sunlight of friendly
criticism is, if not all of it entirely
agreeable, certainly profitable. Music
as study is becoming more and more
an important factor i'll the course of
study in the public schools. The
speaker made several amusing refer
ences to his early experiences in music,
as taught by the old-fashioned i'll
structor, and the latter's questions,
among them being that ''if whole note
has four beats in A time, how many
beats will dotted eighth note have in
80 time ?" About year or so ago the
speaker stated that he had had occasion
to visit many schools in different parts
of the country, and i'll many of them
vestageS. of the same old methods of
teaching prevailed.
1t was found that the improvement
was in proportion to the improvementin
the methods of teaching. TO put an eX
ercise on the blackboard and have the
pupils sing it at sight. will show that
it requires really more concentration OF
thought, is healthier for the body and is
a better means of discipline than any
other exercise in any other branch of
SIuuJs Ii ohu tNtNhNio ~
alized this more fully, there would not
be that lack of interest on their part,
which makes it extremely difficult for
the instructor of music to carry on his
work with any degree of real enthusl-
asm. or to successfully accomplish the
desired result. There is too much at
tempt at exhibition singing. A teacher
that loves his work and children. and
is enthusiastic in his work, can create
in his school love for the study and
and an enthusiasm on the part of his
pupils that will make his work almost
a delightfulrecreation. Without these
essentials no good or real results can
be obtained. The class will reflect
the teachers feelings. If teacher is
not capable of causing cheerfulness
in his class and leaving them better
after lesson he had better send in his
resignation, and the school board had
better accept it promptly. 1t is also
important that the supervisor OF music
have the hearty cooperation and good
will of principal and teachers, as it is
in their power to further impress upon
the pupils the importance and pleasure
of the study of music. The supervisor
should speak encouraging words to the
teacher and pupils. and keep i'll touch
with the principal. Adverse criticism
should be received in spirit of fair
ness and equanimity. He closed with
the suggestion that all the remaIks Of