The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-08-06
OUR music COLUMN.

seiec1eu ana original, b
one well competent to treat of such mai
ters- Below is the FIRST of the series an,
treats Of the common folly of employing
s'amateur" teachers for beginners
When we select family physician W,
are careful to select one we can trust VI
look for man who has character "a wei
as skill. When we employ LAWYER we stil
exercise caution In getting one who has
reputation for knowledge and shrewdnass
and at least professional honor. But ii
too many cases when we select a must,
teacher, how is it Do we use reason
able amount of caution and Uniform
ed indgmenta Knowing that the teache
will be instrumental 10 moulding tn,
child's character andsin implanting in hin
germ ideas and thoughts, and directing
an important series of habits, all OF which
shall lead either to certain failure or sue.
cess, Is 1t not worth while to exercise
more than ordinary discrimination in Sc.
Letting the music teacheri Remember
that the stronger the magnetism or fasci.
mating OF the teachers personality the
greater. is his influence. Certainly no
parent can be justified in being too Thought
less and hasty In so important matter.
While 10 common school studies teach.
er who has not had collegiate education
may do good work, for he will not teach
the child that A is B, nor say that three
and three are seven, yet there is so wide
difference between literature and art
that the analogy does not hold true in
teaching music, because art admits of
nothing short OF perfection, and anything
less than this is just that much of a carl
cature. But no educational mistake is so
often made as in placing children for their
fist terms of instruction with teachers
who are not properly qualified.
Every pupil is constantly coming to
difficulties that he does not know how to
overcome; here the good teacher can
make clear to the puzzled pupil just how
TO solve the difficulty; and 1t is right at
this point that the common and CHEAP
teacher fails, for he can only explain the
self-evident, and the very points that con-
fuse the pupil confouud this kind of a
teacher. Ii the pupil is eventually to
compete with fine musicians as a teacher,
he must learn OF musicians and not of
novices.
It needs but little looking about and in
vestigation to learn that the pupils of su-
perior teachers do superior work and are
leaders In music OF their own social cir
cles. While, perhaps, not every child
that studies music could become fine
performer, yet how many pupils OF poor
teachers ever rise above mediocrity Gas
the twig is bent the tree Is inclined, " is as
true In the study OF music as In formation
OF character. w. II. Sherwood saws I;
"Bad methods of piano teaching cause or
aggraYate aueukness 10 hands, cramps,
suHIoints, ETC., and consequent inability
to Feallze ones desires, musical thoughts,
afdfnspirations. The situation is grave
and serious. It Is serious because so
many are learning to play upon the piano
with aiview to becoming teachers in their
turn, who waste time and money only 10
arrive at unmusical results. / have hard
work with q large majority of my pnpils
to undo or unrayel all the bad habits that
have been built up. / have often found
1t necessary to begin anew, in order to
build up anything substantial In place of
the expensive and inartistic habits.n
1t takes about three times as long to
unlearn thing as to learn 1t, and where
is the economy of having child take his
first lessons OF poor teacher, with the
idea OF at some future time paying good
teacher for having the child unlearn these
very same things
A good teacher upholds aud improves
the taste for music In his community,
hence, 1t Is policy and economy, In the
long run, for parents to employ the pro-
fessional teacher only, and give no en-
serragement to the young Misses who
i've at hohls, a. no expense 10 themselves.
and arc teaching at atnnost any price. and
thdta dear one, for the Nsako Or ffsstu
''pin money! till they 'sfind their destiny. y
The professional teacher has prepared
himself to compete with other teachers
OF all grades OF proficiency, and has been
educated for life-work by long years of
hard study with eminent masters at great
coat, and he gives large value for the
money he charges for tuition, while, on
the other hand, the amatuer teacher has
no true conception Of her self-imposed
task, and has no idea or intention of max
Ing music teaching life-work, and has
In no way fitted herself for it, therefore
parents make serious mistake in en-
couraging this class of so-caled teachers.
Wcll-informed musicians OF the widest
reputation maintain that this class OF anna
teur teachers do the cause OF music more
harm than all other influences combined,
from the fact that they lead people to
take low estimate OF the value of music
as factor In developing the finer quail
ties Of character and mind. They pre-
vent the people from realizing that music
10 something more than an amusement or
agreeable accomplishment, that 1t Is q
science, an art, and on many 1t has such
powerful influence that it is almost a
religion to them. Music is a great factor
In educating the young to noble man
hood and womanhood.
The good teacher can direct the pupil
at points where he most needs 1t. He
can help him over difficulties In the cas-
lest ADD best manner, and Ia this impor-
tant matter poor teachers completely fail,
for their work il of tread-mill order,
their pupils constantly come out where
they began, and make little or no real ad.
yancement. A good musical education
costs much money, and so 1t is wise to
R"J ~ Ohs WhNtV hhVtG VIII DC buIt IT,
turns hence, study music with must
clan, one who is teacher for arts sake,
and has skill, ard knowledge, and an en-
thuslasm for his work.
The progressive teacher not only reads,
but he studies and thinks. He investi-
gates new theories of instruction, and
uses the most approved ideas aud methods
in his teaching. He Is alert aud active 10
thinking out what is best for the advance
ment Of each individual pupil, and prompt
in Its application.
He makes self-improvemen a part Of
every days work, and because OF his In
creasing knowledge he is a. leader 10 his
profession. He Is never satisfied with
the results of bis work, or with the amount
and quality of his attachments, for he
knows that the self-complacency OF
..knowing 1t all" Is to stop advancing, 10
and that il he retains what
he has he must keep on ad-
yancing To accomplish this, no attends
the annual meeting and associations of
music teachers, and studies during his
vacations, that he may be we'll up and In
advance of the times In the newest and
best things of his profession. He puts
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